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9-9-2009 IOC pledges to back up Vancouver 2010 budget
9-9-2009 IOC pledges to back up Vancouver 2010 budget
VANCOUVER -- The International Olympic Committee said Wednesday it will give extra money to the organizers of the Vancouver 2010 Games after the event, should there be a budget shortfall. In an agreement reached this week, the IOC said it will provide an unspecified amount to the Vancouver Organizing Committee post-Games if it cannot balance its budget. It said it was aware VANOC had created an operating budget that depended on $30 million in royalties the IOC has so far been unable to provide from two top-level international sponsors categories. Gilbert Felli, the IOC’s executive director of Olympic Games, wouldn’t provide a figure but said the IOC has proposed making a payment should VANOC run the risk of a deficit. “Due to the difficulties here that we are discussing with VANOC that they may have deficit at the end, the IOC has made a specific proposal to VANOC,” Felli said. The arrangement was announced at the wrap-up news conference for the final meeting of the IOC’s Vancouver Co-ordination Commission. The 11-member panel, including IOC members and technical specialists, were in Vancouver for two days. Chair Rene Fasel said the commission had concluded “Vancouver is ready for the 2010 Olympics.” “We are reaching the end of this fantastic journey,” he said, predicting Vancouver’s Games would be “an unparalleled success.” The financial uncertainty affecting VANOC and the IOC overshadowed much of the commission’s visit. Dave Cobb, VANOC’s executive vice-president of marketing, revenue and communications, said the committee is trying to close the gap by signing other sponsors and finding new sources of revenue. He said it is “increasingly confident” it won’t face a budget shortfall. Still, the IOC’s promise of relief put a smile on his face. “It was a very positive commitment for us,” he said. Cobb said the IOC is contractually obligated only to provide royalties from international sponsors it signs. It had told VANOC to plan for 11 sponsorships, but has so far has only signed nine. In the meantime, VANOC built a $1.7-billion operating budget based on the original promise, leaving it with a $30-million gap. “The ($30 million) is not contractually owed to us,” Cobb said. |
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8-21-2009 Aircraft serving communities that do not have screening will not be allowed to land in Vancouver
8-21-2009 Aircraft serving communities that do not have screening will not be allowed to land in Vancouver
Several small airlines will be grounded when the 2010 Olympics and its security forces come to town. Whistler Air, which has been operating out of Whistler for 24 years, will not be allowed to fly in or out of that town during the Winter Games, owner Mike Quinn said. Only helicopters will be allowed, and all 'fixed-wing' planes, whether on wheels or floats, will be banned. 'They won't let us fly between Squamish and Pemberton -- and that's kind of where we are, Whistler,' Quinn said. So he will be out of business between Jan. 29 and March 24, when the air restrictions are in place. While winter isn't Whistler Air's most popular season, Quinn had planned to gear up for the Olympics. Even without an outright ban, security rules will ground other airlines as well. Under restrictions for the Olympics, all passengers and luggage travelling to and from an Olympic 'security zone' will have to go through a security screening. That includes those travelling on island-hopping float planes that land at Vancouver Harbour or on the Fraser River near the south terminal of Vancouver International Airport. It also includes flights from places such as Bella Coola and Trail that land at the south terminal. Until now, security screening hasn't been part of the flight plan on those routes. Instead passengers are more likely to run onto the dock or tarmac and help store their own luggage minutes before hopping on the plane for the commute to Vancouver. That will all change between Jan. 29 and March 3 when the screening rules are in effect. Flight restrictions will also be in place for the Paralympic Games between March 4 and 24, but they will not include the need to screen passengers and luggage, Cpl. Jen Allan of the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit said in an interview. But during the earlier five-week period, airlines will need to have some sort of screening in place -- which can only be provided by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) -- or reroute their flights to land at a screening site, unload passengers and baggage and send them through security, before continuing on their way. To help out, CATSA is setting up a number of temporary screening locations where there is a steady stream of traffic, such as the float plane harbour in Nanaimo which has regular service to Vancouver, Allan said. But so far CATSA has no plans to set up a screening location in Qualicum on Vancouver Island and for KD Air Corp. That means the business might as well shut down, owner and co-founder Diana Banke (the D of KD) said in an interview. Banke says the security unit has suggested KD Air's five daily flights from Qualicum to Vancouver go via either Victoria or Nanaimo to meet the security requirement. But why would passengers who are used to a 20-minute commute to Vancouver get on a KD Air plane to fly to Nanaimo or Victoria, where they have to get off the plane to go through security, Banke asked. 'It's now two hours,' Banke said. 