2010 Vancouver Olympic & Paralympic Super-Thread

[mr.x]

With Salt Lake, two years before the Games, the organizing committee (led by Mitt Romney) cut back $250-million from the operations budget to avoid a deficit....it included cutting back the opening/closing ceremony budget by a third, but rich donors made up for the shortfall.

"My vision is gone. I live in damage control now," Lucia Montanarella, the frank head of VANOC press operations, told a reporter recently. All the ‘nice to have things,' you lose them. Going through budget cuts is not unusual, but it's hard."

As a result, according to Ms. Montanarella: "These will be good Games, not spectacular."

That just makes me sad.

[jlousa]

*l* what else would she say? yeah the games will still be spectacular we were just wasting money for no reason before the cutbacks.

These will still be the best "Winter" games ever.

[mr.x]

^ hmmmm...we'll just have to wait and see.


On a lighter note, today was the one year anniversary of the opening day of BEIJING 2008! 08.08.08

[mr.x]

[Delirium]

wasn't aware that CTV's main broadcast location is set for creekside park. the convention centre would be a better location imo unless they wanted something completely different from the other networks. so long as they don't beam constant images of "Sochi house" i guess that's ok


www.concordplace.ca

[johnjimbc]

I can't find a good place to discuss this or even post the few pictures I took, but I toured the Whistler Olympic Park yesterday - the one in the Callaghan Valley. I was so impressed! It's a really nice, scenic area. We took a tour of the Ski Jump facility, and the two guys giving the tour were great. Both are working at the site for the Olympics, one as a groomer and the other as a medic during the games. They provided a lot of information, and answered everyone's questions quite well.

They confirmed something I had suspected for a while, but had never read. The reason the Nordic events are all being held there, including cross-country skiing, is because the Callaghan Valley gets anywhere from 40% to 50% MORE snow that Whistler each winter. So they clearly were thinking of what might happen in a "low snow" winter. In Whistler itself, the sliding centre is less reliant on snow at all since the track is cooled and regulated independently (like the icing on a rink). And the Alpine events can be held high on the mountains even if Whistler village has a wet February.

I think the only exposure at all in a bad snow season (due to El Nino or anything else) would be the events on Cypress. But I trust there is a lot of planning going on now on how to mitigate that situation should it become a problem.

The guys giving the tour mentioned near the end that we were on the last tour of the year (which really surprises me). I hope I misunderstood, and there are more tours. If they do have the Park open and you head up to Whistler, I would highly recommend swinging by and checking it out. Note the Park is about 15 kilometers from Whistler itself . . . you have to exit on a side road before you get to Whistler - near the Black Tusk intersection, but in the opposite direction.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by Delirium

wasn't aware that CTV's main broadcast location is set for creekside park. the convention centre would be a better location imo unless they wanted something completely different from the other networks. so long as they don't beam constant images of "Sochi house" i guess that's ok


www.concordplace.ca

I think the Creekside Park location is great....NBC will have its main studio at the platform of the convention centre's plaza.

[nova9]

What exactly are we (the city) doing with Concord Place during the games anyways. It's a public plaza sorta and I do believe there are plans for it like big screens etc. But it's a huge space. I doubt it would look impressive if a lot of it was empty.

[johnjimbc]

Nova9,

If you click on that concordplace link, there is a site plan option that lays out the pavilion spaces they are leasing. The only identified sites are the Canada Hockey Pavilion and the Saskatchewan Pavilion, but two or three others show as being reserved (just unnamed sponsors at this point). I thought I had read the Vancouver City pavilion was also moving there - since they won't be at the library now (perhaps that is one of the leased but unnamed pavilions. It looks like there are five smaller pavilion spaces that are not yet leased - or don't show as being leased at this point. I'm not sure how up-to-date the info is.

At any rate, it doesn't look like it will be empty space, over half of the area appears firmed up, and the Hockey Pavilion alone will be a big draw. Even if other facilities around the city don't get the rents they are asking from sponsors during the Games, I suspect the Concord Place, being a rather prominent location, will be filled by February.

[nova9]

Thank you.

But what I'm concerned is like the equivalent of renting a ballroom at a hotel jsut for your family dinner. It would be a sad sight if they didn't somehow make sure (for the cameras) that that plaza is PACKED with people. So hopefully with all those sponsors there, it will create enough of an atmosphere to draw people there.

