If you’re at any airport, it’s usually because you’re flying in or out, picking up or dropping off passengers. However, on Saturday, June 21, the GTAA hosted a very exciting event—for the first time ever, people came to Toronto Pearson to run for charity on an otherwise active runway.

Runway 06R-24L closed for a few hours while members of the general public and the airport community got the chance to run next to an active runway for the Runway Run, which included both a 2 km family fun walk and 5 km timed run. More than 1,000 participants ran or walked along the runway to raise money for the William Osler Health Centre’s Emergency Department at Etobicoke General Hospital.

Air Canada, title sponsor of the 2 km event, got into the spirit of this special occasion and parked an Airbus 319 on the runway at the start/finish line, which added to the enthusiasm that was already in the air.

The first to cross the finish line was David Horvath. Despite the distraction of planes landing and taking off on a parallel runway only a few hundred metres away, he finished the 5 km run in just under 17 minutes.

A year’s worth of planning by the GTAA, the Osler Centre and the Running Room was all worthwhile. To date, the event has raised $61,341, surpassing the original goal of $50,000.

This fundraising event was born from an idea that began last summer. Michael Brown, GTAA Manager, Terminal Operations, and Steve Silverhart, GTAA General Manager, Consulting Services, wanted to do something for the community; something that would bring people together while raising money for a worthy cause.

“We chose to raise funds for the William Osler Health Centre to honour the airport’s ongoing relationship with the hospital’s Emergency Department,” said Mike Brown. “Along with other hospitals in the area, William Osler provides excellent service for the GTAA's emergency response team.”

Experience the Evolution is a campaign that will renew the facilities and resources available to Osler’s emergency care teams in order to get the unit running at an even higher level. All the funds raised will directly benefit the tools and spaces used to care for people when they need it most. This first time event was undoubtedly a huge success, even the weather cooperated. A chance of thunderstorms was in the forecast but it was only as the volunteers were taking down tables and chairs that the first drops began to fall.

During the closing ceremonies, Irene Hawrylyshyn, GTAA’s General Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility and Cultural Affairs, asked the participants if we should have another Runway Run in the future. The crowd cheered a unanimous yes.

The GTAA thanks all those who participated, donated, volunteered and helped to make this an unforgettable experience. For those of you who would still like to support our fundraising effort, pledges for this cause will be accepted until June 27. To make a donation, click here.

The Runway Run would not have been possible without the generous contributions made by many partners. The GTAA gratefully acknowledges the following sponsors. Air Canada, who sponsored the 2 km family fun walk. Gold sponsors Jet Airways, Roots, Meadwell, Microsoft, ASP and Lufthansa. Silver sponsors MGP, Nav Canada, Jervis Webb, Fleetcom, Dufferin Construction, AON and RBC Capital Markets. The following companies also made generous donations: BBH, Eagle Airfield, Entire Imaging Solutions Inc., Falcon Environmental, Lowe-Martin Group, Pave-Al, The Plan Group, Levitt-Safety Limited, National Bank Financial, Tactix Government Consulting, Mulvey and Banani, Cara, Jack Astor’s Canyon Creek, Cotton Candy, Tri-Versa-Global, CGI Adjusters, Affair Rentals, ThyssenKrupp and Frischkorn Audio Visual.