Vancouver 2010 legacy plans outlined

The Olympics have a way of leaving a lasting mark where they are hosted, and the organizers of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics have every intention of that ringing true for British Columbia. Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) CEO John Furlong had the following comments in a press release by the committee today:

"Since the idea of hosting the 2010 Winter Games surfaced in Vancouver back in 1996, the vision has been consistently clear - in addition to hosting outstanding Games, they must create benefits and legacies for sport and communities."

Among the legacy goals outlined in the press release:

• $110M will be invested by the federal and provincial governments to create the 2010 Winter Games Operating Trust to maintain and keep viable sports facilities like the Whistler Nordic Venue, Whistler Sliding Centre, and Richmond Oval.
• After the games, the Vancouver Olympic village will become a mixed-use community with 1,100 residential units, including 250 non-market, supportive housing units.
• Likewise, the Whistler Olympic village will become a permanent mixed-use community.
• Whistler will see the construction of the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre.
• Medical and sports equipment used during the games will be donated to community organizations.

Source: VANOC press release

Local businesses hit hard by Skytrain expasion

Foot traffic has slowed to such a crawl on a 14 block section of Cambie Street, and popular businesses are devoid of customers or closing altogether.

A new section of Skytrain is being constructed to connect the city center to the international airport at Richmond to efficiently move people during the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, and it has meant heavy construction in the streets. Originally, tunnels were to be bored underground so as to allow business to continue as normal, but plans changed and now small business owners are finding themselves out of customers and out of luck. Six lanes of traffic have been cut down to two, causing traffic nightmares.

InTransitBC spokesman Steve Crombie noted that new businesses have opened where old ones have closed in the popular district:

"Going through 19 kilometres of busy urban area, there's no way you can do a project like this without causing disruption. Considering the complexity and size of the project, it's gone extremely well so far."

Source: Globe and Mail