Thursday, January 15, 2009

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

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

Monday, January 12, 2009

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.

The Whistler Sliding Centre


Venue Description

The Whistler Sliding Centre will host the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton competitions at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and will also serve as a legacy which will be enjoyed by local residents, visitors and high-performance athletes.

The venue is situated on Blackcomb Mountain, complementing the many other adventure-oriented activities that the area offers. After the Winter Olympics are over, the facility will operate as a centre for high-performance development, youth and recreational club programming, and tourist and public admissions (passenger rides and tours), building upon the legacy of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Venue capacity: 12,000
Elevation: Men’s luge handles: 939 metres
Bottom: 787 metres
Highest vertical drop: 152 metres

Timeline
Construction began in June 2005, with the track being operationally complete in winter 2007-08. The formal public opening took place in fall 2008.

Post-Games Use

The Whistler Sliding Centre will be operated under the direction of the Whistler Legacies Society, supported by an endowment trust that was created by the federal and provincial governments as part of their 2010 Winter Games venues investment. The Whistler Sliding Centre will showcase sliding sports by hosting international competitions and developing sliding sports opportunities in the local communities. Its location, near several of the resort’s world-class hotels, will attract many tourists, providing a sustainable revenue stream towards the centre’s long-term operations and legacy.

Venue Events

Bobsleigh

Two-man
Four-man
Women's

Luge

Men’s Singles
Women’s Singles
Doubles

Skeleton

Men’s
Women’s

Venue Details

VANOC investment
The Whistler Sliding Centre was built at a cost of $104.9 million, funded jointly by the governments of Canada and British Columbia.

Sustainable attributes

  • Smart site selection — adjacent to previously developed areas within a major ski area (such as ski trails, parking lots)

  • Site designed to minimize required vegetation clearing and to reduce facility footprint (such as soft edging and tree islands)

  • Long-term operations and revenue generation opportunities through athlete training facility and visitor use

  • First construction contract (2005) awarded to local Whistler business

  • Energy efficiency initiatives to minimize refrigeration plant energy use include:
    – ammonia refrigeration system — ammonia is one of the most energy-efficient refrigerants producing no chlorofluorocarbons (which contribute to ozone-layer depletion and global climate change)
    – track shading and weather protection system
    – tree retention to cast shade
    – track painted white to minimize heat absorption
    – capture and reuse of waste heat from refrigeration plant


Scope of work and plans for 2010
The venue features a new 1,450-metre competition-length concrete sliding track, refrigeration facilities, support buildings and access road. The Whistler Sliding Centre will host Sport Events for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton. Over the 13 days of sliding competition, athletes will compete for a total of eight Olympic medals.

UBC Thunderbird Arena


Venue Description

The University of British Columbia (also known as UBC) is located on campus , which also happens to be ocean side, on Vancouver’s west side. The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) forged an agreement with UBC to locate a new competition arena for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games on the site of the existing Thunderbird Winter Sport Complex.

Venue capacity: 7,200
Elevation: 90 meters


Timeline
The refurbishing of one existing ice sheet and additional construction began in April 2006 and was complete by June 2008 — This project was on budget and four months ahead of its originally scheduled completion date.


Post-Games Use

After the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the UBC venue will become a recreational and high-performance multi-sport legacy facility. The new training arena will be easily convertible for ice sledge hockey training and competition use.


Venue Events

Ice Hockey

Men’s Tournament
Women's Tournament

Ice Sledge Hockey

Men’s Tournament

Venue Details

VANOC Investment

VANOC’s investment in the UBC Thunderbird Arena is $38.5 million. The University of British Columbia is responsible for the remainder of construction costs.

Sustainable Attributes

  • Targeting green building standards equivalent to LEED Silver.
  • Redevelopment of an existing facility, including refurbishment and re-use of major components of existing ice plant.
  • Waste heat recovery from ice plant used to heat building and domestic water.
  • Flexible facility design to accommodate varied uses.
  • Aboriginal art will be installed at the venue as part of the Vancouver 2010 Venues Aboriginal Arts Program. The Program will feature traditional and contemporary artwork by First Nations, Inuit and Metis artists from across Canada.


Scope of Work and Plans for 2010
The redevelopment of the UBC Thunderbird Arena includes the refurbishing of the existing competition arena and the construction of two new ice sheets: one which will be used for the competition arena, and one that will be used for future training.