'People will not fly with us. We will lose all our clientele.' Banke worries she'll lose customers to float planes that fly out of Nanaimo's harbour, which will have CATSA screening. Harbour Air Seaplanes currently has more than 10 flights a day each way between Nanaimo and the Vancouver area. For Harbour Air, it will be 'business as usual,' the company's senior vice-president Randy Wright said. More time will be required between flights to allow for the screening, but other than that there should be no difference, Wright said. Pacific Coastal Airlines has been told that temporary screening facilities will be set up in Port Hardy and Powell River, two of its most popular destinations. But the company's other flights, including to and from Trail, Bella Coola and Masset will have to go through another airport before they can land at Vancouver's south terminal, Spencer Smith, the company's vice-president of airports, said in an interview. At one time Pacific Coastal estimated rerouting its flights, including those to and from Powell River, would add more than $1 million in costs in new landing and terminal fees and increased fuel burn and maintenance. 'We can't afford that,' Smith said.'If it's going to cost us that amount of money we may have no other option than to not fly to those communities.' If Pacific Coastal stops its two daily flights to and from Trail, the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary in the southern Interior will feel the effects. Pacific Coastal is the only commercial airline with scheduled flights to the airport, said Alan Stanley, the district's director of environmental services. That will mean a loss of about $6,000 a month, he said. |
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8-9-2009 Airport transit levy delayed The additional charge to ride the Sea Island portion of the Canada Line will be waived until 2010
8-9-2009 Airport transit levy delayed The additional charge to ride the Sea Island portion of the Canada Line will be waived until 2010
The charge, expected to be around the $2.50 mark, is pay for the funding gap for building the section from Bridgeport out to the airport. But TransLink and ProTrans (the concessionaire operating the Canada Line) have agreed to defer implemention of the Canada Line-YVR Add Fare until next year. The Canada Line is expected to officially open later this month. The exact date is still to be announced. WORLD PINS Pin collectors from across the world will descend on the Richmond Olympic Oval this week as the Pacific Pin Club hosts the 28th Annual Olympic Collectors Show from Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9. The public is invited and encouraged to attend this free event to learn first-hand about the phenomenon of Olympic pin trading and collecting ... just six short months before the world comes to town. 'Pins are really memories in miniature and each pin you collect will be a special reminder of a person, place, time or event,' said Pacific Pin Club co-president Frank Zavarella. 'When you start to collect and trade Olympic pins, you become part of a worldwide tradition that dates back to the very first modern Olympic Games in 1896.' When the Olympics come to town, Zavarella says it's amazing to see how many people get swept up in the pin trading frenzy and involved in the hunt for those most elusive and collectible of pins. It is estimated that nearly 10 million pins will be traded and collected during the Vancouver 2010 Games - from almost 500 different retail pin designs to the thousands of pins produced by the Games sponsors, suppliers and partners; and from each National Olympic Committee and participating team, each National and International Sport Federation as well as every broadcast rightsholder and media organization covering the Games. 'Pin trading is described as the 'unofficial Olympic sport' and the 'official spectator sport' of each and every Games,' adds Zavarella. 'We invite everyone to come out and visit the Richmond Olympic Oval, meet and ask questions of all of the collectors, and learn more about Olympic lapel pins and hobby of pin collecting.' For more show information, visit the Pacific Pin Club website at www.pacificpinclub.org Construction began this week on the west extension of Lansdowne Road out to the Richmond Olympic Oval. Work kicked off yesterday (Tuesday) to extend Lansdowne Road from Gilbert Road to Hollybridge Way. When complete, the extension will be four lanes and will include bicycle lanes, street lighting, sidewalks and landscaping. It should be open for traffic in late fall. The city received $1.33 million from the federal and provincial governments for the project from the Building Canada Fund, the infrastructure program introduced this year to promote a stronger economy, cleaner environment and better communities, while assisting with local and regional infrastructure needs. The total project cost is $2 million, with the city contributing the remaining third of the cost. The Lansdowne Road extension project is aligned with Richmond's City Centre Area Plan, the aim of which is to transform downtown into a transit- and pedestrian-oriented neighbourhood. The increased roadway capacity along with sidewalks and cycling lanes in both directions will, say the city, decrease congestion and travel delays. PRICESMART DELAY Supermarket bosses in East Richmond will wait another few months before deciding the fate of the PriceSmart store. Overwaitea Foods, which owns the store, had planned to close the Hamilton neighbourhood's only grocery last December due to poor sales. But, after meeting with members of the community at a public meeting, Overwaitea reversed their decision and handed the store a six-month reprieve, with an appeal to locals to use or lose the store. Sales have picked up this year, but the company wants to wait another few months before making a final decision on the store's future. 'We continue to evaluate our progress in this location, and we're pleased that positive sales trends seem to be continuing,' said Overwaitea spokeswoman Julie Dickson Olmstead. 'As a result, we've extended our internal timeline to allow for continued evaluation over the next several months. 'As always, we're hopeful that sales will continue to grow and the outcome will be positive. |
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6-18-2009 2010 Winter Olympics Alpine Ski Racing Preview - Women s Giant Slalom
6-18-2009 2010 Winter Olympics Alpine Ski Racing Preview - Women s Giant Slalom
Thursday June 18, 2009
 You
can be sure that by now all the major ski racing nations have their
athletes in dryland training. In fact, many are actually heading to
glaciers and to South America for on-snow training.
