Three years to go. Reporter Clare Ogilvie asks: Are the costs and the construction on schedule?
Clare Ogilvie
Province
WHISTLER NORDIC CENTRE
The centre is 22 kilometres south of Whistler Village and eight km from the Sea-to-Sky Highway. The site has already been logged and has seen mining.
It will host four events: cross-country, biathlon, Nordic combined and ski jumping. The area will have a capacity of 12,000 in each of three stadiums. There are two regulation ski jumps and there will be 39 km of trails, down from the 100 km proposed in the bid book. Following the Games, the $115.7-million centre (the original bid book cost was $102 million) will operate as a legacy using an endowment fund.
Construction began in June 2005 and is scheduled to be complete by fall 2007.
WHISTLER OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC ATHLETES’ VILLAGE
The village will be south of the resort in the Lower Cheakamus. Part will be sold after the Games for housing and part will provide ongoing accommodation for competing and training athletes.
The village will accommodate 2,400 athletes and officials in at least 250 units. About one-quarter of the units will be wheelchair accessible.
The village is budgeted to cost about $131 million. VANOC is to contribute $37.5 million, including an allowance of $6.5 million for a First Nations legacy. The athletes’ centre has a separate budget of $16 million for accommodation and training facilities and is being funded by VANOC.
Site preparation is underway and the first phase of construction is to begin next month. Completion is scheduled for summer 2009.
WHISTLER ALPINE VENUE
All alpine events are to take place on Whistler Mountain with a 7,600-person stadium at the finish line. Modifications to existing runs and construction began in June 2005 and will be done by fall 2007. The estimated cost: $26.2 million. (Original cost: $23 million.)
WHISTLER SLIDING CENTRE
The venue for bobsled, luge and skeleton events will be on Blackcomb Mountain. The track will be 1,450 metres, featuring 16 curves. Speeds in excess of 130 km/h can be achieved in races that are to run around 52 seconds. There will be viewing for 12,000 people and seating for 6,000, mostly temporary.
Construction started in the summer of 2005 and will be completed in winter 2007 for use in two seasons before the 2010 Games. It’s expected to cost $99.9 million and will be supported after the Games by a legacy endowment fund. The bid-book cost was $55 million.
VANCOUVER CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE
The VCEC will be used as the International Broadcast Centre and main media centre and accommodate an estimated 10,000 people. Construction will expand the VCEC to more than triple its current size. Funding is in place through the provincial and federal governments. Construction started in November 2004. VANOC plans to start use of the facility in September 2009.
VANCOUVER ATHLETES’ VILLAGE
The 1,100-unit Olympic Village will be located on industrial lands in False Creek and will accommodate 2,500 athletes and officials. The city sold the site to Millennium Properties Limited for $193 million last April, with an agreement that housing and associated buildings would be available for the Games. Part of the structure will be a legacy of low-cost housing. The city will pay $5 million in costs and fees. VANOC will pay the city $30 million as a project contribution for the use of the facility. Site preparation and infrastructure work began in February 2006. Completion is fall 2009.
UBC WINTER SPORTS CENTRE
This will replace most of the aging Thunderbird Winter Sports Centre and feature two international-sized arenas for hockey and sledge hockey. The larger one will seat 7,000 people (5,000 post-Games). The other sheet will be used for practice. The original 1,200-seat main rink will serve as an operations and media centre during the Games.
The centre will also include a fitness facility and a new restaurant. Construction began in April 2006 and is expected to finish in spring 2008. VANOC will contribute $37.6 million and UBC another $9 million. RONA, an official sponsor, is also giving $1 million in materials and services. Original bid-book estimate: $35.8 million.
RICHMOND SPEED-SKATING OVAL
With 8,000 seats, the oval will offer a significant multi-sport facility with a full range of winter and summer uses after the Games. It’s estimated to cost $178 million (up from $155 million in 2004). VANOC will contribute $62.4 million to the project with all the other costs to be contributed by the City of Richmond. Construction began in 2005; scheduled completion is fall 2008.
HILLCREST/NAT BAILEY STADIUM
A new facility will replace the Vancouver Curling Club and be used for Olympic curling, including the paralympic wheelchair curling event. Most of the 6,000 seats will be removed post-Games to provide more curling sheets, a hockey arena, gym and library.
Construction starts in April 2007, to be completed by fall 2008. VANOC will contribute $38 million.
PACIFIC COLISEUM
The facility will be renovated, including structural changes. It will host figure skating and short track speed skating and seat up to 15,586. The upgrades are expected to cost $25.2 million and started in 2005 with completion in fall 2007.
Killarney and Trout Lake ice surfaces will be used for practice. Both will be upgraded for the Games with VANOC making a $5-million contribution to the total Vancouver parks board cost of $26.5 million.
B.C. PLACE STADIUM
The stadium will host the first indoor opening and closing ceremonies, plus nightly medals presentations. The facility, which seats more than 55,000, will also receive a facelift.
GENERAL MOTORS PLACE
The main venue for hockey, seating 18,630. Upgrades are due to start in October 2007 and finish in August 2008. The bid book estimated upgrades will cost $5 million.
CYPRESS MOUNTAIN RESORT
The host for freestyle skiing and snowboard events will receive upgrades and snow-making equipment. The $14.6-million upgrades began last May and will be finished in the fall of 2007. The freestyle skiing venue became the first 2010 site to be competition-ready last November. Up to 12,000 spectators will be able to be accommodated in each of two temporary stadiums.
© The Vancouver Province 2007