Pacific Coliseum


Venue Description

The Pacific Coliseum at Hastings Park is home to one of Vancouver's major event sites. An annual fair that attracts up to 60,000 people a day and the location is served extremely well by public transportation.


Venue Capacity: 14,239
Elevation: 26 m


Timeline
Completion of major capital upgrades was achieved by fall 2007.

Post-Games Use
As the largest building within the Hastings Park complex, the Pacific Coliseum will continue to serve as a venue for diverse events such as ice shows, basketball, hockey, boxing, concerts, large assemblies, and many types of trade and consumer shows.

Venue Events

Figure Skating

Ladies’ Singles
Men’s Singles
Ice Dance
Pairs

Short Track 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 Relay
Men’s 5,000 m Relay

Venue Details

VANOC Investment

Improvements to the Pacific Coliseum are estimated at $20.4 million. The governments of Canada and British Columbia are jointly funding the upgrades to the existing facility.

Sustainable attributes

  • Renovation of existing facilities, entirely contained within existing footprint
  • No increase to the percentage of impervious land surface on the project site after renovations
  • Equipment upgrades, including energy efficient fixtures, are expected to improve indoor air quality
  • Arena seating upgraded — old seats auctioned off as sport fundraiser


Scope of work and plans for 2010
The upgrades to Hastings Park are part of long-term restoration plans that began in 1994. Structural and cosmetic renovations will revitalize the Pacific Coliseum to address 2010 Winter Games and community needs. The replacement of nearly 16,000 seats and the expansion of the ice surface to international size have been completed. The balance of the building and technical changes for the Pacific Coliseum include ice plant improvements and upgrades to washroom facilities, concession space, building heating/ ventilation/air conditioning/lighting and dehumidification systems.

Vancouver Olympic Centre (Paralympic Centre)


Venue Description

The venue is located in a lively Vancouver community that includes the beautiful Queen Elizabeth Park. Great views of the local mountains can also been seen from the Olympic Centre.


Venue Capacity: 6,000
Elevation: 74 metres

Timeline
Construction of the arena started in March 2007 and is scheduled to be completed by fall 2008.

Post-Games Use

After the 2010 Winter Games, the curling venue will become a multi-purpose community recreation centre that will include an ice hockey rink, gymnasium, library and six to eight sheets of curling ice. Attached to the Olympic Centre, and being constructed with the new curling venue are a community centre and a new aquatic centre with a 50-metre pool and leisure pool. After the Winter Games, the venue will be managed by the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation.

Venue Events

Curling:

Men’s Tournament
Women’s Tournament

Wheelchair Curling

Mixed tournament

Canada Hockey Place

Venue Description

The 2010 Olympic Winter Games ice hockey tournaments will be staged in two venues — Canada Hockey Place and the UBC Thunderbird Arena. Canada Hockey Place is home to the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks. The Arena is one of the most active entertainment venues in North America. Since its opening in September 1995, it has attracted the biggest names in show business to its stage and welcomed more than 10 million visitors.


Venue Capacity: 18,630
Elevation: 8 meters

Post-Games Use

Canada Hockey Place (Also known as GM Place Prior to the Olympics and after) hosts approximately 100 events each year, ranking it among the busiest facilities in North America.

2010 Paralympic Games Scheduling

The Paralympic Games of 2010 will be held in the following month of March 2010 after the Winter Olympic Games in February. And as such the sports and venues will be as follows.

Alpine Skiing

Men’s Downhill Standing, Men’s Downhill Sitting, Men’s Downhill Visually Impaired - March 13th
Men’s Giant Slalom Sitting, Men’s Giant Slalom Visually Impaired - March 19th
Men’s Giant Slalom Standing - March 18th
Men’s Slalom Sitting, Men’s Slalom Visually Impaired - March 21st
Men’s Slalom Standing - March 20th
Men’s Super-Combined Standing, Men’s Super-Combined Sitting, Men’s Super-Combined Visually Impaired - March 16th
Men’s Super-G Sitting, Men’s Super-G Visually Impaired - March 15th
Men’s Super-G Standing - March 14th
Women’s Downhill Standing, Women’s Downhill Sitting, Women’s Downhill Visually Impaired - March 13th
Women’s Giant Slalom Sitting, Women’s Giant Slalom Visually Impaired - March 19th
Women’s Giant Slalom Standing - March 18th
Women’s Slalom Sitting, Women’s Slalom Visually Impaired - March 21st
Women’s Slalom Standing - March 20th
Women’s Super-Combined Standing, Women’s Super-Combined Sitting, Women’s Super-Combined Visually Impaired - March 16th
Women’s Super-G Sitting, Women’s Super-G Visually Impaired - March 15th
Women’s Super-G Standing - March 14th

