Richmond Olympic Oval

Canada > Archive by tag 'Richmond Olympic Oval'

Richmond Olympic Oval

Olympic Legacy

It’s been a year since the 2010 Winter Games invigorated Vancouver, but their spirit lives on

By Sheri Radford

The Richmond Olympic Oval. Photo by KK Law

Even though the 2010 Winter Games are long over, ways to relive the experience abound.

Visit the Olympic Cauldron downtown, which was lit on the opening night of the Games by hockey legend Wayne Gretzky. A picturesque reflecting pool now surrounds the cauldron. It is situated next to the west building of the Vancouver Convention Centre, which was completed in time for the Games and was used throughout as the main media centre. This eco-friendly building and its green roof (complete with four beehives and a full-time beekeeper) have won several awards for design.

Hop on the Canada Line SkyTrain, which was also completed just prior to the Games and which whisks visitors from the airport to downtown in 26 minutes. While in Richmond, visit the Richmond Olympic Oval, where speed skaters competed during the Games. This stunning, environmentally friendly building now houses an array of fitness facilities.

Pull on a pair of Olympic red mittens. If yours have worn out—or you weren’t lucky enough to snag any during Games fever—pick up a similar pair of maple-leaf-adorned mittens at The Bay. Proceeds go to the Canadian Olympic Foundation.

Olympic Cauldron in Jack Poole Plaza. Photo by Sheri Radford

If you’re searching for the perfect Quatchi, Miga, Mukmuk or Sumi souvenir, you’ll find the mascots’ smiling faces in Gastown’s many souvenir shops. To complete your Olympic coin collection—or catch a glimpse of some Olympic medals—visit the Royal Canadian Mint pop-up shop downtown on Granville Street. It’s only here until the end of February, but don’t worry: line-ups are shorter than the eight-hour waits common during the Games.

Olympic fever in Vancouver? It still burns on.

Hot Entertainment: Podium-Worthy

The eco-friendly Richmond Olympic Oval

The 2010 Winter Games athletes have since hung up their skates, but their home-away-from-home—the stylish and sustainable Richmond Olympic Oval—has become a must for workout enthusiasts. Find your inner Olympian with six hardwood gyms, two ice rinks, a running track and a state-of-the-art fitness centre.—Kristina Urquhart

15 Things We Love About Vancouver: April

Vancouver's gorgeous cherry blossoms paint the sky pink. Photo by Tom Ryan courtesy Tourism BC

1 Cherry blossoms. Nothing says “springtime” quite like the cheerful pink blossoms.
2 Using our noodle…for a quick, cheap meal at the West End’s Kintaro Ramen, Legendary Noodle or Hon’s Wun-Tun House.
3 Rogers’ Chocolates, which celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. Chocolate lovers choose the irresistible Victoria Creams—with fillings ranging from coffee, ginger and orange to vanilla, strawberry and always-patriotic maple.
4 Walking or biking along the seawall on a blustery day.
5 The annual Chutzpah! Festival (to Apr. 8).
6 Sipping a hot cuppa coffee while perusing the designer shops along bustling Robson Street.
7 The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
8 Tasting the very best of British Columbia at Edible BC, including organic jam, wild pacific salmon and local honey.
9 Grinder and Coola, two orphaned bears who reside on Grouse Mountain. They usually come out of hibernation in April.
10 Lingering over dessert at Lupo.
11 The larger-than-life art installations located throughout the city during the Biennale.
12 South Granville Street—aka Gallery Row—for its never-ending selection of art galleries.

Eye-pleasing confections at Lupo Restaurant & Vinoteca. Photo by KK Law

13 Dim sum, or any quick-to-eat Chinese food, such as take-out barbecue pork, from Chinatown.
14 Cheering for the Vancouver Canucks.
15 The Richmond Olympic Oval, which reopens to the public this month. It was the official speed skating venue for the 2010 Winter Games.

