The Roly McLenahan Torch was sparked off the Centennial Flame on Parliament Hill on Thursday in front of about 200 people, marking the opening of the 2019 Canada winter Games torch relay.

It will now take part in the first ever relay across Canada before arriving in Red Deer for the opening ceremony of the games on February 15th, 2019.

Chair of the games, Lyn Radford was there for all the excitement, and says she got a little emotional.

“It was spectacular. We even got a sunny day, a little windy, but the emotion and feeling to see that torch being lit by a local athlete… and then handed it over to the Minister of Sport Kirsty Duncan and that set the flame on its way.”  

She said seeing the torch being lit made the games seem much more real.

“It doesn’t happen without the…community, and we are looking so forward to bringing the torch to these communities and celebrating with them, and oh my goodness, we better make sure we get the rest of our planning done.”

Almost all the torchbearers have been named so far, with the last one being from Red Deer, and won’t be named until the opening ceremonies.