Biathlon

Men’s 12.5 km Individual Standing, Men’s 12.5 km Individual Sitting, Men’s 12.5 km Individual Visually Impaired - March 17th
Men’s 3km x 2 Pursuit Standing, Men’s 3km x 2 Pursuit Sitting, Men’s 3km x 2 Pursuit Visually Impaired - March 13th
Women’s 3km x 2 Pursuit Standing, Women’s 3km x 2 Pursuit Sitting, Women’s 3km x 2 Pursuit Visually Impaired - March 13th
Women’s 12.5 km Individual Standing, Women’s 12.5 km Individual Visually Impaired - March 14th
Women’s 10 km Individual Sitting - March 14th

Cross Country Skiing

Men’s 10 km Individual Standing, Men’s 10 km Individual Sitting, Men’s 10 km Individual Visually Impaired - March 18th
Men’s 15 km Individual Sitting - March 14th
Men’s 1km Sprint Standing, Men’s 1km Sprint Sitting, Men’s 1km Sprint Visually Impaired - March 21st
Men’s 1x4km + 2x5 km Relay All Classes - March 20th
Men’s 20 km Individual Standing, Men’s 20 km Individual Visually Impaired - March 15th
Women’s 10 km Individual Sitting - March 14th
Women’s 5 km Individual Standing, Women’s 5 km Individual Sitting, Women’s 5 km Individual Visually Impaired - March 18th
Women’s 15 km Individual Standing, Women’s 15 km Individual Visually Impaired - March 15th
Women’s 1km Sprint Standing, Women’s 1km Sprint Sitting, Women’s 1km Sprint Visually Impaired - March 21st
Women’s 3x2.5 km Relay All Classes - March 20th

Ice Sledge Hockey

5th-6th Game - March 19th
7th-8th Game - March 19th
Bronze Game - March 20th
Gold Medal Game - March 20th
Men’s Eight Team Tournament - March 13th, 14th,16th
Playoffs - March 17th
Semifinal A - March 18th
Semifinal B - March 18th

Wheelchair Curling

Bronze and Gold Medal Games - March 20th
Mixed Ten Team Tournament - March 13th through March 18th
Semifinals - March 20th
Tie Breakers - March 19th

For an indepth chart and look at the scheduling or if evets change or inclement weather please look at 2010 scheduling.

Torch Relay

The Olympic Torch Relay is the transfer of the Olympic flame from Ancient Olympia, Greece where the first Olympic Games were held thousands of years ago to the stadium of the city hosting the current Olympic Games. The flame arrives just in time for the Opening Ceremony.

For the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the flame will first be lit in Olympia in late 2009. It will then travel from Greece, over the North Pole to Canada's high Arctic and on to the West Coast and Vancouver. The Olympic Torch will be carried by thousands of Canadians of all ages and cultural backgrounds: on foot, dog sled, snowmobile, horse, plane and virtually every means of transport known to the people of Canada.

The torch relay is said to be the longest in winter Olympic history and will travel across all of Canada on its journey to Vancouver.

For the first time in Olympic history the Olympic flame will be lit indoors, as BC Place is a covered stadium. This has caused some speculation on how this will be accomplished, as such a large flame burning for the required 15 days would cause environmental issues inside the stadium. A possible solution to the problem includes installing a special ventilation system to house the flame. It has yet to be officially stated how this problem will be solved.

On 16 May 2008, over $150 million in major renovations to the stadium were announced, including seat replacement, renovations to washrooms and concessions, and the replacement of the Teflon covering with a new retractable roof. These major renovations will be done in two phases. The first phase which includes upgrades to seating, washrooms and concessions and luxury suites is scheduled to be completed prior to the 2010 Olympic Games. The proposed retractable roof is being planned for after the games in 2011; however, upgrades are planned for the existing roof prior to the Olympics opening. It has yet to be officially stated how this problem will be solved.

