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.