Top 10 Reasons to Return

If you think Vancouver is beautiful right now, just wait until you see the city in the summer

by Sheri Radford, Jennifer Patterson and Kristina Urquhart

Downtown Vancouver and the North Shore mountains, as seen from the oceanfront between Kitsilano Beach and Vanier Park. Photo copyright Ann Badjura/Dreamstime.com

1 Gorgeous Scenery
Vancouver has no shortage of breathtaking outdoor escapes: the rolling waves of the Pacific Ocean, the almost-year-round snow-capped mountains, and greenery as far as the eye can see. Wriggle your toes in the sand at one of the many public beaches, including Kits Beach—rated one of North America’s top 10 sexiest beaches by Forbes Traveler—or Wreck Beach, where clothing is optional. Head up the mountains for scenic 360-degree views, challenging hikes and glimpses of local wildlife. Grab your camera and visit one of the city’s many green spaces, including VanDusen Botanical Garden and Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. Bike, walk or run Vancouver’s famous seawall, a 22-km (13.7-mi) shoreline stretch that wraps around Stanley Park, past Science World and Granville Island, finishing up at Kits Beach.—J.P.

2 Major Attractions
Seek refuge in Stanley Park, where you can see summertime displays of roses and rhododendrons, catch outdoor theatre

A team races in the annual Dragon Boat Festival in front of Science World at Telus World of Science. Photo by Tom Ryan courtesy Tourism BC

shows, frolic on beaches and ogle baby beluga whales at Vancouver Aquarium. Views abound at Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain, where observing the antics of Grinder and Coola—two orphaned grizzly bears—is a popular summer activity. False Creek forms the backdrop for Granville Island, a hub for artist studios. Impromptu street performances are common, the Public Market boasts seasonal bounty from local farmers and the public fish sales dock is a local favourite for buying fresh, in-season seafood. Closed through most of March, Science World is spending our Winter Games as the pavilion for the Sochi 2014 Winter Games. This iconic “golf ball” is a fixture in the Vancouver skyline; inside you’ll find hands-on exhibits, science demos and educational films in the OMNIMAX Theatre.—K.U.

3 Festivals & Special Events
July and August brim with outdoor events that take full advantage of the long, sun-soaked days. Bard on the Beach presents Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Antony and Cleopatra, Falstaff and Henry V against a stunning ocean-and-mountains backdrop. Theatre Under the Stars mounts Joseph and the

The ferris wheel at the PNE. Photo by Sheri Radford

Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Singin’ in the Rain on alternating nights in Stanley Park’s Malkin Bowl. The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) celebrates its 100th anniversary with rides, midway games, outdoor concerts, parades, the PNE prize home, mini-donuts and, of course, the Superdogs. The Vancouver Folk Music Festival brings musicians from around the world to Jericho Beach Park for three days of groovy sounds. Pride Week bursts with a rainbow of gay-pride events, culminating in the Pride Parade and Sunset Beach Festival. The HSBC Celebration of Light marks its 20th anniversary with fireworks over English Bay that light up Metro Vancouver.—S.R.

4 Outdoor Adventures
When the temperature rises, outdoor enthusiasts take to the seas for kayaking, scuba diving and whale watching. From late April through October, the waters surrounding Vancouver and Vancouver Island are abundant with orcas (formerly called killer whales). Whale-watching trips offer glimpses of other wildlife, too, including porpoises, sea lions, harbour seals and eagles. Thrill-seekers in both Vancouver and Whistler ride high above the treetops of rainforests while

A pod of orcas. Photo copyright Lazareva Evgeniya/Istockphoto.com

harnessed to a cable called a zipline. Avid cyclist? Participate in myriad bike races, or head to the Whistler Mountain Bike Park for 1,507 m (4,946 ft) of bike trails and a jump park. Hike the mountains and nearby national parks, or take a low-key stroll around the seawall. After a long day in the sun, relax like a Vancouverite with a yoga session on the beach.—K.U.

5 Golfing, Sailing & Skiing
You might have heard a rumour that it’s possible to golf, sail and ski in Metro Vancouver, all on the same day. Unlike most rumours, this one is true. Highly rated courses such as University Golf Club, Westwood Plateau, Furry Creek Golf and Country Club, and Nicklaus North Golf Course boast views so stunning that it may be difficult to keep your eye on the ball. Local companies such as Sewell’s Marina can take you on a sea safari or—if you’re up to the job of captain—rent you a boat to go exploring on your own. As for catching

Nicklaus North Golf Course in Whistler

some powder in the summertime, Whistler Blackcomb’s Horstman Glacier stays open for intermediate and advanced skiers and riders through July.—S.R.

6 Winter Games Sites
Relive exciting moments from the 2010 Winter Games with a tour of Olympic and Paralympic venues, either by yourself or guided by Enjoy Tour and Travel. Canada Hockey Place, otherwise known as GM Place, is home to our NHL team, the Canucks, and sits alongside BC Place. Up on Cypress Mountain, take in the view of the Vancouver Convention Centre. To the east is the Pacific Coliseum, the showcase for figure skating. Experience your own medal-worthy moment with a lap around the Richmond Olympic Oval, open to all levels of fitness after the Games. In Whistler, follow the path of gold-medal bobsledders with a guided tour of the Sliding Centre and Olympic/Paralympic Park.—J.P.