Participating Nations

The exact number of participating nations will not be known until just prior to the start of the 2010 winter games. The NOCs listed here have already qualified athletes to the games. Nations will be added as they qualify at least one athlete or team.

  • Belarus
  • Canada
  • China
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Great Britain
  • Russia
  • Slovakia
  • Switzerland
  • Sweden
  • United States
  • Norway

Olympic Venues

Some venues, including the Richmond Olympic Oval, are at sea level, a rarity for the Winter Games. The 2010 Games will also be the first—Winter or Summer—to have an Opening Ceremony held indoors.

Vancouver, which will be the most populous city ever to hold the Winter Games, will also be the warmest: in February, when the Games will be held, Vancouver has an average temperature of 4.8 °C (40.6 °F).

The Venues for the 2010 games will be held at various places around the city of Vancouver and outlying area's.

Vancouver

University Of British Columbia

Richmond

West Vancouver

Whistler

  • Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Village
  • Whistler Blackcomb - Alpine skiing (Whistler Mountain only)
  • Whistler Olympic Park in Callaghan Valley - Biathlon, cross country skiing, Nordic combined, ski jumping (formerly the Whistler Nordic Venue)
  • Whistler Sliding Centre - bobsleigh, luge, skeleton
  • Celebration Plaza - opening/closing ceremonies and medals awards
It should also be noted, that because corporate sponsorship is not allowed for an Olympic venue, GM Place will be renamed Canada Hockey Place for the duration of the games.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games Tickets

Are you looking for or wanting tickets to the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver or wondering how you go about finding information or prices etc. ? Then you are in luck because the following ticket link is chalked full of information on how you can go see the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in person. But you better hurry!

Gold Medals By Sport

The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games will hand out many Gold medals across the many events and sports competed in. If you are curious how many gold medals will be handed out, the count will surprise you . Only 86 lucky athletes will be able to lay claim to the hard sought after trophy.

Alpine skiing- 10 Gold Medals
Biathlon - 10 Gold Medals
Bobsleigh - 3 Gold Medals
Cross Country Skiing - 12 Gold Medals
Curling - 2 Gold Medals
Figure Skating - 4 Gold Medals
Freestyle Skiing - 6 Gold Medals
Ice Hockey - 2 gold Medals
Luge - 3 Gold Medals
Nordic Combined - 3 Gold Medals
Short Track - 8 Gold Medals
Skeleton - 2 Gold Medals
Ski Jumping - 3 Gold Medals
Snowboarding - 6 Gold Medals
Speed Skating - 12 Gold Medals

For a combined Gold Medal Count of 86 Gold Medals!

On Average each day there will be between 4 and 7 Gold Medals handed out with only 2 being handed out on the final day of competition. This wiki page has a nice chart showing the gold medals that are possible and the days they are handed out.

2010 Winter Games Scheduling

If you are looking for scheduling for the various sports during the Winter Olympics, then here is a trough guide line for the days the events will be held on so that you can plan accordingly.

Alpine Skiing

Ladies' Downhill - February 17th
Ladies' Giant Slalom - February 24th
Ladies' Slalom - February 26th
Ladies' Super Combined - February 14th
Ladies' Super-G - February 20th
Men's Downhill - February 13th
Men's Giant Slalom - February 21st
Men's Slalom - February 27th
Men's Super Combined - February 16th
Men's Super-G - February 19th

Biathlon

Men's 12.5km Sprint - February 14th
Men's 12.5km Pursuit - February 16th
Men's 15km Mass Start - February 21st
Men's 20km Individual - February 18th
Men's 4x7.5km Relay - February 26th
Women's 10km Pursuit - February 16th
Women's 12.5km Mass Start- February 21st
Women's 15km Individual- February 18th
Women's 4x6km Relay - February 23rd
Women's 7.5 km Sprint- February 13th

Bobsleigh

Four-Man - February 26th with Medal round February 27th
Two-Man - February 20th with Medal round February 21st
Women - February 23rd with Medal round February 24th

