World Youth Day

Managing the Pope’s visit

Site

Toronto, Ontario

A 320-acre site at Downsview Park near downtown Toronto.

Challenge

Provide project management services to Downsview Park for the World Youth Day event and the Pope’s visit – with over 1,000,000 total attendees.

Solution

• Prepared business plan, budget and schedule for the use of the Downsview Park lands for World Youth Day events.
• Negotiated comprehensive land use contracts with the Department of National Defence and WYD 2002.
• Managed the team of staff and consultants responsible for the Downsview assets during the event.
• Developed Media CD and Virtual Reality tours for international journalists, and created a Web-based Transportation and Parking plan for use by WYD and the City of Toronto .

Result

The events were presided over by Pope John Paul II and included an overnight vigil with 450,000 attendees and a Sunday Mass with 850,000 attendees.