All About the Games in BC

It may still be almost a year away, but really the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games are just around the corner.

All too well aware of the fast rate of the Games' approach, Whistler and Vancouver are breathlessly prepping their venues. Some are ready; others are still massive construction sites. All, we are assured, will be ready by the Games' opening on Feb. 12, 2010.

Last season I had the fun of touring the skiing venues -- what an experience! We started with the athletes' Olympic Village at False Creek in southeast Vancouver. A former sawmill on the city's grimy waterfront, the area is being transformed into a 1,100-unit, eco-friendly residence that will house 2,500 athletes -- including competitors in snowboarding and freestyle skiing.

The 13-storey building stepping up gradually from the ocean will be bordered by a boardwalk; Kayaks will be tethered out front!

When the Games close, a developer will be selling the units for $1-million-plus. Construction of the site has a reported price tag of around $1 billion. (All prices Canadian, duh!)

Next we toured Cypress Mountain, host to freestyle skiing's moguls, aerials and skier cross, along with snowboarding's halfpipe, parallel giant slalom and snowboard cross competitions.

The mountain, which offers a brilliant view of Vancouver and the ocean beyond, is undergoing a monstrous upgrade thanks to the Olympics. More than $25 million has been invested in improvement, including nine new runs on east-facing Black Mountain, a new hi-speed quad chairlift opening this season, and a new base lodge.

For the 2010 event, organizers are investing $15.8 million, which includes a hi-tech snowmaking system to keep the athletes on snow.

Travelling north on the Sea to Sky Highway toward Whistler, we were slowed by road improvements. Having first been on the highway almost 20 years ago – you can see a LOT of work has already been done … looking good!

For $600 million, the winding road that's perched between mountain and sea is being widened between Horseshoe Bay and Whistler.

It's hoped the project will ease traffic congestion for people heading to Whistler's events, including cross-country skiing, bobsleigh, luge and alpine skiing. There are also plans to move event goers from Vancouver to Whistler by public transit instead of cars during the Games.

About 15 minutes south of Whistler we entered Callaghan Valley -- a vast flatland amid the peaks that's full of deep snow and towering trees. It will host cross-country skiing, biathlon and ski jumping.

For $115 million, this site will be transformed into 14 km of competition trails, plus 25 km of recreational trails, two ski jumps, a lodge and three stadiums.

Directly above Whistler Village on the lower slope of Blackcomb Mountain we toured the $99-million Sliding Centre, housing bobsleigh, skeleton and luge. This 1,450-metre refrigerated sliding track has 16 corners; sleighs will reach speeds up to 130 km/h. Scheduled for completion by March 2008, it'll be one of only 15 in the world.

As a skier, the most interesting tour was of Whistler's Dave Murray Downhill -- the track for the alpine speed events such as downhill and super-G. Whistler Mountain has contoured, graded and landscaped the course over the past two summers, all to get it up to FIS standards.

The Games' first test event will take place here in February '08 with the World Cup ski races. By August '09, a finish area will be constructed at Timing Flats, just above Whistler Creekside development at Whistler's south end.

During the Games, Creekside's base will be used exclusively for wax cabins, an athletes' lounge and security checkpoints. An open-air gondola called a cabriolet will be built to carry spectators and race officials from Creekside to Timing flats. Creekside's reconfiguring is costing approximately $26 million.

This is going to be good …. expensive of course, but good.