Cross Country Skiing

Ladies' 10km - February 15th
Ladies' 15km Pursuit - February 19th
Ladies' 30km, Mass Start - February 27th
Ladies' 4x5 Relay - February 25th
Ladies' Individual Sprint - February 17th
Ladies' Team Sprint - February 22nd
Men's 15km - February 15th
Men's 30km Pursuit - February 20th
Men's 4x10km Relay - February 24th
Men's 50km, Mass Start - February 28th
Men's Individual Sprint - February 17th
Men's Team Sprint- February 22nd

Curling

Men's Tournament - Starts February 16th through February 25th. Medal Games February 27th

Women's Tournament - Starts February 16th through February 25th. Medal Games February 26th

Figure Skating

Ice Dance - February 19th and 21st with Medals February 22nd
Ladies' - February 23rd and medals February 25th
Men - February 14th and medals February 18th
Pairs- February 14th and medals February 15th
Exhibition Gala - February 27th

FreeStyle Skiing

Ladies' Aerials - February 20th and medals February 24th
Ladies' Moguls- February 13th
Ladies' Ski Scorss - February 23rd
Men's Aerials - February 22nd with medals February 25th
Men's Moguls - February 14th
Men's Ski Cross - February 21st

Ice Hockey

Men's Ice Hockey - February 16th , 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 23rd, 24th, 26th, 27th and Medals 28th

Women's Ice Hockey - February 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 20th, 22nd, and Medals on the 25th

Luge

Doubles - February 17th
Men's Singles - February 13th, Medals February 14th
Women's Single - February 15th, Medals February 16th

Nordic Combined

Men's Individual NH/10km - February 14th
Men's Individual LH/10km - February 25th
Men's Team Relay - February 23rd

Short Track Speed Skating

Ladies' 1000m - February 24th, medals February 26th
Ladies' 1500m - February 20th
Ladies' 3000m - February 13th, medals February 24th
Ladies' 500m - February 13th, Medals february 17th
Men's 1000m - February 17th, Medals February 20th
Men's 1500m - February 13th
Men's 500m - February 24th, Medals February 26th
Men's 5000m Relay - February 17th, Medals February 26th

Skeleton

Men's Skeleton - February 18th, Medals February 19th
Women's Skeleton - February 18th, Medals February 19th

Ski Jumping

Men's Individual LH - February 19th, Medals February 20th
Men's Team LH - February 22nd
Men's Individual NH - February 12th, Medals February 13th

Snowboard

Ladies' Halfpipe - February 18th
Ladies' Parallel GIant Slalom - February 26th
Ladies' Snowboard Cross - February 16th
Men's Halfpipe - February 17th
Men's Parallel Giant Slalom- February 27th
Men's Snowboard Cross - February 15th

Speed Skating

Ladies' 1000m - February 18th
Ladies' 1500m - February 21st
Ladies' 3000m - February 14th
Ladies' 500m - February 16th
Ladies' 5000m - February 24th
Ladies' Team Pursuit - February 26th, Medals February 27th
Men's 1000m - February 17th
Men's 10000m - February 23rd
Men's 1500m - February 20th
Men's 500m - February 16th
Men's 5000m - February 13th
Men's Team Pursuit - February 26th, Medals February 27th

For more information or to check if the dates may have changed, altered or been postponed due to incliment weather please check Vancouver2010

Thursday, January 8, 2009

2010 Winter Games Events

Eighty-six winter sports events have been announced as part of the 2010 Winter Olympics. The eight sports categorized as ice sports are: bobsled, luge, skeleton, ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating, short track speed skating, and curling. The three sports categorized as alpine, skiing and snowboarding events are: alpine, freestyle and snowboarding. The four sports categorized as Nordic events are: biathlon, cross country skiing, ski jumping, and nordic combined.








  • Alpine Skiing
  • Biathlon
  • Bobsleigh
  • Cross-Country Skiing




  • Curling
  • Figure Skating
  • Freestyle Skiing
  • Ice Hockey




  • Luge
  • Nordic Combined
  • Short Track Speed Skating
  • Skeleton




  • Ski Jumping
  • Snowboarding
  • Speed Skating


The opening and closing ceremonies and the events categorized as ice sports (excluding bobsleigh, luge and skeleton) will be held in Vancouver and Richmond. The sports categorized as "Nordic events" will be held in the Callaghan Valley located just to the west of Whistler. All alpine skiing events will be held on Whistler Mountain (Creekside) and sliding events (bobsleigh, luge and skeleton) will be held on Blackcomb Mountain. Cypress Mountain (located in Cypress Provincial Park in West Vancouver) will host the 2010 freestyle skiing (aerials, moguls, and ski cross), and all 2010 snowboard events (half-pipe, parallel giant slalom, snowboard cross).