Well, this is a good time to polish up the foggy Olympic crystal ball to see what teams are the teams to watch in each event. Which individuals loom as favorites or as the dark horses. A look back at who came out on top in last years races and competition events is a good place to start. Not only was it a tune-up for the 2010 Winter Olympic games in Vancouver, BC, but it was also a World Championship race year in Val d'Isere, France. Most of the ski racers competing in Vancouver will be the returning veterans who have raced on their country's World Cup A Team. Turning the microscope on the 2009 World Cup overall Ladies Giant Slalom results Kathrin Zettel of Austria GS Champ was the lioness in 09 - 4 golds and a 5th and 8th. However, Tanja Poutianinen of Finland finished only a point behind! The 2009 World Championship Ladies Giant Slalom competition saw a slight upset but the third through tenth racers all finished with their combined times in the same second! Here is a look back at the 2009 Women's Giant Slalom results. |
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6-18-2009 More broadcast plans for 2010 Paralympic Games unveiled by consortium
6-18-2009 More broadcast plans for 2010 Paralympic Games unveiled by consortium
VANCOUVER, B.C. — All of Team Canada's sledge hockey games during the 2010 Paralympic Games in Vancouver will be broadcast. They'll be part of a planned 50 hours of coverage for the Paralympics that broadcast-rights holders for the Games are calling a first in Canadian history. 'To give the Paralympics the respect and proper attention it deserves, you need to give same-day coverage,' said Keith Pelley, president of the Olympic broadcast media consortium, a group of radio and television stations led by CTV Inc. and Rogers Media. Pelley said four of the five Paralympic events will be given same-day coverage and plans are in the works to broadcast all of the Team Canada sledge hockey games live, if the schedule allows for it, and if not, there would just a short delay. There will also be a 90-minute highlights show airing in English on either CTV, TSN or Rogers Sportsnet and in French on RDS or RIS Info Sports. By contrast, the consortium's websites alone will feature more than 2,000 hours of coverage of the Olympics. The plan for 50 hours of coverage of the Paralympics was revealed last month, but the consortium released a few more details Wednesday about what Canadians can expect in 2010. Pelley says while Canadians might be weary after 17 days of wall-to-wall Games coverage, the plan is to keep people hooked through the Paralympics as well. Paralympic features will air in English and French during the Olympics and on the last day of those Games, the consortium will air a one-hour documentary. 'Hopefully we can rally Canadians around the Paralympic Games and create a lot more awareness for the movement,' said Pelley. The Paralympics will take place from March 12 to 21. Pelley said the consortium plans to announce more details of both Paralympic and Olympic broadcasts in the near future, including details of opening ceremonies coverage, which will include broadcasts in seven languages. He also said that despite the weakened economy, advertising sales for Olympic and Paralympic broadcasts were going well, with about 20 agreements already concluded.
