Vancouver 2010 - Venues Ready!

Wow … this is almost starting to feel like it might actually happen!

One of the biggest milestones in preparing to host the top athletes from countries around the world has been reached by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and its partners: construction and upgrades on all sport competition venues were completed on time and within the $580-million budget. Athletes are now training and competing in the venues in preparation for the Games.

The Vancouver 2010 sport venue program is officially complete today with the opening of the Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Centre, the venue for curling and wheelchair curling events during the Games.

“Today is a proud moment for all of us and would not have been possible without the unwavering support of the Government of Canada and the Province of BC,” said John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer. “After years of teamwork and careful planning, together we’ve reached one of our biggest milestones. It’s wonderful to see athletes now competing and testing these venues while youngsters and adults alike experience the legacies far in advance of the Games.”

New sport competition venues for the 2010 Winter Games include the Richmond Olympic Oval, The Whistler Sliding Centre, University of British Columbia Thunderbird Arena, Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Park, Cypress Mountain, and the Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Centre – one of the greenest curling venues in the world. Substantial upgrades were also made to existing facilities such as the Pacific Coliseum and Whistler Creekside. All the facilities and upgrades were planned to leave lasting legacies in their communities. Further enhancements will continue to be made to some venues after VANOC receives feedback from athletes and officials competing at them during sport events this season.

“We want to congratulate our venue partners, the venue construction teams and all of the workers from here and across the country for making the construction of these venues their own Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Dan Doyle, VANOC executive vice-president, venue construction. “Their outstanding work will showcase to the world the best in Canadian construction and sustainability and what can be done when partners come together with a common goal.”

The final sport venue to be completed, the Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Centre will be in the international spotlight this Saturday when its ice sheets get a workout from the men and women competing in the World Wheelchair Curling Championships, which run until February 28. The centre will host another major event, the World Junior Curling Championships, from March 5 to March 15.

Six thousand spectators can watch the rocks curl and twist at the venue, the largest seating capacity for wheelchair curling in Paralympic Winter Games history.

The Government of Canada and province of British Columbia contributed $40.25 million to the centre via VANOC. The curling venue is perched on one of the highest point of land in the city, with views of downtown’s glass towers and the snow-capped peaks of the North Shore mountains. Construction started in February 2007 – the last competition venue for the Games to break ground.

The Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Centre is targeted for the gold standard in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.

This eco-friendly venue captures rainwater and siphons it into the building to flush toilets and urinals. The toilets, showers and sinks also use low-flow water systems, reducing water usage by up to 30 per cent. The building is wrapped in a high-performance envelope that helps keep temperatures just right inside for the perfect ice sheet. Heat is reused during the ice-making process and the building is powered by a mixture of electricity, natural gas and solar energy.

After the Games, the venue will transform into a multi-purpose recreation centre. It will include ice sheets for hockey and curling, a gymnasium, library, and aquatic centre. The site is jointly managed by the city and the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation.