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Olympic And Paralympic Village

Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver

The Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver is located on the southeast side of False Creek in Vancouver. Village guests will enjoy extraordinary views of the Vancouver skyline and the North Shore Mountains. The Village features newly built, sustainable housing that will be a model LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) neighbourhood post-Games. Housing for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be in townhomes and apartments. To meet the needs of the smaller population during the Paralympic Games, the Vancouver Village will be condensed to provide a lively and intimate atmosphere for the ice sledge hockey players and wheelchair curlers.

This prime location adjacent to downtown will enable athletes to easily walk or bus to Vancouver’s shopping and entertainment districts or take in the nightly Victory Ceremonies and cultural celebrations just moments away at BC Place.

The Village is presently under construction and will be completed on November 1, 2009 when the venue will be turned over to VANOC for exclusive use through to the end of the Paralympic Games.

Community Legacies

After the Games, the Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver will be the first phase of a model sustainable community known as Southeast False Creek. It will house approximately 3,000 residents in 1,100 units, including 250 affordable housing units and 100 rental units. It will become a complete community with shopping and services available in commercial spaces surrounding the community plaza. Other amenities will include parks, a community centre with a non-motorized boating facility, and a restored heritage building.

Sustainability

This project will transform a former industrial brownfield area into a showcase of sustainable living. It will certify under the new LEED for Neighbourhood Development pilot to LEED Gold standard. Each building site will also certify to LEED Gold standard for new construction, except for the community centre, which will certify to LEED Platinum level — making it one of the highest-rated environmentally designed buildings in Canada. The project is also to be certified under the SAFER homes standard, meaning that all units will be readily adaptable for accessible living.

Sustainability attributes:

• Once complete, green roofs will account for more than 50 per cent of the building footprint and provide locations for urban agriculture.
• Water efficiency programs will minimize reliance on the municipal system by harvesting rainwater for building use, resulting in overall potable water consumption reduction of 40 to 50 per cent.
• Building space heating and hot water will be produced by a city-owned neighbourhood energy utility, which uses sewer heat recovery as the main source of heat.
• Buildings will include car share vehicles and electric vehicle hook ups.
• The design of the Vancouver Village and surrounding landscape won the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Award for Sustainable Transportation in 2006. The award was given for the Village’s Sustainable Transportation Plan based on City Council's transportation hierarchy of pedestrians first, then cyclists, then public transit, and then local/shared automobile use.

Sports served during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games:

• curling
• figure skating
• freestyle skiing
• ice hockey
• short track speed skating
• snowboard
• speed skating

Sports served during the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games:

• ice sledge hockey
• wheelchair curling

Distances to nearby venues and facilities of the Olympic and Paralympic Games:

• Olympic and Paralympic Village Whistler — 117 km
• BC Place (Opening Ceremony for both Games and Closing Ceremony for the Olympic Winter Games) — 1.6 km
• Canada Hockey Place (ice hockey) — 2.4 km
• Vancouver Olympic Centre/Vancouver Paralympic Centre (curling and wheelchair curling) — 3.7 km
• Pacific Coliseum (short track speed skating and figure skating) — 6.2 km
• UBC Thunderbird Arena (ice hockey and ice sledge hockey) — 12 km
• Vancouver International Airport — 13 km
• Richmond Oval (speed skating) — 14 km
• Cypress Mountain Resort (snowboard and freestyle skiing) — 30 km
• Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Celebration Plaza (Closing Ceremony for the Paralympic Winter Games) — 124 km

BC Place

The Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the Opening Ceremony for the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games will be held in BC Place Stadium in downtown Vancouver. This will also be the site for nightly Victory Ceremonies presentations.

BC Place Stadium will seat approximately 55,000 spectators for the Olympic and Paralympic Ceremonies and features the largest air-supported stadium roof in North America. The enclosed venue offers many advantages in addition to protection from winter weather, including an unprecedented opportunity to stretch the boundaries of ceremonies’ spectacle using state-of-the-art lighting, projection, sound and special effects technology.

Timeline

BC Place Stadium will receive general upgrades, including accessibility enhancements. Preliminary venue preparation will take place starting in August 2009, with related activities scheduled around existing building uses.

Cypress Mountain

Cypress Mountain is located in Cypress Provincial Park, adjacent to the District of West Vancouver. The mountain is served by an excellent highway and offers spectacular views of Vancouver and its harbour.
Gross venue capacity: 8000
Elevation: 930 m

Timeline
Construction began in May 2006, following a comprehensive environmental review. Venue improvements were completed in fall 2007. In November 2006, the freestyle venue became the first 2010 Winter Games site to be ready for competition.

Post-Games Use

Cypress Mountain is one of the most popular skiing areas in British Columbia, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The 2010 Winter Games upgrades will improve upon the Cypress Mountain experience for both recreational and competitive users.

