Olympic parade in Park City Tuesday

eXaminer.com Salt Lake City
March 29, 5:46 PM
Juliann Fritz


Skier at the Deer Valley World Cup. The 2010 Freestyle World Championships will return in February.

A community celebration is planned this Tuesday, March 30 in Park City to honor a star stellar list of athletes who competed at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games and who also call Park City home.

The celebration will include a parade at 5:30 p.m. from the top of Park City’s Historic Main Street culminating at the Town Lift Plaza where more than 20 Olympians and Paralympians will sign autographs and greet fans from 6-7 p.m.. There also will be a free concert in the Plaza by the School of Rock Show Band.

“Park City is proud of its athletes who competed during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Bill Malone, President and CEO of the Park City Chamber/Visitors Bureau. “It’s inspiring to see the men and women who live or train in Park City compete in an internationally recognized event. These athletes deserve to be applauded for their brilliant strength and spirit during the Games, and we hope to remind Utah’s past, present and future Olympians that their community is rooting for them all the way.”

Many of Park City’s dignitaries and sports leadership will be on hand to salute America’s best as will junior athletes from local sports clubs who will accompany the 2010 athletes during the parade.

“This is a celebration for present and future Olympians,” said Stephanie Nitsch, also of the Park City Chamber/Bureau and also is helping with the event. “It is a cool way to highlight Park City’s dedication to Olympic and Paralympic athletes.”

Hundreds of winter athletes live and train in Park City and the surrounding areas for the incredible training facilities for athletes to hone in their skills including the three world-class resorts – The Canyons, Deer Valley Resort and Park City Mountain Resort, the Utah Olympic Park and Soldier Hollow as well as the opportunity to pursue an education via the Winter Sports School and Westminster College, among other learning institutions in the vicinity that support the needs of winter athletes.

Since 1973, Park City also has been the home to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, the organization managing the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding squad.

The celebration is hosted by the Park City Chamber/Visitors Bureau, Youth WinterSports Alliance and Park City Municipal Corporation.

Charge your camera and bring your autograph books! Many of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic athletes expected include:

Scotty Bahrke (Aerials)

Shannon Bahrke (Moguls) – Bronze Medal

Ryan Bedford (Speed Skating)

Rebeckah Bradford (Long Track)

Brett Camerota (Nordic Combined) – Silver Medal

Billy Demong (Nordic Combined) – Gold Medal/Silver Medal

Tucker Fredericks (Speedskating Long Track)

Travis Jayner (Short Track) – Bronze Medal

Anders Johnson (Ski Jumping)

Ted Ligety (Alpine)

Megan McJames (Alpine)

Heather McPhie (Moguls)

Monte Meier (Paralympics Alpine)

Catherine Raney Norman (Speedskating Long Track)

Steven Nyman (Alpine)

Nick Pearson (Speedskating Long Track)

Jeret “Speedy” Peterson (Aerials) – Silver Medal

Nate Roberts (Moguls)

Lacey Schnoor (Aerials)

Bill Schuffenhauer (Bobsled)

Greg Shaw (Paralympic Sledge Hockey) – Gold Medal

Jeremy Teela (Biathlon)

Bryon Wilson (Moguls) – Bronze Medal

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