May 9, 2003 – At a media conference held this week in Hamilton, Ontario, the Hamilton 2003 Road World Championships Festival Committee was the recipient of a $1.25 million grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. It is the largest grant to be awarded by the Trillium Foundation to an organization or event.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Ministry of Culture, receives annually $100 million of government funding generated through Ontario’s charity casino initiative. Ontario Trillium Foundation grants are awarded to fund capital, operating and/or specific project costs in support of: Arts & Culture, Environment, Human & Social Services, and Sports & Recreation. The Foundation makes grants that have province-wide impact as well as grants in local communities across Ontario.

The Hamilton 2003 Festival will present a series of arts, cultural and entertainment events that will provide a great opportunity for community involvement with the World Cycling Championships. The Road World Championships will be held in Hamilton from October 6 to 12. The Hamilton 2003 Festival will be comprised of events created and managed by the Festival Committee and the second element will be partnerships with existing events and organizations.

The Trillium Foundation funding will assist the Hamilton 2003 Festival in planning, promoting and staging a schedule of events, as well as training, feeding and outfitting the volunteer base of between 2,000 to 3,000 individuals required for the Road World Championships.

Events for the Hamilton 2003 Festival include: * Gearing Up for World Cycling, a charity fundraising event will be held in partnership with the United Way on September 24 with corporate teams raising funds through a stationary bike challenge * Opening Ceremonies at Copps Coliseum on Sunday, October 5 with a welcome from the Federal, Provincial and Municipal Government as well as diversified entertainment to appeal to families in the local community and to visitors * A delegation from the Verona 2004 Organizing Committee will hold a reception at Liuna Station on Thursday, October 9 at which time they will make a presentation to the cycling fraternity * Gala Dinner to be held on Friday, October 10 at the Hamilton Convention Centre * Six Nations Pow Wow during the week of the event, dates and location to be confirmed * Hamilton Regional Arts Council in association with World Cycling is presenting a Festival of Arts at Hamilton Place on October 10 including native dance groups and Inuit throat singers from the Northwest Territories * Hamilton Regional Arts Council is also presenting an Arts and Entertainment Market on the rooftop of Jackson Square from Wednesday, October 8 to Sunday, October 12, this will be comprised of local artists and the entertainers will encompass many different art forms and cultures * “Rib Row” featuring great food and entertainment will be put on by the International Village and the Downtown Business Improvement Association from Thursday, October 9 until Saturday, October 11 from 4:00 to 11:00 p.m. at Ferguson Station, on Ferguson Avenue North between King and King William Streets * Hess Village – the Gown & Gavel is partnering with Gears Bike Shop to stage the largest outdoor “Spin Class” ever seen in the area immediately following the races on Thursday, October 9 and Friday, October 10, both Corporate and Private Sector participants will help to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Society * A Community Outreach Team comprised of four individuals has been formed and beginning in the middle of May will appear at community events and festivals throughout the region to distribute information on the World Championships and promote the event * Wheels to Art – a binational marketing initiative promoting that seeks to promote art related to the Road World Championships in Hamilton. This will be a cultural celebration and cross-promotion of sites and events in Hamilton and Niagara that will take place from May to October. * Local artist Stephen J. Arthurs has completed an agreement with the Festival to produce original artwork which will be retailed on a limited edition basis; all prints will have a cycling theme * The Hamilton 2003 Festival Committee is also in the planning stages of other events, which will incorporate a cycling theme and will have a very positive benefit for the community.

Jack Pelech is the Chair of the Hamilton 2003 Festival Committee, Cecelia Carter-Smith is Vice-Chair, Wayne Schreuer is Executive Director and Shannon Martin is Executive Assistant. The Festival Office is located at 149 Main Street East in Hamilton (corner of Main St E. and Walnut), the telephone number is (905) 524-3378.

Other members of the Festival Committee include David Adames and Maria Fortunato from Tourism Hamilton, Craig Dowhaniuk from the Morgan Firestone Foundation, Vincenza Travale, as well as Neil Lumsden, Giuseppe Ferrara and Norm Miller from the Hamilton 2003 Organizing Committee.

Jack Pelech, Festival Chair commented, “The Festival surrounding the Road World Championships represent an exceptional opportunity for the community to truly be involved outside of the actual races themselves. We would invite local organizations and individuals that wish to be involved with the Festival to please contact our office. In October, our city of Hamilton will welcome the world and we want to ensure that our guests feel welcome and enjoy their time here as spectators of the Road World Championships.”

“We have a unique opportunity, through our $1.25 million grant to the Festival and volunteerism, to build on the strengths of a vibrant Ontario community,” said OTF Chair Robert G. Power. “In addition to putting Ontario on the map for cycling enthusiasts from around the globe, this event will provide a tremendous injection of expertise and new opportunities for participation in our community’s volunteer sector. This legacy will continue to benefit Hamilton long after the last competitor has cycled over the finish line,” said Mr. Power.

The Road World Cycling Championships will be staged in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada from October 6 to 12, 2003. Over 800 athletes from over 50 different countries will compete in ten different races. There are two disciplines – the individual time trial and the road race with five different classifications, elite men and women, junior men and women, as well as Under 23 men. It will be only the sixth time the Road World Championships have been held outside Europe and the second time in Canada, the first occasion was 1974 in Montreal. Preceding the Road World Championships will be the Tim Hortons Road National Championships from June 27 to 29, 2003. For more information, visit the official website, www.hamilton2003.com.