Pan Am Report: Guadalajara Village Environmental Concerns, Toronto 2015 News

(ATR) Environmental group says construction of the 2011 Pan Am Village is illegal… PASO commission visits Haiti... Alternative sites for the 2015 Pan Am Stadium...

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More Village Problems in Guadalajara

Construction of the 2011 Pan American Village may stop again after the Advisory Council for Sustainable Development in Jalisco calls on Mexico's environmental protection agency to stop the project in El Baijo.

The council says the project is "illegal," according to local news reports. It says that the building licenses for the village failed to factor in the effect of the project on the tributaries in the area. The group also charges that the state of Jalisco overstepped its powers by approving the project since it is on federal land.

"In the case of the aquifer that is part of the basin Tesistán-Atemajac, the consequence results in risks to the water supply of the Guadalajara metropolitan area and the preservation of forests spring and Colomos," says the group in a document to the agency.

The government agency does not have a specific time to respond to the request. The council is asking for the immediate suspension of work.

This is the latest hurdle for the village, which has faced other problems including relocation from downtown Guadalajara to the El Baijo site. The Pan Am Village project has been a black eye for Guadalajara since day one. It was a major factor for the city withdrawing its bid for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.

Organizers are trying to show progress. Last month, a press release boasted that the project is 6.4 percent complete.

Plans call for the Village to include four buildings including a 20-story tower. After the Games, the buildings will help house the elderly and special needs individuals.

To mitigate concerns from environmentalists, COPAG is emphasizing measures taken to protect the environment. COPAG says 65 percent of outdoors space will have green areas and the village will have its own water treatment plant. Construction manager Hector Graniel said there reforestation campaign to expand the adjacent Bosque de la Primavera forest.

Test Event in Guadalajara

The first test event in 2010 for 2011 Guadalajara Pan Am Games is taking place this weekend.

The Code diving pool is hosting a qualification event for the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. There are nine spots available for the 60 athletes from 22 countries.

A total 14 tests events that will take place this year in Guadalajara. In addition, the city will host the national Olympics later this year. COPAG has a 2010 budget of $16 million, which will pay for the cost of hosting test events.

Last week, Mexican President Felipe Calderon pledged federal government support for the Pan Am Games.

"As a Mexican, as the nation's President I'm saying that the Pan American Games are ours and, we must all come together to deliver them with success, beyond our geographic, political or any other differences," Calderon said.

PASO Visits Haiti

A PASO commission is visiting Portau Prince to work on earthquake relief efforts.

The commission includes Hector Cardona, president of the Central American Sports Organization and the Caribbean; Felipe Munoz, vice president of PASO and the Mexican Olympic Committee president, Carolina Bayon, representing the USOC; Luis Mejia, president of the Dominican Olympic Committee, and David Bernier, president of the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee.

2015 Pan Am Stadium Plan-B

A group of Hamilton businessmen are formulating alternative plans for the site of 2015 Pan American stadium, reports John Kernaghan of The Spec newspaper.

The group is looking at three alternative sites in Hamilton instead of having the stadium on west harbor of the city. The group is looking for a stadium with the size and visibility that would be profitable for Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. Naming rights for new stadium could help the Tiger-Cats turn a profit after being in the red the past couple of years.

The Pan Am Stadium is expected to cost $99 million with $53.5 million the city of Hamilton and remainder from the provincial and federal governments.

On Wednesday, Toronto 2015 CEO Ian Troop and chairman Roger Garland met Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger and other city officials for first time since Toronto won the right to host the Games last November.

Troop became CEO on Feb. 11 and is in the process of forming the foundation of the organizing committee. His first task will be finding a senior management team to assist running the day-to-day operations.

Toronto Pan Am Should Aim for Youth

Toronto Star columnist Randy Starkman would like the 2015 Pan Am Games to focus on children.

In his Tuesday column, Starkman urged organizers to work with schools to develop "Pan Am Leagues" and other such programs. He says the Games could be an opportunity to get young people interested in sports including triathlon and badminton.

"Kids could have "Pan Am Passports" where every time that they try a sport that's part of the Games for a certain period they get a sticker or a stamp," he wrote.

Starkman suggested that youths learning about the Pan Am Games will help fill seats.

"You can't tell me that busloads of kids, educated a little bit on what they're about to watch, would not be pumped about going out and cheering on Canadian athletes. Plus, they get a day – or part of a day – off school," he said.

While Starkman seemed enthusiastic about the prospect of hosting the Games he added that for most Olympic athletes it is a "B" or "C" level event on the calendar.

PASO Assembly in Merida

The 2010 meeting of the Pan American Sports Organization is set for May 5 to 8 in Merida, Mexico.

The Fiesta Americana Hotel is the venue for the meeting.

The 2009 PASO assembly was held in Guadalajara in November.

Written by Sam Steinberg.