[johnjimbc]

I understand what you're asking now. I think that is the kind of thing that might need to be planned if it really looks like a section of the space is not going to be leased. It looks like for that area, they are not really planning open public space but various pavilions. From the looks of the site plan, it looks like the currently marked "available" space is a section that could be used in some other capacity if no one steps forward. I agree it would be good to have some back-up plan for that.

My sense is its more likely some of the remaining spots will yet be filled, so if not all are, it still wouldn't result in that much empty space. I don't know that cameras are going to be constantly weaving around the city looking for a few empty streets and areas just to make the point, though given the recent media obsession with half-empty glasses, perhaps they will be .

i still tend to think something will occupy the spaces, though. The reality is the Hockey Pavilion will be the real draw there. Folks who entered the secure area will go there, and then meander around to whoever else happens to set up shop there. I doubt thousands more people are going to pour through the security screening just to see the Yukon Pavilion or Telus Pavilion (not to be poking fun at either one, just citing examples).

I think the Yaletown site is where more planned activities are scheduled to take place for drawing and entertaining residents and visitors.

[Delirium]

The art gallery announced their programming during the games. sounds great!

The exhibit Leonardo da Vinci: The Mechanics of Man (February 6 to May 2, 2010) will be on loan from the collection of Queen Elizabeth II. It will mark the first time this group of drawings has ever been shown in its entirety, and is meant to echo the athleticism of the games.

To complement the historic exhibit, the Gallery will present Visceral Bodies (February 6 to May 16, 2010), a show of contemporary art based on the human form.

Meanwhile, Visions of British Columbia: A Landscape Manual (January 23 to April 18, 2010) will house art by the major figures of B.C. on two floors of the gallery.

The show traces the evolution of art here, from a 19th-century First Nations sculpture by Charles Edenshaw and iconic paintings by Emily Carr to cutting-edge works by Stan Douglas, Liz Magor, Jeff Wall, Jin-me Yoon, and more.

Outside the landmark, the Georgia Street façade will show Taiwanese artist Michael Lin's A Modest Veil, a massive hand-painted mural (January 15, 2010 to May 2, 2010).

On the Robson Street side, the VAG will present almost 100 film and video works on a massive LED screen over the Robson Street façade as part of CUE: Artists’ Videos (January 23 to March 21, 2010).

http://www.straight.com/article-261019/v...nardo-da-vinci-drawings-during-olympics#

[Delirium]

granville island is going to be hopping too during the games;

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Granville+Island+expected+life+2010+party/2062767/story.html

It's not an official Olympic live site, but with 35,000 people or more expected to jam Granville Island every day during the 2010 Games it will look and feel like one.

Swiss House, Atlantic Canada House and Place de la Francophonie 2010 all will be there.

Coca-Cola will take over the Granville Island Hotel, while Cultural Olympiad and Winterruption Festival performances will take place throughout the popular tourist attraction on the south shore of False Creek.
Add a temporary rapid transit service linking Granville Island with the Canada Line during the Games and it's easy to see why February traffic to the area should double next year.

"Granville Island's reputation as such a unique arts and culture hub will make it a popular place to be," said Granville Island public affairs and programming manager Lisa Ono. "It's also a matter of geography, being so close to the downtown live site [at David Lam Park], the athletes' village and generally in the heart of the city."

Swiss television will take full advantage of the unique waterfront views on Granville Island, she said, when it broadcasts from the House of Switzerland to be located at Bridges Restaurant.
The official Swiss guest centre will operate from Feb. 5 through Feb. 28 and will be one of the few national guest centres open to the public, with free admission.

Bridges restaurant will operate as usual, with selected Swiss specialties added to the standard menu. The interior design will be adjusted to create an authentic Swiss atmosphere.

The Arts Club Theatre on Granville Island will become Atlantic Canada House, representing the four Maritime provinces with a public pavilion scheduled to operate from Feb. 13 through Feb. 27. It will feature multi-media presentations, performances by Atlantic Canadian artists and a traditional Maritime kitchen party.
An official announcement about Atlantic Canada House is expected soon, but details were contained in a request for proposals issued this summer.

Place de la Francophonie 2010 will celebrate francophone culture when it operates Feb. 10-28 under four tents near the False Creek Community Centre -- with a main entertainment stage, a food showcase, a tourism exhibition and a sports bar where patrons can watch live Olympic events.