Vancouver 2010 will also be the first winter Olympics in which both men's and women's hockey will be played on a narrower, NHL-sized ice rink, measuring 200 ft × 85 ft (61 m × 26 m), instead of the international size of 200 ft × 98.5 ft (61 m × 30 m). The games will be played at General Motors Place, which is home of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks. This change is expected to save $10 million (CAD) in construction costs and allow an additional 35,000 spectators to attend Olympic hockey games.

Additional events

There were a number of events proposed to be included in the 2010 Winter Olympics. On November 28, 2006, the IOC Executive Board at their meeting in Kuwait voted to include skicross in the official program. The Vancouver Olympic Committee (VANOC), subsequently approved the event to be officially part of the Games program.

Events up for inclusion but then were ultimately rejected included:

  • Biathlon mixed relay
  • Mixed doubles curling
  • Team alpine skiing
  • Team bobsled and skeleton
  • Team luge
  • Women's ski jumping

2010 Winter Games Mascots

The 2010 Winter Olympics logo was unveiled on April 23, 2005 and is named Ilanaaq the Inunnguaq. Ilanaaq is the Inuktitut word for friend. The logo is based on the Inukshuk built for the Northwest Territories Pavilion at Expo 86 and donated to the city of Vancouver after the event. It is now used as a landmark on English Bay beach.

The mascots for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games were introduced on November 27, 2007. After the unveiling, many people were displeased with the look of the new mascots because they represented a minority population of Vancouver. Inspired by traditional First Nations creatures, the mascots include:

  • Miga - A mythical sea bear, part orca and part kermode bear.
  • Quatchi - A sasquatch.
  • Sumi - An animal guardian spirit who wears the hat of the orca whale, flies with the wings of the mighty Thunderbird and runs on the strong furry legs of the black bear.
  • Mukmuk - A Vancouver Island marmot.

Miga and Quatchi are mascots for the Olympic Games, while Sumi is the mascot for the Paralympic Games.

2010 Winter Games Logo


The 2010 Winter Olympics logo was unveiled on
April 23, 2005 and is named Ilanaaq the Inunnguaq.
Ilanaaq is the Inuktitut word for friend


2010 Winter Game Facts

The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, will be held February 12-28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, with some events held in Whistler. Both the Olympic and Paralympic Games are being organized by the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC).

The 2010 Winter Olympics will be the third Olympics hosted by Canada, and the first by the province of British Columbia. Previously, Canada was home to the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. These will also be the first games to be held in an NHL market since the league allowed its players to participate starting in 1998.

Following Olympic tradition, then Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan received the Olympic flag during the closing ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, which was also attended by the Governor General, Michaëlle Jean and Premier of British Columbia, the host province, Gordon Campbell, himself a Vancouver native. The flag was raised on February 28, 2006, in a special flag raising ceremony, and will be on display at Vancouver's city hall until the Olympic opening ceremony.

The Call for Volunteers program was launched on February 12, 2008, to find 25,000 volunteers.

Tickets for the event were first available for purchase on October 3, 2008.

The motto for the games is "With Glowing Hearts / Des Plus Brillants Exploits "

80 plus countries and nations are expected to enter athletes with over 5,500 athletes expected to be entered in all. There will be 86 events in 7 different sports.

Opening Ceremony :February 12th
Closing Ceremony: February 28th
At B.C. Place (Stadium)

Welcome And Greetings

Welcome and greetings to my blog about the 2010 Winter Games that will be held in the city of Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada. ) This blog will be all things Winter Olympics focusing on the 2010 Winter Games. I hope that everyone enjoys their time here as well I hope you will get to take part in the ceremonies or take in your favorite events be it by television, internet, radio or in person. I for one am looking forward to the spirit of the games and the competition in each and every event. Do enjoy your visit here and by all means feel free to leave comments or links to other Olympic and or winter game focused sites.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

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