Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Venues

2010 Winter Games Venues
The venues for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games stretch over a 120-kilometre zone from the shores of Richmond, just south of Vancouver, through Vancouver’s downtown centre north to the snowy peaks of the mountain resort of Whistler.
Drawing on new and existing facilities, the goal is to create spectacular theatres for sport that provide top conditions for athletes and a welcome place for spectators to capture the excitement of competition.
Learn more about the competition and non-competition venues.
Vancouver
The 2010 Olympic Winter Games events in Vancouver include curling, figure skating, ice hockey and short track speed skating. Speed skating will take place in Richmond. Cypress Mountain in the District of West Vancouver is the site of the snowboard and freestyle skiing events. Ceremonies will be held in the 55,000-seat BC Place Stadium in Vancouver's city centre.
Whistler
The 2010 Olympic Winter Games alpine and nordic skiing (cross country, biathlon, nordic combined), ski jumping, sliding events (bobsleigh, luge, skeleton) and all the Paralympic Games events (alpine and nordic skiing, ice sledge hockey and wheelchair curling) will take place in the Whistler region.

North American, not European-Sized, Hockey Rinks Featured in Vancouver Olympics

The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) announced today that the men’s and women’s ice hockey tournaments at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be played on North American size ice surfaces rather than converting to international size, resulting in increased ticket availability, reduced costs and in keeping with VANOC’s sustainability goals.
The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) announced today that the men’s and women’s ice hockey tournaments at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be played on North American size ice surfaces rather than converting to international size, resulting in increased ticket availability, reduced costs and in keeping with VANOC’s sustainability goals.

Whistler Olympic venues taking shape

Some of the most visible signs of the approaching 2010 Winter Games are at the construction sites. This summer, two of the new venues in Whistler – the Sliding Centre and the Nordic venue – are in active construction mode, and the site of the skiing competitions is currently being upgraded.
“The construction in Whistler is going exceeding well,” said Dan Doyle, Executive Vice President of Construction for VANOC. “In particular, the two major construction projects of the Sliding Centre and the Nordic venue have made excellent progress over the last few months, and we expect to finish on-time and on-budget.”
“These projects aren’t just about concrete and steel,” Doyle continued. “They’re about ensuring that the 2010 Winter Games leave a legacy of sport and recreation in Whistler.”
Much of the construction for the Whistler venues officially began last year with site preparation, but active construction didn’t begin in earnest until this year. This is a pivotal time for venue construction, as many of the venues are scheduled to begin hosting athletes for training and test events in the two years prior to 2010.
“Our success is dependent on the hard work and commitment of our staff, our contractors and our construction crews,” said Doyle. “All three are doing an outstanding job.”
All of the venues for the 2010 Winter Games are being funded in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia.

Whistler Sliding Centre
Overlooking Whistler Village, the Sliding Centre will host the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events in 2010.
Halfway through the summer, over 40% of the 350 track footings are already in place. Construction continues on several support structures at the Sliding Centre, including the control tower, refrigeration plant, and administration buildings.
The Sliding Centre is on track to be finished in the summer of 2007, allowing for two full seasons of athlete training prior to the Games. The course has been designed to create a fast but safe run, with speeds of up to 140 kilometres per hour. Of the 16 corners that the athletes will have to navigate, several turns will have a pull of up to 5 Gs in force.
Following the 2010 Winter Games, the Sliding Centre will be used both for athlete training and for recreational purposes, with different start-points for each.
Whistler Nordic Competition Venue
Located in the scenic Callaghan Valley, 14 kilometres from Whistler Village, the Nordic venue will be home to the cross country skiing, biathlon, ski jumping, and Nordic combined events in 2010.
In addition to continuing construction on the day lodge and other support buildings, this summer has seen the ski jump landing sites cleared and graded. Construction has also begun on the ski jump structures, which should have their foundations complete by the end of the summer.
Competition trails for both cross country skiing and biathlon are currently being cleared and graded, and will be finished this year. 14 kilometres of competition trails and 8 kilometres of training trails will be used for the 2010 Winter Games.
Following the Games, the Nordic venue will become a high-performance training centre and offer excellent recreational opportunities.

Whistler Creekside
After receiving environmental approvals in June, work started this month on course improvements to the downhill runs on Whistler Mountain that will be used for alpine skiing events in 2010.
Course contouring and shaping is taking place in five locations on the ski hill, and work is underway to upgrade the snowmaking infrastructure.