Venue Events

Freestyle Skiing

Men’s Aerials
Ladies’ Aerials
Men’s Moguls
Ladies’ Moguls
Men’s Ski Cross
Ladies’ Ski Cross

Snowboard

Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom
Ladies’ Parallel Giant Slalom
Men’s Halfpipe
Ladies’ Halfpipe
Men’s Snowboard Cross
Ladies’ Snowboard Cross

VANOC Investment
Improvements to Cypress Mountain are estimated at $16.7 million. The governments of Canada and British Columbia agreed to jointly fund new construction and upgrades to existing venues.

Sustainable Attributes

• Federal (CEAA) and provincial (BC Parks) environmental assessment review process
• Snowboard venue developed on existing Cypress Mountain ski runs
• Freestyle skiing venue located within existing Cypress Mountain ski area, in previously harvested forest
• All wood waste chipped and re-used on site
• VANOC, Cypress Bowl Recreations Limited and other stakeholders joined together in summer 2007 to salvage and relocate wetland plant species of local significance.
• Plants were moved from new snowmaking reservoir site to nearby wetlands that will remain unaffected by construction
• Emphasis on local employment during construction phase
• Archaeological overview assessment completed with First Nations
• First Nations participation in the Cypress Legacy Project planning including opportunities for First Nations art and recognition of traditional territories

Richmond Olympic Oval

Venue Description

The Richmond Olympic Oval is located along the banks of the Fraser River, 14 kilometres south of downtown Vancouver. Located in the northwest corner of Richmond, the Olympic Oval is across the river from the Vancouver International Airport and near the Richmond city centre. The venue will host all of the Winter Games speed skating events.

Venue Capacity: 8,000
Elevation: sea level

Timeline
Construction began in September 2005 with completion scheduled for fall 2008..

Post-Games Use
After the 2010 Olympic Games, the Richmond Olympic Oval will become an international centre of excellence for sports and wellness. The facility will be used for a variety of sport and community functions with two international sized ice rinks, eight gymnasiums, a 200-metre running track and 23,000 square foot fitness centre. The facility will be the centerpiece of a major new urban waterfront neighborhood featuring a mix of residential, commercial and public amenity development.

Venue Events

Speed Skating

Men’s 500 m
Ladies’ 500 m
Men’s 1,000 m
Ladies’ 1,000 m
Men’s 1,500 m
Ladies’ 1,500 m
Ladies’ 3,000 m
Men’s 5,000 m
Ladies’ 5,000 m
Men’s 10,000 m
Men’s Team Pursuit
Ladies’ Team Pursuit

Venue Details

VANOC Investment
VANOC’s contribution to the Richmond Olympic Oval project is $63.3 million. The governments of Canada and British Columbia are jointly funding a portion of the new construction. The City of Richmond is responsible for the majority of project costs and for building the facility, which includes a new waterfront plaza, park and parkade.

Sustainable Attributes

• Federal (CEAA) environmental assessment review process
• Targeting LEED Silver certification
• Smart site selection — development of already-disturbed site into legacy community health and recreation complex
• Minimum 2:1 replacement of trees
• Waste heat recovery from refrigeration plant to be used for ice melting, hot water and heating/cooling systems
• All hardwood trees cut during site preparation have been salvaged and are currently stored, awaiting milling for building re-use in the panelling, flooring, furnishings or landscaping features
• Flexible facility design to accommodate varied uses
• Stormwater management initiatives include construction of a wetland for on-site stormwater treatment and rainwater collection to be re re-used for irrigation and toilet flushing. Rainwater collection system features artwork by Musqueam Nation artist Susan Pointe
• Roof structure to be constructed from BC wood, including wood damaged by pine beetle infestation

Scope of Work and Plans for 2010
The Richmond Olympic Oval will house a 400-metre track within the new 33,750-square-metre facility. Key design elements include a state-of-the-art ice plant with superior air quality and climate controls. Facilities and systems will include offices, timing and athlete monitoring equipment, and fitness and strength training areas.

Whistler Olympic Park (Paralympic Park)

Venue Description

Olympic Winter Games gross venue capacity: 12,000 in each of three stadiums
Paralympic Winter Games gross venue capacity: 6,000
Elevation: 840 metres–930 metres

Olympic Venue —
Whistler Olympic Park
The compact, one-square-kilometre Olympic Games core area includes three separate stadiums (cross-country skiing, biathlon, ski jumping) located about 400 metres apart.
Approximately 15 kilometres of Olympic competition trails for cross-country skiing and biathlon have been built and tested throughout the 2007-08 opening season.

The biathlon stadium’s range consists of 30 lanes with a fully electronic target system that is able to detect and report the precise time and hit or miss of each bullet fired.
The two ski jumps (normal hill and large hill) include one of the world’s most sophisticated ski jump snow refrigeration and track setting systems.

Paralympic Venue —
Whistler Paralympic Park

All Paralympic cross-country skiing and biathlon events will use parts of both the Olympic cross-country and biathlon competition trails and stadiums. Competition courses include a 5-kilometre course for the standing classes and a specially designed 3.75-kilometre course for the sit-ski classes.
A portable 10-metre air and laser rifle biathlon range will be set up in the cross-country stadium for the biathlon events.

Timeline
Construction of the permanent elements of Whistler Olympic Park/Whistler Paralympic Park began in April 2005 and was completed by fall 2007. Temporary construction and facilities set-up will commence in summer 2009.