It's not official yet, but a Portrait Gallery of Canada exhibit is expected to include portraits of Canadian athletes at various Granville Island locations, with portrait information in both English and French.

Coca-Cola will take over the entire Granville Island Hotel property from Feb. 11 through Feb. 28 for accommodation and hospitality purposes. The soft drink giant has commissioned Haida artist Clarence Mills to create a totem pole on the island during the Games and the artwork will be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the Aboriginal Youth Legacy Fund.

The company, which is trying to reduce its carbon footprint during the Olympics, will also provide 20 bicycles for their guests to use while staying at the hotel.

Granville Island will have a public information centre staffed during the Games, along with a 1,300-square-foot media centre with bilingual staff and Wi-Fi facilities for accredited and non-accredited media.

Winterruption, normally a two-day arts and culture festival on the island, will expand to a nine-day event during the Games next year and Cultural Olympiad events will include concerts at Performance Works.

Finding a parking spot is often a problem at Granville Island and Ono recommends people take transit whenever possible.

The City of Vancouver and Bombardier Transportation will operate a free streetcar service from Granville Island to the Canada Line's Olympic Village station from Jan. 21 to March 21.

Aquabus operations manager Jody Collins said the ferry service will operate its full fleet of 13 vessels during the Games.

[mr.x]

^ wow...if only we had something like this every year, without the Games.

[mr.x]

i thought this was interesting, from vanoc:

·By July 2009, VANOC had a full-time workforce of 1,302. By Games time, the number will grow to more than 55,000, including 1,400 paid staff, 3,500 temporary staff, 25,000 volunteers, 10,000 contractors, and 15,000 ceremony participants.

[raggedy13]

A pic of the Four Host First Nations Pavilion I took Sept 26:

[Waders]

Not sure whether this is the right forum. But this news make me feel good.
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20091012/bc_richmond_oval_091012/20091012?hub=BritishColumbia

Richmond Oval beats 'Bird's Nest' for prize
Updated: Mon Oct. 12 2009 13:17:41

The Canadian Press

An Olympic venue that will host speed skating during the 2010 Games has won a prestigious engineering prize.

The Olympic Oval in Richmond, B.C., just south of Vancouver, was awarded gold Friday for sports or leisure structures by the Institution of Structural Engineers.

The Oval took its title against other short-listed international competitors including the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the "Bird's Nest," and the new retractable roof at Wimbledon's Centre Court in London.

The Richmond Olympic Oval, designed by Cannon Design, is a multi-purpose sports and recreation facility.

Its roof features hollow, triangular-shaped wood steel arches and "wood wave" panels constructed from pine-beetle-kill wood boards from B.C. forests.

Based in London, the Institution of Structural Engineers is dedicated to the art and science of structural engineering.

[raggedy13]

^Great news!

[nova9]

THE CAMPBELL ROADSHOW
From New York to Greece, B.C. Premier begins promoting the Olympics this week

From Monday's Globe and Mail

It's a big week for B.C. on the world stage as the Premier today begins promoting the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games in New York and then heads to Greece for the lighting of the Olympic flame.

First, he makes a guest appearance on NBC's Today Show - the official Olympics broadcaster for the United States. He will also deliver a keynote address to the Canadian Association of New York.

Later in the day he will be at the United Nations to hear the address of VANOC CEO John Furlong, as he presents the Olympic truce resolution for the 2010 Games.

It is tradition for the host country to present a resolution at the UN calling on the world to celebrate the principle that sport can inspire peace during the Games.

As a member country of the UN, the Government of Canada is facilitating the presentation of the resolution, entitled "Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideals."

Tomorrow Gordon Campbell meets with NBC executives to promote the province and then is off to talk to investment bankers to drum up support for private-public partnerships - an entirely different pitch to bring greenbacks to British Columbia.

The Premier's last stop is at the Temple of Hera in Olympia, where the flame will be lit on Thursday - the beginning of the long journey for the torch across Canada.

Premier Campbell: Were ready for Olympics
Oct. 19: TODAY hosts talk to British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell about how Vancouver is preparing for the upcoming Olympics.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/33378355#33378355

And in the same Today Show, Conde Nast did their piece on top cities and they once again talked about Vancouver. Showed gorgeous video that includes the new convention centre too!