7 Sports Teams
You’ll hear the hoots and hollers of Vancouver Canucks fans until regular-season games wrap up Apr. 10—but if the team advances to the Stanley Cup playoffs, ’Nucks fever can last into June. September marks the start of the 2011 game season for both the Canucks and the Vancouver Giants, the city’s major junior hockey team. Football fans root for the BC Lions

Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo. Photo by Jeff Vinnick courtesy Vancouver Canucks

(Jun. to Nov.), and the Vancouver Canadians play the ol’ ball game at historic Nat Bailey Stadium (Jun. to Sep.). The Vancouver Whitecaps don their cleats this summer (Apr. to Oct.) before beginning their major-league soccer career in 2011.—K.U.

8 Day Trips
Head to Squamish and Whistler for outdoor activities aplenty, including windsurfing, mountain biking and canoeing. Hop aboard BC Ferries for a trip to Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia and home to our historic parliament buildings. A skip-and-a-jump between Vancouver and Vancouver Island are the Gulf Islands, and there’s no shortage of charming getaways on Salt Spring, Galiano and Mayne islands. The Fraser Valley is the perfect spot to grab farm-fresh cheese and u-pick raspberries. The province’s wine region can be found in the Okanagan, known for its dry, sunny climate. South of the border is Seattle, home to rock legends Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix, as well as the iconic Space Needle.—J.P.

9 Restaurants
Vancouver boasts world-class cuisine, but many of our best restaurants are rented out or booked solid during the 2010 Winter Games. Return in the warmer months, then, for an eating-and-drinking tour of the city featuring summer’s cornucopia of fresh

The seaside neighbourhood of Yaletwon, with Burrard Bridge in the background. Photo copyright KWest/Fotolia.com

local produce and sun-kissed patios with breathtaking views. Your stomach will thank you.—S.R.

10 Sunshine
Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t always rain in Vancouver. But July and August are especially bright for sun worshippers.

Building the Games

The athletes may be the stars of the 2010 Winter Games, but the backdrops for their amazing feats are these equally impressive venues

by Sheri Radford // Photos by KK Law

The twin domes of BC Place (left) and Canada Hockey Place (right)

CANADA HOCKEY PLACE
Ice Hockey
Though it has a new moniker during the Games, GM Place is still the same arena Vancouverites know and love. Completed in 1995, downtown’s 19,300-seat venue serves as home ice for the Vancouver Canucks during hockey season and hosts big-name concerts ranging from Britney Spears to The Police. Its NHL-sized ice, which is smaller than international-sized ice, is being used during the 2010 Winter Games, marking a first in Olympic history.

UBC THUNDERBIRD ARENA
Ice Hockey, Ice Sledge Hockey
This 6,800-seat arena on the University of British Columbia (UBC) campus opened in 2008. You might call UBC the birthplace of Canada’s Olympic hockey dreams: in 1963 at UBC, in preparation for the 1964 Olympic Winter Games in Austria, Bob Hindmarch and Rev. Father David Bauer established Canada’s first national hockey team. The newborn team almost scored bronze.

VANCOUVER OLYMPIC/PARALYMPIC CENTRE
Curling, Wheelchair Curling
This eco-friendly building, completed in 2009, recycles energy and minimizes water use. Post-Games, it will become a community centre housing a curling rink, ice arena, aquatic centre and library.

PACIFIC COLISEUM
Figure Skating, Short Track Speed Skating
The newly renovated home of the Vancouver Giants hockey team has been used for everything from concerts and basketball games to ice shows and circuses. Opened in 1968, this 14,200-seat arena was home ice for the Vancouver Canucks until GM Place was completed in 1995.

The award-winning Richmond Olympic Oval

RICHMOND OLYMPIC OVAL
Speed Skating
Named the 2010 Winter Games’s “sexiest” venue by Omega Lifetime magazine, this new building on the Fraser River keeps racking up awards for its stunning design and eco-friendly building practices. The extraordinary 2.6-hectare (6.5-acre) roof, made from pine-beetle-damaged wood, collects and funnels rainwater, while energy required to make the speed-skating ice is captured and used elsewhere in the building. During the Games, you might notice 13 million cranberries floating in the shapes of a maple leaf and the Olympic rings in the river outside the Oval; this is a tribute to Richmond’s iconic berry. Post-Games, the Oval will house fitness and sports medicine centres, as well as ice rinks, hardwood courts and running tracks.

