Richmond Hill - December 20, 2009
BY ADAM MC LEAN, yorkregion.com

The t-t-torch warms up c-c-cold crowd

Unbelievable! Simply incredible! This was even better than I dreamed," remarked a teary-eyed Alain Robichaud, as the Richmond Hill resident took the last steps of his turn carrying the Olympic torch Thursday.

Mobbed by residents gathered along Yonge Street's southbound lane, Mr. Robichaud accepted plaudits from a sea of red-clad well-wishers who now pooled around him and the relay steward who locked off the torch flame.

Calls of "hey, can I touch it?" and "Go, Canada!" mixed with the strong scent of butane as proud family members surrounded Mr. Robichaud.

"Wow. This is crazy!" he laughed with his wife Francine Bousquet posing for pictures beside him, before Mr. Robichaud was scooped up by one of the many trucks in the official torch convoy.

A mob of onlookers continued south following the flame, waving flags, whooping it up with youthful chants of "we are skipping school, we are skipping school," while others displayed photos on cell phones and cameras before heading back to work and, er ... school.

Ms Bousquet caught her breath and spoke of her husband's anticipation leading up to this moment and his 300-metre personal torch trek.

"He has been looking forward to this day for so long," the Richmond Hill resident said as she navigated her way over a snowbank and back on to the sidewalk.

"It happened so fast and it was so exciting. I can't believe the number of people here today. This is great," she added.

Such was the scene Thursday afternoon for more than 10 kilometres of Richmond Hill roads, as the Olympic torch touched down in Richmond Hill.

The burning flame was held aloft by more than 30 runners from Hwy. 7 and Hwy. 404, down Yonge Street and along Langstaff Road and warmed the thousands of spectators cheering along the frosty route.

The torch made a quick stop outside the Langstaff Community Centre for a quick photo with Mayor Dave Barrow and councillors before continuing along a wild procession of young children from many of the town's schools.

Councillor Arnie Warner was one of those able to pose with the flame briefly and he admitted the fever pitch excitement made his head spin.

"The level of excitement in anticipation and then once the torch came through was incredible. Everybody wants to see it, everybody wants to touch it and then just like that it is gone," he said outside the community centre.

"But what an event, it's not often you get an opportunity like this," he added.

The opportunity to run along beside the flame and snap a few photos was taken by Leah Rifkin.

Now 18, the Ryerson student was born three years after the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, so she wanted to experience the torch for as many strides as she could.

Ms Rifkin ran along Bantry Avenue to Yonge Street, snapping photos and trying to get some live action footage along the way.

"I was taking pictures during the stop at the community centre, but there were so many people crowding around it was tough. I couldn't really get much, so I was like 'screw this,' I am gonna run with the torch and try to get some video," the media student admitted.

"It was cool. I'm kind of out of breath right now and my hands are frozen, it all happened really quickly. There were so many people around so I don't know if my video is any good," the local resident added.

Many braved the -7C weather for hours to be positioned to see the torch relay. It took roughly one hour for the convoy to pass through Richmond Hill.

Other sights and sounds from the torch relay included hundreds of school children with thunderstick noise makers, calls of "Go Canada Go" from a pair of window washers watching the flame pass 12 storeys below along Bantry, two helicopters circling high above the route and even firefighters getting a better look at the approaching torch by climbing atop pumper trucks used to block vehicular taffic.

Evening torch celebrations were also held at Elvis Stojko Arena, as junior national champion figure skater Andrei Rogozine and Olympic hopeful ice-dance pair Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier performed. The event also featured a sledge hockey match and free public skate.

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