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6-13-2009 2010 Olympic Uniforms Made From Recycled Materials
6-13-2009 2010 Olympic Uniforms Made From Recycled Materials
For Coca-Cola’s 550 employees participating in next year’s Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the wardrobe will include clothing made from a blend of cotton and recycled plastic bottles. Coca-Cola communications director Dave Moran says the company has invested millions in sustainability efforts for the upcoming Olympics, including 600 recycling containers to collect plastic bottles. “Because the Games are in closed facilities, we have control over what comes and goes,” Moran says. “It gives us the ability to make sure the recycling is available and that packages go into recycling containers.” The soft-drink recycler aims to divert 95 percent of its Olympic waste from landfills, and the recycled content uniforms will serve as a model for attendees on what can be made from recycling plastic. However, Coca-Cola has not announced what will be done with the bottle caps, which are made from a different resin of plastic than the bottle itself and can’t be recycled with a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) container. The caps are recyclable in a separate process. Canadians can also win a chance to carry the Olympic torch by visiting icoke.ca and pledging eco-friendly life changes. |
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6-7-2009 VANOC provides sneak peak at collectible colorful and secure ticket designs for 2010 Winter Games confirms more than 1000 gold medal ice hockey tickets available
6-7-2009 VANOC provides sneak peak at collectible colorful and secure ticket designs for 2010 Winter Games confirms more than 1000 gold medal ice hockey tickets available
Vancouver, BC — Colourful, collectable, dynamic and secure — those are the words that best describe the sport and ceremonies tickets that Canadians and visitors from around the world will use at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The first four Olympic ticket designs — for the Opening Ceremony, ice hockey, cross-country skiing and curling — were unveiled today by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) after months of design and security work. More than a million tickets will be printed and used at the Games in eight months time; ticket buyers will receive them in late 2009 when they are delivered securely by Purolator Courier. Eager fans may still purchase Olympic tickets, including over one thousand highly sought after gold medal ice hockey tickets, organizers confirmed today. This Saturday, June 6 at 10:00 am (Pacific Time), VANOC will release more than 150,000 tickets for sale to the public at www.vancouver2010.com. Tickets for every sporting event, as well as the Opening, Closing and nightly Victory Ceremonies will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The colourful tickets reflect the graphic identity of the Games, with its dynamic palette of blues and greens found in the natural landscape of Vancouver and the Sea to Sky region. This “look” will also be found at Games time in 2010 — on banners, venue signage and buildings — giving the entire Host Region a seamless, festive atmosphere as it welcomes the world. To protect ticket buyers, a number of security features have been added to the souvenir-sized tickets, features that make the tickets similar to currency in their ability to foil counterfeiters. A bar code is the most obvious high-tech deterrent. VANOC has undertaken significant consumer education and protection initiatives, including a new “Buy Real” print advertising campaign — focused on tickets — that will run this Friday in selected markets. “We’ve worked hard to make these tickets as secure as possible to protect consumers, while at the same time making them attractive as they are often a treasured souvenir,” explained Caley Denton, VANOC’s vice president, ticketing and consumer marketing. “For example, with our bar code, when a spectator arrives at one of our venues and we scan their ticket, we can tell where that ticket came from, how it was purchased and if it’s been invalidated because it’s been reported stolen or lost. We’ll also be able to spot counterfeit tickets and confiscate them.” “Again, we want to remind people the only way to have peace of mind about the ticket they’ve purchased is to buy directly from www.vancouver2010.com, or through our official hospitality partners Jet Set Sports and CoSport,” Denton said. The tickets will prominently display Vancouver 2010 pictograms and sport illustrations, as well as the venues. The sport illustrations — an Olympic and Paralympic Games first — were inspired by photography and give the athletes a heroic feel through a dynamic close-up view of their emotional facial expressions, intensity and athleticism. The entire lineup of pictograms and sport illustrations may be viewed at www.vancouver2010.com. Additionally, the organizers created entirely new illustrations for ceremonies tickets. For the Opening Ceremony image, a dark-haired female torchbearer approaches BC Place in downtown Vancouver in anticipation of the awe-inspiring lighting of the Olympic Cauldron, in front of a live crowd of 55,000 people and billions more watching around the world. The remaining ticket designs will be released in the coming months. The new ticket designs were unveiled to media this morning at the British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s (BCLC) 2010 Winter Games Dome. The dome is helping to spread the excitement of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to communities throughout British Columbia, while offering visitors an opportunity to experience unique interactive sport experiences and a place to celebrate the 2010 Winter Games. Note to Photo Editors: About VANOC Contact For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com |
