Excited spectators were cheering and waving their flags on Sunday, November 15, as the symbolic flame of the Olympic torch was carried through Springdale.

            Hundreds made an early rise to witness the historic event, which began with a parade of graphically detailed trucks and vehicles displaying the Olympic logo and its familiar colours. The torch relay began on Main Street in front of the Town Hall, and ended near Rideout’s Convenience on Little Bay Rd. The torchbearer was Dave Dooley from Grand Falls-Windsor.

            Mayor Harvey Tizzard was in awe that such a momentous event took place in Springdale.

            “We’re rather pleased to have had such a memorable event take place here,” said Mr. Tizzard. “There was a great turnout too, which was rather pleasing because it’s a once in a lifetime chance that this would happen in a small community like Springdale.”

            The town was selected for the torch relay after making an application six months ago.

“We are among 1030 communities that this group is going to visit, so it’s really nice. I doubt it that you will ever see it again for a long time. The chances of the Olympics coming back to Canada is a long ways away,” said Mr. Tizzard.

            There were four torchbearers present for the relay. They were Jamie Jennings and Tanya Tuff from Gander, Dr. Brendan Lewis from Corner Brook and Dave Dooley.

            The only thing that could have made the day more exciting for the mayor was if someone from Springdale was chosen to carry the torch.

 “Unfortunately we didn’t have anybody local running as a torchbearer, but we have no control over that anyway,” said Mr. Tizzard. “They’re selected by a group by RBC and Coca-Cola.”