Olympic Excellence Day coming to Montreal in July

Photo: Olympians, with Montreal 1976 torch, at Olympic Excellence Day announcement

Olympians were on hand Thursday to help announce the new Canadian Olympic House in Montreal, which will officially open on July 9 as part of Canada Olympic Excellence Day.

Sochi 2014 moguls champion Justine Dufour-Lapointe, along with her sisters – silver medallist Chloé and fellow Olympian Maxime – were among the Olympians touting the July event that will include a street celebration in Montreal and raising of the coveted Olympic rings on the building at 500 René-Lévesque Boulevard West.

Justine Dufour-Lapointe speaks at the Olympic Excellence Day announcement, May 7, 2015.

Justine Dufour-Lapointe speaks at the Olympic Excellence Day announcement, May 7, 2015.

The building, home to the Canadian Olympic Committee in Montreal, will offer a modern workspace, office rooms and resources for national sport federations, and later this fall a sports science and technology centre called Olympic Experience that will allow the public to interactively learn about the history of Canada’s Olympians.

Apply to become a volunteer for Canada’s Olympic Excellence Day

Celebrated guests, including International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, will be in attendance during the July festivities. It will be a special visit for Bach, his return to the city where he won Olympic fencing gold at Montreal 1976 nearly four decades earlier.

The event takes place with eyes of the Americas on Canada during the week with 2015 Pan American Games starting the next day in Toronto, where many of Canada’s top summer athletes will march in the Opening Ceremony on July 10.