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5-29-2009 Room at floating inn for 2010 Games
5-29-2009 Room at floating inn for 2010 Games
VANCOUVER: An Edmonton company thinks it has the solution to Vancouver’s Olympic accommodation crunch. Newwest Travel is selling rooms on the Norwegian Star, which will be berthed at a North Vancouver industrial dock across from Stanley Park next February. A three-night stay for a couple ranges from US$2,836 to US$14,806 and includes meals, complimentary room service, airport transfers and shuttles to the SeaBus commuter ferry terminal. The ship has 13 restaurants, a spa, fitness centre and showroom. “We’re going to be the largest hotel in Vancouver, 1,119 rooms,” Newwest president Dennis Laliberte said on Saturday. “The big misconception right across this country is there’s no place to stay, it’s so embedded in the marketplace. It’s crazy.” The Vancouver Olympic organizing committee, known as VANOC, has reserved 12,000 rooms for sponsors and Olympic executives. A recent Tourism Vancouver poll found just 550 downtown hotel rooms vacant during the Feb. 12-28, 2010 Games. Vancouver city council voted to licence residents to rent rooms, apartments and houses for less than 30 days during 2010’s first quarter. Laliberte said it is costing between $10 million and $20 million to charter the vessel but he wouldn’t disclose the project’s financier. He said 10% to 20% of the Norwegian Star’s rooms have been reserved during the Games. Inbound and outbound Los Angeles cruises are also available. Shipboard prices will be in U.S. currency, even though the Star will be tied-up in North Vancouver. The ship’s casino cannot be used without permission of the British Columbia government. “We’re going to push hard to get that thing open,” Laliberte said. Norwegian Cruise Lines said it would reposition one of its three Vancouver to Alaska ships to Europe in 2010 after the Alaska government slapped a US$50 tax on each passenger. Carnival, Holland America, Princess and Royal Caribbean are making similar Vancouver service cuts next year, which means the city could be headed for a post-Olympic tourism slump. Last month, the RCMP Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit announced a $76 million deal to charter Holland America Line’s MS Oosterdam and MS Statendam and the Carnival Elation. The RCMP sunk the previous $57 million deal with Cruise Connections Charter Management of North Carolina last November. Cruise Connections filed a breach of contract lawsuit in Washington, D.C. In a separate lawsuit filed last June in North Carolina, Cruise Connections claims Laliberte committed fraud against the company president and two employees when their alleged partnership dissolved. “I am defending it, I have not heard on that for a couple months,” Laliberte said. “Those people actually used to work for me and they kind of crossed the street after I paid their wages for about a year, and set up their own company and won (the RCMP) bid. It’ll be dealt with.” Meanwhile, a company planning Games-time cruise ship accommodation on the North Vancouver and New Westminster waterfronts has hit a snag. Laliberte said he was told that tax issues have caused the DEAP Group to cancel its plans to charter four ships for spectator and workforce accommodation. DEAP Group principal Greg Peart declined comment on Saturday. “We’re working feverishly,” Peart told 24 hours. “We’re building strategy right now. We’re not quite dead yet.” |
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5-29-2009 Over 150000 tickets to Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games up for sale June 6
5-29-2009 Over 150000 tickets to Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games up for sale June 6
For further information: Media Contact: Jason Macnaughton, Vancouver |
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5-22-2009 Games time readiness focus of VANOC board of directors meeting 19 new torch relay route communities over 150,000 Olympic tickets on sale June 6
5-22-2009 Games time readiness focus of VANOC board of directors meeting 19 new torch relay route communities over 150,000 Olympic tickets on sale June 6
May 20, 2009 Vancouver, BC – The board of directors for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) met today in Vancouver for its third meeting of 2009. In addition to standing agenda items, discussions also covered VANOC’s intensive Games-time readiness planning and ongoing financial management in the current economy. Updates were also provided on Phase 2 of Olympic ticket sales and on new communities added to the Olympic Torch Relay route. “With less than nine months to go, important milestones are now around every corner and Games-time planning is a key focus for management,” said Jack Poole, chairman of the board. “As with all companies, the economy continues to be a big focus. Planning for and operating Olympic and Paralympic Games in this uncertain climate calls for daily scrutiny. VANOC’s management team continues to review costs and revenues with a relentless focus on prudence.” The board also received an update today on Phase 2 of Olympic ticket sales. Over 150,000 Olympic tickets will go on sale at www.vancouver2010.com on June 6, including several thousand tickets for each of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. The lion’s share of sport tickets are for ice hockey and curling but tickets will be available for all sports. