Podium Proud on Day One of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 12, 2015) - With the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games now officially underway, the Games first medal winners have now stepped up onto podiums constructed by the Carpenters' Union Local 27(CDC).

There were nine medal events in all on day one of the competition. For the winners, standing tall on the podium is the realization of a dream. And Canada's red and white was prominently showcased when a number of athletes stepped onto the podium.

The first final of the Games saw Canada's first medal winners with a gold going to our women's kayaking team. The Canadian crew finished first in the K-4 500 metres in one minute 36.495 seconds. Michelle Russell of Fall River, N.S., Emile Fournel of Montreal, KC Fraser of Oakville, Ontario and Hannah Vaughan of Dartmouth, N.S. all stood tall on the podium.

Later in the day, Karine Thomas and Jacqueline Simoneau, both from Quebec, won a Pan Am gold for their routine in the duet synchronized swim to finish atop the podium at the Pan Am Aquatic Centre. And our women's synchronized swimming team also won gold.

Then there was Canadian cyclist Tory Nyhaug, who after winning a gold medal in men's BMX by less than half a second, had this to say: "To be at the top of the podium is something that I can't even describe. It's something I thought about all week, my whole life."

The Carpenters' Union, a Gold Tier Proud Supporter of the TO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, constructed all 157 podiums exclusively for the Games awards ceremonies as part of its sponsorship. Members of the Carpenters' Union from across the province played a key role in the construction of several legacy buildings including the Aquatics Centre and Field House, the Velodrome, and Soccer Stadium as well as the Athletes' Village in downtown Toronto.

"We are absolutely delighted to have played a supporting role in these great Games," says Tony Iannuzzi, Executive Secretary Treasurer for the Carpenters' District Council of Ontario. "When we make something with our own hands and we take the time to do it right, magic happens. When an athlete trains for years and is able to podium at a major sporting competition like Pan Am, magic happens. We are very proud of our members, and very proud of our athletes."

About the Carpenters' District Council of Ontario

The Carpenters' District Council of Ontario ("CDC") is composed of 16 affiliated Local Unions of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners across the province. In total, we represent over 20,000 women and men working in a wide range of areas, including carpentry, drywall, resilient flooring, concrete formwork, underwater construction, welding, scaffolding, and a long list of other construction-related work. Indeed, because of our up-to-date apprenticeship and training programs, there are very few construction-related jobs outside the scope of the Carpenters' Union. In addition, our Union represents many industrial workers and thousands of highly-skilled workers in Ontario's health care sector.