The XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games promise to be one of the greatest achievements for the city of Vancouver. The eyes of the world will be on Canada’s west coast as some of the best sub-zero athletes on the planet battle it out for gold at venues across the city and at the nearby mountain resort of Whistler.
But when the cameras roll off and the crowds go home, will the city have more than fond memories and tourist dollars? Detractors have vehemently argued that the IOC awarding the 21st Winter Olympics to Canada’s favorite metropolis in western Canada is more punishment than blessing. But most would disagree. International exposure, infrastructure, economy… everything will improve with the five-ring flag of the largest pan-sports organization in the world waving over the City Hall. But no one can earn more than the people of Vancouver themselves. An impressive collection of new and improved winter venues will open to the public once the Games have come and gone. And when they do, Vancouver residents and visitors will have access to facilities that might make a Calgarian jealous. These are the places old and new that are benefiting from the facelift Vancouver can expect as a proud host city…
Canada hockey venue Y thunderbird stadium they are sharing the ice hockey responsibilities of The Game. The first, Canada Hockey Place (or GM Place for Vancouver Canuck fans) is one of the busiest entertainment venues on the continent, having welcomed more than 10 million visitors since opening in 1995. With a capacity of nearly 19 thousand, international fans will have the opportunity to watch their teams pursue their dreams of Olympic medals in the enigmatic atmosphere of ‘The Garage’. Of course, all true Vancouverites also foster a dream of watching the Stanley Cup Final here, something they’ll be returning to after the Games!
The second venue, Thunderbird Arena on the University of British Columbia’s massive seaside campus, was built on the site of the existing Thunderbird Winter Sports Complex, on budget and four months ahead of schedule. This installation will be part of the Vancouver 2010 Venues Aboriginal Arts Program, which will feature traditional and First Nations works from across the country. After the Games, this 7,200-seat facility will be used as a legacy high-performance multi-sport and recreational facility with a new training area that includes redevelopment of the current competition area, as well as the construction of new ice caps, one for the competition. and one for training.
Formerly the home of the Vancouver Canucks, the coliseum of the pacific will host the Short Track Figure Skating and Speed Skating events. The Coliseum is located in Hastings Park, the center of the Pacific National Exposition, an annual fair that attracts more than 60,000 visitors daily. More than 14,000 seats have comfortably accommodated spectators for events as diverse as boxing, ice shows and trade conventions. It is now ready to host the best figure skaters and short track speed skaters in the world! All said and done, this place will see over 40 million dollars in renovations by the time the torch comes to town.
The Vancouver Olympic Center, home of Curling and Wheelchair Curling events, is another participant in the 2010 Venues Vancouver Aboriginal Arts Program. This 6,000-seat venue will become a multi-purpose community recreation center once the athletes pick up their brooms at the end of March of that year. It includes an ice skating rink, aquatics center, library and gym, and of course half a dozen sheets of rippled ice so anyone with the “stones” can follow in the footsteps of the pros!
On the banks of the Fraser River, the Richmond Olympic Oval, the event center for speed skating events, is located just 14 kilometers south of the city. This 8,000-seat venue is slated to become an international sports excellence and wellness facility after the Games. The design of the structure allows for an easy transition to accommodate numerous sports and includes 2 world-size ice rinks, a 200-meter running track, 8 gymnasiums and more than 23,000 square feet of fitness center. There is no doubt that Richmond’s Olympic Oval will be the focal point of the new waterfront development currently taking place in the area.
Cypress Provincial Park in West Vancouver is home to cypress mountain, one of the peaks that rise majestically behind the Vancouver skyline. Already a popular ski destination attracting thousands of visitors each season, the freestyle ski and snowboard venue was the first to be completed and ready for the impending Games. An estimated $16.7 million has made this city ski hill an enviable venue for both recreational and competitive use. The Cypress legacy project presents new opportunities for First Nations art and culture, while venue improvements include track modification, a new in-ground halfpipe, mogul site and aerial freestyle and a parallel giant slalom course, as well as a snowmaking system.
Just 123 kilometers north of Vancouver, the alpine resort town of whistler it is home to some of the most exciting Winter Olympic events. The Whistler Sliding Center, home to the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events, is located on Blackcomb Mountain, the sister peak that shares the city with Whistler Mountain. After the Games, the facility will serve as a performance development center with programming for youth and clubs, while also giving tourists the opportunity to tour and even ride the slopes. And look forward to future international competitions, too. Such an amazing installation is going to turn heads…
As North America’s premier ski resort, Whistler has hosted numerous international ski events. Suffice to say, downhill denizens are in good hands at Whistler Creekside, home of downhill skiing events. Dave Murray Downhill and Franz Run will serve as battlegrounds as nearly 8,000 spectators brave the chilly mountain air to watch the excitement. Count on serious improvements and renovations in all the equipment and facilities of the mountain. Did the mountain air make you hungry? At this event you’ll also find World Cup Plaza, a strip of bars and restaurants just minutes from the Whistler Creekside Gondola. And five minutes down the road you’ll find Whistler Village, a European-style pedestrian alpine village with over 100 restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, not to mention an abundance of boutiques and specialty stores.
With a capacity for 12,000 people in each of the three stadiums, the one square kilometer Whistler Olympic Park includes cross-country skiing, biathlon and ski jumping facilities just 400 meters apart. A normal and a large ski jump include state-of-the-art snow cooling and piste setting systems. More than 12 kilometers of cross-country and biathlon trails have been tested. The fully electronic 30-lane biathlon stadium has been tested. short stories? All systems are ready.
Vancouver is ready for the Games. And Vancouverites are ready for his legacy.