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis so the public is encouraged to set up an account in advance at www.vancouver2010.com if they have not previously done so.Ticket prices remain unchanged from Phase 1 pricing. “We were pleased today to confirm to the board that thousands of tickets will be available to the Canadian public next month and that the Olympic Flame will pass through more Canadian communities than originally planned. Canadians will continue to have more opportunities like this to engage in the Games in the coming months,” said VANOC Chief Executive Officer John Furlong. “We’re continuing to try and strike the right balance between fiscal realities in these difficult times and our overarching commitment to deliver a great experience for everyone at the Games,” he added. With only 165 days until the start of the Olympic Torch Relay, VANOC confirmed today the route has been finalized with the addition of 19 more communities. Three previously announced stops along the route have also been promoted to hosting Olympic Flame celebrations. The communities are: Lac La Hache, BC, Pender Harbour, BC, Qualicum (FN/PN), BC, Qualicum Bay, BC, Xaxli'p, BC, Gleichen, AB, Torrington, AB, Cochin, SK, Creemore, ON, Iskatewizaagegan No. 39, ON, Kakabeka Falls, ON, White River, ON, Upsala, ON, Vermilion Bay, ON, Blainville, QC, Masson-Angers, QC, Saint-Prosper-de-Beauce, QC, Hopedale, NL, and Ausuittuq (Grise Fiord), NU. The three new celebration communities are: Cold Lake, AB, Canadian Forces Station Alert, NU, and Qausuittuq (Resolute Bay), NU. For information on specific dates, visit www.vancouver2010.com/torchrelay. The board also received the following updates:
The next VANOC board meeting will be held on July 15, 2009. VANOC Board of Directors Background The board is scheduled to meet six times per year, and more often at the call of the chair as required. The meetings are generally held at the VANOC offices in Vancouver, although they are occasionally hosted by our Games partners in other locations. The board’s responsibility is to oversee the conduct of the business of VANOC as it works toward achieving its Mission: to touch the soul of the nation and inspire the world by creating and delivering an extraordinary Olympic and Paralympic experience with lasting legacies. As part of its commitment to public transparency and accountability, the VANOC board of directors has made today’s agenda, discussion topics and decisions available to the public on www.vancouver2010.com, subject to conditions of confidentiality related to personal information and/or competitively sensitive or privileged information. VANOC is also committed to hosting media briefings following each board meeting with the board chairman, the CEO and other director(s) or members of the VANOC senior management team to elaborate further on matters. About VANOC Contact For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com |
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5-22-2009 Night lights to give 2010 Olympics a carnival atmosphere
5-22-2009 Night lights to give 2010 Olympics a carnival atmosphere
Vancouver will take on a round-the-clock, carnival atmosphere during the 2010 Olympics, thanks to a $1.1-million lights and banner program. Another $1 million will be spent to provide street lighting on a pedestrian route through Yaletown linking live sites on Georgia Street and at David Lam Park, said Peter Judd, the city’s manager of Olympic operations. “I think the atmosphere will be a lot like Expo 86, in the downtown particularly,” Judd said Thursday. “There’s an extensive banner program and, at night, the biggest bang for your buck is lighting.” A “light the city” program, costing $486,450, includes, permanent, programmable, colour-changing LED lights at Library Square, site of the city’s $600,000 Vancouver House. Similar lighting will also be put on the Cambie Bridge and on Granville Street Bridge’s “intricate support beams.” As well, according to Judd’s report to city council this week, the curved facade at 111 Dunsmuir “will be transformed into a dynamic, interactive ‘pixel map’ of a scale never before seen in Vancouver.” The south-facing windows of the building will be lit from the inside in Olympic colours “individually controlled to create patterns, movement and even hockey scores.” The banner program costs $650,000 and includes more than 6,000 banners and brackets. Funding comes from a $20-million Olympic Legacy Reserve Fund. Judd said he expects a carnival atmosphere downtown. “Anyone I know who went to Torino said you could hardly move downtown and the restaurants were jam-packed,” he added. The city will regulate building wraps which will be put up by sponsors on downtown buildings and by Vancouver 2010 at Olympic venues, he said. In order to put up building wraps, sponsors will need to have “a presence” in the building and the signs have to be “celebratory” and have no more than 10-per-cent commercial content, said Judd. |
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5-9-2009 2010 Winter Olympics Skiing Looking Ahead
5-9-2009 2010 Winter Olympics Skiing Looking Ahead