WHISTLER CREEKSIDE
Alpine Skiing
After several unsuccessful attempts over four decades, Whistler (in partnership with Vancouver) finally won the bid to host the Winter Games. Now Whistler Mountain’s original base, which opened in 1966, has undergone more than $30 million in upgrades to prepare for the monumental event. Men’s alpine skiing events take place on the black-diamond Dave Murray Downhill, the world’s second-longest downhill course, while Franz’s Run hosts the women’s Olympic and all Paralympic alpine events.

WHISTLER OLYMPIC/PARALYMPIC PARK
Biathlon, Cross-Country Skiing, Nordic Combined, Ski Jumping
Opened in 2008, after years of work and $120 million spent, this sprawling park in the picturesque Callaghan Valley hosts a third of all the Olympic events and half of all the Paralympic events. The park’s elevation ranges between 840 and 930 m (2,756 and 3,051 ft).

THE WHISTLER SLIDING CENTRE
Bobsleigh, Luge, Skeleton
Completed in 2007, this slick new venue is part of an extremely elite club: there are just 15 international-competition sliding tracks in the world. And if the secret to a building’s success is location, location, location, then it has a bright future, indeed. It sits on an area of Blackcomb Mountain called Wild Spirit Place (Kwekwayex Kwelh7aynexw) by the Squamish people and Spirited Ground (A7x7ulmecw) by the Lil’wat people.

CYPRESS MOUNTAIN
Freestyle Skiing, Snowboard
A 30-minute drive from downtown Vancouver, this area is popular with locals for

The Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver, on False Creek

skiing, snowboarding, tubing and snowshoeing. In case of mild weather, a snowmaking system (complete with 35 snow guns) guarantees a winter wonderland.

OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC VILLAGE VANCOUVER
Forget about the cost overruns and financing snafus: this billion-dollar village is a wonder to behold. Located on the waterfront in False Creek, with a view of downtown, the low- and mid-rise apartment buildings are housing 3,000 athletes and officials in style during the Games. After, they will be sold as eco-friendly condos.

OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC VILLAGE WHISTLER
In the gorgeous Cheakamus Valley, bordered by forests and the Cheakamus River, this mix of apartments, townhomes and hostels comprises the home-away-from-home for more than 4,000 athletes and officials during the Games.

BC PLACE
For the first time ever, the Winter Games’s opening and closing ceremonies are being held indoors. The nightly victory ceremonies, featuring a stellar line-up of musical acts, also take place inside downtown Vancouver’s 55,000-seat domed stadium, which opened in 1983. Better take a snapshot of the venue’s marshmallow-like roof, since it won’t be around much longer: a state-of-the-art retractable roof will replace it next year.

WHISTLER MEDALS PLAZA
After the Games’s medal presentations and nightly concerts are a mere memory, this outdoor venue’s amphitheatre, children’s play area and performance spaces will still attract locals.

WHISTLER MEDIA CENTRE
Journalists lucky enough to be assigned to Whistler are headquartered in the

The newly expanded Vancouver Convention Centre is the Main Media Centre during the Games

Whistler Conference Centre, which underwent a huge renovation in 2003. The building is now larger—and kinder to the environment.

MAIN MEDIA CENTRE
Media assigned to Vancouver are in for a treat at the newly expanded Vancouver Convention Centre. Its east building, which showed off the city to the world during the Expo ‘86 World’s Fair, and its brand new west building now cover 111,500 sq m (1.2 million sq ft), or four city blocks. Approximately 40% of the west building juts out over the ocean. Its interior walls, made from renewable Vancouver Island and Sunshine Coast hemlock, resemble artfully stacked lumber. And its 2.5-hectare (6-acre) living roof—complete with four beehives, a bee-keeper and 400,000 plants—helps the environment.

Fast Track to Gold

BC speed skater Denny Morrison is poised to be a top contender at the 2010 Winter Games

By Kristina Urquhart

The eco-friendly roof at Richmond Olympic Oval. Photo by KK Law

Under a magnificent domed roof, the cavernous arena echoes with the sound of the starting bell, of the first moment a sharp skate blade touches the pristine rink, of 8,000 spectators cheering wildly.