[mr.x]

October 23, 2009, 12:00 pm
Q&A with Vancouver Olympics Chief Executive John Furlong
By John Branch

Seven years ago, Vancouver was awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics, and John Furlong shifted from his position as the leader of the city’s bid to leader of its massive Games preparations. The chief executive of the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC), Furlong shared his thoughts on the Olympics, from carrying the torch (literally) to the expectations heaped on the Canadian men’s hockey team.
Q.

What is the focus for the next three months?
A.

Furlong: Right now, the effort is all in just getting the atmosphere right. To perfect everything, to test and retest, to go through all the simulations, open the operations center and just get the city humming. So that when you get off the plane at the airport, you will feel like you have landed in an Olympic city.
Q.

What is it like for seven years of preparation to come this close to reality?
A.

Furlong: The thing you’re trying to do in the buildup to the Games is you try to get good at it. But you haven’t done it yet. You’re practicing for one time. You have this sort of happy, nervous tension. You’re trying to figure out all the things that have to be ready, and to know it when it’s coming, and to be fast to deal with it. And get everybody in that frame of mind. We think we’re getting it done, but until we’re there, people will feel that way.
Q.

Are you concerned about Vancouver’s unpredictable weather?
A.

Furlong: For the Winter Olympics, too much snow is a bad thing, so we’d like less. And, of course, the athletes compete on man-made snow, so once we get a good base we’d prefer that it never snow again.

Since we are just at the beginning of the winter, we are in the process of just getting ready to fire up this equipment. And we will start making snow, assuming there may be challenges and we may not get enough, so we’ll start stockpiling it. So no matter what happens, we have what we need and can prepare the venues for the Games.
Q.

How do you think Canada will do in the competition?

A.

Furlong: This past winter, when you look at world championships and how countries did, Canada had moved from that distance down in the pack to winning 29 world championship medals. The U.S. and Germany won 28 each. So we got to a place where we feel like we have a contender. Our history of converting world championships to gold medals has not been terrific over the years, but we now have a team that is showing up and winning more often, and they’re confident, and they’re being well supported.
Q.


But isn’t hockey the medal on everyone’s mind?
A.

Furlong: Somebody said the other day that Canada could win 35 medals, be in first place, and not win the gold medal in hockey and feel like we failed. That’s the feeling.
Q.

Has this been a unifying force for Canada?
A.

Furlong: Typically, the Games tend to be centered around a host city and a vision that that city has for itself. When we were bidding for the Games, and thinking about how we would compete with the other countries and why would our story be any better than anyone else’s, we thought we would try to use the project to bring the country together, to use the Games to bring every province and territory to a common place. What we’re doing is pretty rare in Canada. We don’t always come together. Sometimes you can look at different parts of the country and think that you’re in different parts of the world.
Q.

How will you top Beijing’s Opening Ceremony, even with David Adkins, the director of Sydney’s terrific ceremony in 2000?
A.

Furlong: Coming across the parking lot after the ceremony, everywhere I heard: “Well, we’ve seen the best we’re ever going to see, and it’s never going to get better.” And you know what? I’ve heard that 10 times. The problem is, creative people, they don’t believe it and they don’t listen. This guy doesn’t. I’ve seen a mockup of the show, and I’m pretty sure people are going to come out of the opening ceremonies in Vancouver and they’re going to be, ‘Wow, that was fantastic.’ We’re not trying to out-Beijing Beijing.

It’s a lot of pressure, you know, sitting there and arguing over who is going to light the cauldron and “Is this piece of the story going to work?” I will be so grateful when those ceremonies are over, and we’re walking across the parking lot. If I just hear one person say, “I think we’ve seen the best we’ll ever see,” I’ll be so happy. Even if it’s my own daughter.
Q.

What do you hope the Games’ legacy will be?
A.

Furlong: “I hope that everybody will have moved to the position that this was a good thing for our country, and for the future, it will have been a good thing for our kids. And that we have left behind an organization that got through a project, behaved with honor, and delivered what it said it would. And that the country looked good on a global stage, and we did a good thing for Canada. I’d be happy with that. If we win the Games, or there are some great athletic memories, all of that is a bonus.

This is a human project for us. I really want a human legacy. I really want to think that it made a difference — that the community and the country feels better about itself.
Q.


What will you do in March?
A.

Furlong: Hide.