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PAN-AMERICAN GAMES AT RYE

By Erin Valois

Sports Editor

Ryerson has been approached by the leaders of Toronto’s bid for the 2015 Pan-American Games, President Sheldon Levy said.

“We have residence rooms and they approached us about it. When games come, they build facilities,” he said.

“If there’s opportunity there we should take a look at it.”

The Pan-American Games are held every four years and are made up of competitors from North and South America. Bogota, Columbia and Lima, Peru are the two other cities bidding on the Games. The final selection will be announced in late 2009.

Levy said the bid is at an early stage and finer details have yet to be discussed.

But with an athletic referendum in March that could determine if Ryerson builds a new facility, Ivan Joseph, director of athletics, said the Pan-Am bid partnership could be a way for Ryerson to construct a world-class athletic building.

“They were looking for facilities and we could work together,” he said. “We could build the facilities and partner with them.”

Joseph said schools like the University of British Columbia in Vancouver have partnered with the Olympics to update their athletic facilities. It also adds to the university’s reputation, and the new facility, forecasted to be finished in 2012, would be ready in time for the 2015 games.

But Joseph said Ryerson shouldn’t count on the Games to help fund a new facility.

“It’s a long time away to make plans but it would be a good way to improve our facilities.”

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