This is the Richmond Olympic Oval (see “Fast Facts,” below) just one month from now, when it will host the long-track speed skating events during the 2010 Winter Games. This is where Denny Morrison, Canadian speed skater and Olympic silver medallist, will vie for the gold.

Unlike many athletes who only recently discovered whether they’d be competing in sport’s biggest contest, the 24-year-old Morrison has known since his stellar race results last winter.

“I’m really excited,” he says. “I have good feelings about Richmond. The oval is pretty spectacular.”

Morrison now calls Fort St. John, BC home, but he was born in the tiny town of Chetwynd where there was no hockey league. Eager to skate, a three-year-old Morrison started speed skating lessons. The rest is, as they say, history.

No stranger to the podium, Morrison brought home a silver medal in the team pursuit race

Denny Morrison will skate for gold at Richmond Olympic Oval. Photo by Ewan Nicholson

at the Torino 2006 Winter Games. This year alone, Morrison won the bronze in three events at two ISU World Cup events. He is also pictured on the packages of Wrigley’s Excel Polar Ice chewing gum—a portion of the proceeds goes to the Canadian Olympic team.

Morrison’s busy training and competition schedule doesn’t offer much down time, but he likes to try new restaurants, including Chop for both its innovative cuisine and its proximity to the Richmond Olympic Oval, where he trained last year.

Watch Morrison on Jan. 16 and 17 in the World Championship Sprint in Obihiro, Japan, and tune in during the 2010 Winter Games to see him race the 5,000 m (Feb. 13), the 500 m (Feb. 15), the 1,000 m (Feb. 17), the 1,500 m (Feb. 20), the 10,000 m (Feb. 23) and the team pursuit qualification (Feb. 26) and finals (Feb. 27). Whether or not Morrison ascends to the podium, he is sure to make Canada proud.

FAST FACTS

The Institution of Structural Engineers gave Richmond Olympic Oval a design award. Its roof is made from pine-beetle-damaged wood.

Post-Games, the $178-million oval will house fitness and sports medicine centres, basketball courts, an ice rink and running tracks.

The oval was named the 2010 Winter Games’s “sexiest” venue by Omega Lifetime magazine. Other venues are reportedly jealous.

Riding the Rails

By Kristina Urquhart

All aboard at Vancouver International Aiport. Photo by KK Law

It took four long years of digging, drilling, boring and building, but Canada Line—the newest addition to SkyTrain, Vancouver’s automated light rapid transit system—has been up and running since Aug. 17, three months ahead of schedule and in plenty of time for the 2010 Winter Games.

Now that the dust has settled, Vancouver has a state-of-the-art transportation link between the city centre, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Richmond, one of the region’s quickest growing cities—which has been a welcome relief for busy commuters looking to shave minutes off their transit time. Combined with the existing Expo and Millennium SkyTrain lines, the network also reaches neighbouring Burnaby, New Westminster and Surrey.

The sleekest and smoothest of the three trains, the Canada Line features 16 modern stations and wider, longer cars than its counterparts. The extra space means room for luggage so travel-weary passengers can zip from the airport

Travellers at the Canada Line'd YVR-Airport Station. Photo by KK Law

Travellers at the Canada Line YVR-Airport Station. Photo by KK Law

to the downtown core, hassle-free. Larger trains are also better equipped to handle the thousands of additional rail users expected during the 2010 Winter Games, providing easy access to the SeaBus, the LiveCity entertainment sites, and several Games venues, including the Richmond Olympic Oval and BC Place.

Worthy train trips? Take the Canada Line to Olympic Village Station and walk around the picturesque Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver, where Canadian and international athletes will reside throughout the 2010 Winter Games. Or disembark at Oakridge-41st Avenue to shop for designer duds at Oakridge Centre. Or try your luck at the River Rock Casino, which is adjacent to Bridgeport Station.

For maps, fares and schedules, visit www.translink.ca.

CANADA LINE BY THE NUMBERS

3.75

The current cost of a trip from the city centre to YVR is $3.75, or $2.50 on weekends, holidays and weekdays after 6:30 p.m.

26

Vancouver is the only Canadian city with a rapid transit link from the city centre to an international airport. The ride from Waterfront to YVR is a mere 26 minutes.

68

Canada Line adds 19 km (11.8 mi) of track to the existing SkyTrain network, which makes it the longest automated rapid transit system in the world, totalling 68 km (42.2 mi).