Building the dream: From the Vancouver and Richmond to Whistler and beyond, billions of dollars will go into the 2010 Games. The schedule is complex, the work daunting. Here are the major projects
Sun
VANCOUVER Vancouver Olympic Village Location: Southeast False Creek Use: Accommodation for 2,800 athletes; permanent structures to become part of a new residential neighbourhood. Cost: Final budget to be set by City of Vancouver, with a $30-million contribution from the Vancouver Organizing Committee. Status: Infrastructure work to begin in early 2006, village construction in mid-2007, and completion by September 2009. B.C. Place Stadium Location: False Creek at Robson Use: Opening, closing and medal ceremonies. Cost: N/A Status: Little work needed Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre expansion Location: Burrard Inlet, foot of Burrard Street. Use: Host 9,000 media in the Games International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre. Cost: $565 million Status: Construction started fall 2004; scheduled to open in fall 2008. General Motors Place Location: 800 Griffiths Way, north shore of False Creek Use: Olympic hockey tournament. Cost: $5 million to restructure building and ice surface to international specifications. Status: Begin modifications in April 2007; completion date undisclosed. UBC Winter Sports Centre Location: UBC campus Use: Olympic ice hockey tournament Cost: $40.8 million Status: Begin construction in late 2005, complete by 2007 Hillcrest/Nat Bailey Stadium Park Location: East side of Queen Elizabeth Park Use: Olympic curling tournament Cost: $28 million Status: Begin construction in April 2007; complete in August 2008. Pacific Coliseum Location: Hastings Park/PNE Grounds Use: Olympic figure skating and short-track speed skating Cost: $23 million in upgrades Status: Renovations starting in 2005, staggered around other events and continuing for two to four years. Richmond Oval Location: 6200 River Road, Richmond (location of Richmond RV Park) Use: Olympic speed skating Cost: $155 million Status: Construction begins in early 2006; complete by April 2008 Richmond-Airport-Vancouver Line Location: Waterfront Station in Vancouver, underground below downtown and Cambie Street to 63rd Avenue, then elevated to Sea Island and from there to Lulu Island. Use: Rapid transit linking downtown Vancouver with downtown Richmond and Vancouver International Airport. Cost: $1.72 billion Status: Officially unrelated to the Olympics but politicially tied in. Work to begin late this year and to be completed by November 2009. Cypress Mountain Resort Location: Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver Use: Olympic freestyle skiing and snowboarding Cost: $11 million for modifications of existing runs and new facilities. Status: Under review to ensure new facilities meet technical requirements. No construction start is set. WHISTLER Sea to Sky Highway upgrade Location: West Vancouver to Whistler Use: Principal land route from Greater Vancouver to Whistler Cost: $600 million Status: A provincial government project, connected to the Olympics. Work began May 2005 and is scheduled to finish in spring 2009 to widen and straighten the highway at various points, improve sight-lines, add passing lanes and reduce driving hazards. WHISTLER Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains Location: Whistler-Blackcomb Resort Use: Olympic and Paralympic alpine skiing events Cost: $23 million for modifications to existing runs, snowmaking and chairlift upgrades and related new infrastructure. Status: Begin work in June 2005 and complte by November 2007. However, technical events are under review and may be moved from Blackcomb to Whistler Mountain, where speed events are scheduled. Proposed Combined Alpine Venue Location: Whistler Creekside Village Use: Combined speed and technical alpine skiing events. Cost: Undetermined Status: Under review following a request from the International Ski Federation to combine speed and technical events at one site. Whistler Sliding Centre Location: Blackcomb Mountain Use: Olympic bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events Cost: $55 million Status: Construction to begin later this year, with completion in the fall of 2007 Whistler Nordic Centre Location: Callaghan Valley, near Whistler Use: Olympic and Paralympic Nordic sports, including ski jumping, cross-country skiing and biathlon. Cost: $102 million Status: Construction to begin in June 2005 and be completed by October 2007. Whistler Entertainment Centre Location: Whistler Resort Use: Potential site for Paralympic sledge hockey, and possible permanent entertainment complex and multipurpose facility. Cost: Unknown. The Olympic organizing committee has offered a grant of $20 million to the resort municipality of Whistler, which is working on plans and total costs. Status: Uncertain. If the project does not proceed, the existing Meadow Park Sports Centre can be converted to host Paralympic sledge hockey in about two weeks. Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Village Location: Lower Cheakamus Valley, near Whistler Use: Accommodation for 2,700 athletes and coaches Cost: To be developed by the private sector, with $32.5 million from the Vancouver Organizing Committee that includes $6.5 million for a first nations Legacy, and additional funding of $13 million for permanent athlete accommodations. Status: A conceptual site plan is ready. Site planning is to be completed by May 2007. Construction will be in two phases, one starting in April 2007 and the second in April 2008, with the project completed in September 2009. Whistler Media Village Location: Lower Cheakamus Valley. Use: Temporary accommodation, dining facilities and other services for up to 2,000 media and 1,500 Olympics workers and volunteers. Cost: Undetermined Status: Temporary structures would be leased for a six-month period ending after the Olympics and Paralympics. Whistler Conference Centre Location, Whistler Village. Use: Media facilities, cultural events. Cost: Undetermined. Status: Little or no work needed. © The Vancouver Sun 2005 |