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A CF Play Makers “Come Out and Play” pop-up at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre opened Feb. 5, featuring hands-on Olympic sports like a skiing simulator, curling and hockey ahead of the Winter Olympic Games’ opening day. Former Canadian Olympians, including Patrick Chan, Damian Warner, Jennifer Botterill and Jennifer Jones, attended the launch, encouraging shoppers and sharing reflections on the Olympic spirit and its power to bring people together. The public can try the Olympic sport activations throughout the mall until Feb. 22. A pop-up at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre is hosting multiple Olympic sports for the public to try during the Milan Olympics. Three activations across the mall opened up on Thursday, Feb. 5, ahead of the Olympics opening day on Friday, as part of CF Play Makers’ Come Out and Play event. Shoppers and those interested were able to try out different sports including a skiing simulator, curling with slide stones and hockey through target practice and stick handling. To celebrate the activations, former Canadian Olympians came to support the opening, including athletes Jennifer Botterill, Jennifer Jones, Brian Stemmle, Damian Warner and Patrick Chan. The Olympics season along with the pop-up made Chan think back to his past experiences. “There’s definitely a buzz going around,” he said. “I’m super excited to watch the opening ceremonies on Friday. It’s a bit surreal. It brings back a lot of memories for me going to three Olympics. It’s lots of good memories. I’m excited to cheer on Team Canada.” Chan, an Ottawa-born Olympic gold medalist in figure skating said having an event like these Games is important because it unites everyone. “The Olympics is such a beautiful movement,” Chan said. “It’s unique. It’s only every four years, and [it] brings the world together. Especially in a time like nowadays where it’s sometimes a bit scary and we don’t know the state of the world it’s a nice break for everybody just to love each other have one common interest and for two weeks you just get to enjoy some of the best athletes in the world.” Read More Warner who was inspired as a child by watching Winter Olympics shared his excitement for Milano Cortina 2026. “I have two young kids so I look forward to just watching the Olympics with my young kids and just being inspired by our Canadians.” The track and field athlete from London Ont., emphasized that anyone can become an Olympian through hard work and determination. “My mom was a huge Winter Olympics fan and in 2002 we were watching Catriona Le May Doan win her gold medal at the Olympics when I turned to my mom saying ‘I want to be an Olympian one day,’ she told me ‘You can do anything you set your mind to,’” Warner said. “That’s something that I wrote down on a piece of paper which turned out true so I encourage people to set their sights high and go after what they’re looking for.” Read More An Olympics viewing area is available at mall’s Queen’s Cross Food Hall where fans can cheer on Team Canada. The Come Out and Play pop-up will be open for public attendance until Feb. 22.Source link