Post-Games Use
Whistler Olympic Park/Whistler Paralympic Park will be operated under the direction of the Whistler Legacies Society, supported by an endowment trust established by the federal and provincial governments as part of their 2010 Winter Games venues investment.

The venue will showcase Nordic sports by hosting international competitions and developing Nordic sport opportunities in the local communities. There is also a significant opportunity for post-Games recreational use with an additional 40 kilometres of recreational trails.

Venue Events

Biathlon

Men’s 4x7.5 km Relay
Women’s 4x6 km Relay
Men’s 10 km Sprint
Women’s 7.5 km Sprint
Men’s 12.5 km Pursuit
Women’s 10 km Pursuit
Men’s 15 km Mass Start
Women’s 12.5 km Mass Start
Men’s 20 km Individual
Women’s 15 km Individual

Biathlon (Paralympic)

Men’s 3 x 2 km Pursuit
Women’s 3 x 2 km Pursuit
Men’s 12.5 km
Women’s 12.5 km
Women’s 10 km

Cross-Country Skiing

Men’s 15 + 15 km Pursuit
Ladies’ 7.5 + 7.5 km Pursuit
Men’s Individual Sprint
Ladies’ Individual Sprint
Men’s Team Sprint
Ladies’ Team Sprint
Men’s 4 x 10 km Relay
Ladies’ 4 x 5 km Relay
Men’s 15 km Individual
Ladies’ 10 km Individual
Men’s 50 km Mass Start
Ladies’ 30 km Mass Start

Cross-Country Skiing (Paralympic)

Men’s Relay (1 x 4 km + 2 x 5 km)
Women’s Relay (3 x 2.5 km)
Men’s Sprint
Women’s Sprint
Men’s 10 km
Women’s 5 km
Men’s 15 km
Women’s 10 km
Men’s 20 km
Women’s 15 km

Nordic Combined

Men’s Individual NH / 15 km
Men’s Sprint LH / 7.5 km
Men’s Team LH / 4x5 km

Ski Jumping

Men’s Individual NH
Men’s Individual LH
Men’s Team LH

Venue Details

VANOC Investment
Construction of Whistler Olympic Park/Whistler Paralympic Park is estimated at $119.7 million. The governments of Canada and British Columbia have agreed to jointly fund the construction.

Sustainable Attributes

• provincial (BC EAO) and federal (CEAA) environmental assessment review for core competition venue and legacy recreation trails
• smart site selection — previously harvested forest, adjacent to a former mine, significant commercial and public recreational use
• minimized site disturbance and overall footprint including approximately 30 per cent reduction of overall venue footprint compared to initial design; design changes to avoid disturbing old growth forest and wetlands within core competition venue; and reduced stream crossings
• on-site waste wood re-use for temporary operations compounds and innovative on-site composting for green-up material.

Scope of Work and Plans for 2010
The construction project included the competition facilities described above; technical sport buildings at each of the stadiums; maintenance building; sewer, water, and power services; access roads; internal roads; parking lots; day lodge and other related infrastructure facilities.

Whistler Creekside

Venue Description

Whistler is consistently ranked as the number one ski resort in North America, which boasts more than two million visitors on average each year. The resort has extensive experience hosting International Ski Federation (FIS) World Cup competitions.

The men’s Olympic alpine skiing events will be held on the Dave Murray Downhill course. The ladies’ Olympic alpine skiing course and the Paralympic alpine skiing events will take place on Franz’s Run course.

Olympic Winter Games venue capacity: 7,600
Paralympic Winter Games venue capacity: 6,000
Finish area elevation: 810 metres

Timeline
Venue improvements began in summer 2006 and were completed in the fall of 2007.

Post-Games Use

Whistler Creekside will continue to offer a world-class ski area to recreational skiers and will be a site for future international competitions and Canadian team training.

Venue Events

Alpine Skiing

Men’s Downhill
Ladies’ Downhill
Men’s Super-G
Ladies’ Super-G
Men’s Giant Slalom
Ladies’ Giant Slalom
Men’s Slalom
Ladies’ Slalom
Men’s Super Combined
Ladies’ Super Combined

Venue Details

VANOC investment
Improvements to Whistler Creekside are estimated at $27.6 million. The governments of Canada and British Columbia agreed to jointly fund new construction and upgrades.

Sustainable attributes

• federal (CEAA) environmental assessment review process
• smart site selection — venue located on existing ski trails within major ski area
• use of existing ski hill infrastructure (for example, buildings, chairlifts, gondolas)
• all wood waste chipped and re-used on site
• leading-edge, high energy-efficient snowmaking system for race courses
• proactive construction management to avoid and minimize potential impact to wildlife and aquatic
  and terrestrial habitat
• significant reductions achieved in total amount of riparian vegetation removed for the training and race courses compared to the amount proposed/approved for clearing in the initial design plans and EA approval
• post-Games legacy of enhanced training, racing and recreational ski trails

Scope of work and plans for 2010
Improvements include contouring and reshaping of the men’s and ladies’ downhill courses, and additions to the existing snowmaking system.