Replica of Dofasco-built Pan Am cauldron to go on Hamilton waterfront
New, smaller cauldron has slightly different design
Hamilton's waterfront will soon be home to a replica of the made-in Hamilton cauldron lit at the opening ceremonies of the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games in Toronto this past summer.
The waterfront is a destination and gathering place.- ArcelorMittal Dofasco
Hamilton steelmaker ArcelorMittal Dofasco, which made the steel for the iconic cauldron, announced in a blog post Tuesday that the company is working with the city to place the smaller version of the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games colourful symbol, dubbed "The peoples' cauldron," on the revitalized waterfront.
Iconic symbol
"The waterfront is a destination and gathering place which is undergoing significant change and development. A big part of this evolution is public art and we are pleased that the cauldron, proudly fabricated from made-in-Hamilton steel, will be part of our beautiful waterfront," the company's blog post reads.
ArcelorMittal Dofasco president and CEO Sean Donnelly called the pinecone-shaped cauldron "the Games' most iconic symbol" and said they "watched in awe" as it was lit for the first time on July 10 during the opening ceremonies of the Pan Am Games.
It was lit again Aug. 7 for the opening of the Parapan Am Games.
Rather than featuring different sports, the peoples' cauldron has 30 scales that will feature original artwork from the STEPS Initiative in Toronto - a non-profit that promotes activism through art by citizens - as well as 34 scales that display Games' sport pictograms and one with the company's logo.
The peoples' cauldron will be one-third the size of the original.
Waterfront legacy
Mayor Fred Eisenberger said in the blog post "showcased our city's community spirit, multiculturalism and incredible ability to host the world.
"The legacy of the Games will be preserved for future generations with the cauldron located on our waterfront," he said.
The original cauldron will remain in Toronto near the Rogers Centre. It is made up of 10 types of steel, weighs 34 tonnes and it took 18 months to create. Both cauldrons were designed by the Cirque du Soliel creative team.