An enthusiastic crowd braved the early morning cold and gathered along Sykes Street in Meaford Tuesday morning to witness a little bit of history.
The Olympic Torch Relay passed through the municipality as part of its 100 day, 45,000 kilometre journey that will see the torch visit over 1,000 communities which will enable 90 percent of the Canadian population to at some point be within a one hour drive of the torch route.
With the final destination being Vancouver for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the torch, and the runners who have the honour of carrying it, are mid way through the route and still have a long way to go.
In Meaford Sykes Street was lined with onlookers – many dressed in patriotic red and white - from Collingwood Street all the way up to the Valu-mart plaza.
Peggy Macdonald and Leone Allan of Meaford arrived in front of the Meaford Apple equipped with warm coffee and lawn chairs.
“We like to freeze,” joked Macdonald, “This will never happen again, I had to come and see it.”
Others in the crowd had more personal reasons for being there.
“My wife is torch bearer number 14,” beamed Ed Martin of Barrie, who along with his children and some friends awaited the arrival of Dinah Turola at the steps of Meaford Hall.
When Turola did arrive the proud family watched as she stepped out of a van emblazoned with the Vancouver 2010 logo, and waved to the crowd with her torch held high above her head before being ushered by Torch Relay officials up the stairs of Meaford Hall.
Once at the top of the stairs, Turola joined Meaford Mayor Francis Richardson, area MPP Bill Murdoch, and MP Larry Miller as they awaited the arrival of torch bearer number 13.
The crowd buzzed and began to cheer as the flames of the torch carried by Giordano DeBiasi, 42, of Niagara Falls could be seen approaching.
The arrival of the torch was a magical moment for many and when DeBiasi jogged up the steps of the hall, he turned to the crowd with both arms raised, and a huge smile across his face.
DiBiasi's sister Antoinette Bortolon also of Niagara Falls, told The Independent that she was excited for her brother.
“We drove four hours to see him,” said Bortolon, “I only had one hour of sleep last night.”
At the top of the stairs, DeBiasi and Turola raised their torches and joined them together as all those gathered joined in the singing of the national anthem.
With her torch lit and in full flame, Turola with tears in her eyes, jogged down the stairs and began her run along Sykes Street as the crowd continued to cheer.
The flame was passed to runners at Trowbridge Street and James Crescent en route to the Valu-mart plaza where organizers gathered participants into official vehicles for the drive to the next route community, Thornbury.
The relay will continue on to Midland, and then loop back down to Barrie on Tuesday where the Olympic Flame will spend the night.
On Wednesday the relay will head north through Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, and Huntsville.