Now that the 2009 ski racing and events competitions are in the history books don't think that the racers, jumpers and freestylers are resting on their laurels or crying over missed gates. Be assured that, with the start of 2010 Winter Olympics approaching closer with every tick of the training clock ,coaches and athletes are chomping at the bit to hit the gym and the summer snow. Due to injuries or bad timing some world class competitors don't make it to the Olympic competion year and some that do may not be there four years down the road. So, all these world class athletes will approach 2010 knowing that it is the most important competition of the season and may be their only shot at an Olympic medal. A racer could win six races in a row leading up to the Olympic race - but it is the one with the Olympic Gold medal around the neck that gets remembered. Competition is at a fevered pitch, skills will be honed to personal bests - and in that respect it is akin to the Kentucky Derby. The best and the almost best face off and on any given day, well you know the rest. As the atheletes start to train I'm going to start polishing up the foggy Olympic crystal ball and see which teams are the teams to watch. Which individuals loom as favorites or as the dark horses. I will preview all the 2010 Winter Olympics Skiing disciplines and events. A look back at who came out on top in last years races and competition events is a good place to start. Most of the ski racers competing in Vancouver will be the returning veterans who have raced on their country's World Cup A Team. 2009 was an especially good barometer season because, not only was it a tune-up for the 2010 Winter Olympic games in Vancouver, BC, but it was also a World Championship race year in Val d'Isere, France. Every ski racer and competitor dreams of World Championship and Olympic Gold. My 2010 Winter Olympics Skiing series will start right now with 2010 Winter Olympics Skiing - Alpine Ski Racing - A Look Back at 2009 World Cup Racing by Nations, a review of individual medal counts and top ten finishes by nations. I will then put the microscope on each sport and discipline therein. Over the summer and fall, into the winter World Cup season let's keep our eyes on the Olympic rings and we'll all build up to a fever pitch on February 12, 2010. Get your cow bells and Olympic trading pins ready - we're off to the races. |
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5-9-2009 Applications for 2010 Olympic torchbearers falling far short of 88 Games
5-9-2009 Applications for 2010 Olympic torchbearers falling far short of 88 Games
VANCOUVER, B.C. - It seems the attempt to light the Olympic flame in the hearts of all Canadians has so far produced only a flicker. With only a few weeks left to apply to carry the torch for the 2010 Winter Games, applications are nowhere near the level of the 1988 Games in Calgary, when six million people vied for a spot along a much shorter route. Coke, one of two major sponsors for the relay, has seen just under one million applications for its share of spaces. The other torch relay sponsor, RBC, wouldn't release the number of applications its received, but says it's in the hundreds of thousands. The lower numbers are, in part, because sponsors and the Vancouver organizing committee haven't done a good job of communicating to the public, said Dave Moran, director of public affairs and communications for Coke. '(People) don't think there is a sense of timing, urgency to apply now and they don't think they are either eligible or capable of running,' Moran said. Coke has now retooled its torch relay ad campaign to emphasize its May 24 application deadline and to highlight the relative ease of carrying the torch - a 300-metre jog with a sleek torch that weighs about as much as a one-litre bottle of Coke. RBC's statistics suggest applications across the country have been consistent with the division of population, except in Quebec. The province has 23 per cent of the Canadian population but only 12 per cent of applications through RBC. Unlike Coke, RBC has no plans to go back into the market with new ads as their July 15 deadline nears, said Jackie Braden, a spokeswoman for the company. But she acknowledged that connecting people to an event that's still far away isn't always easy. 'We hope and we're sure that Canadians will rally around the relay as it gets closer to the date and people get more and more excited about it coming to their city,' she said. While torchbearer applications may be low, using that statistic to determine overall support for the Games is misguided, said Renee Smith-Valade, vice-president of communications for the organizing committee, known as VANOC. Sky-high demand for tickets from across the country coupled with internal polls that show an increasing awareness of the Games are all signs pointing in the direction of pan-Canadian support for the Olympics, she said. 'Are we worried about it? No. I would say we're comfortable that not only in Quebec but everywhere else in the country, the level of support and awareness is where we would expect it would be right now and we're happy with it,' she said. The committee wouldn't release the full polling data or numbers for ticket sales by province. Instead, they pointed to the 61,000 volunteer applications for the Games, not including those hoping to have a role in the opening and closing ceremonies. That so many people are willing to give up their time and pay to work at the Games shows the support is there, Smith-Valade said. Of the volunteers, 4,000 come from Quebec, placing the province fourth in the list of volunteer applications. First is B.C., followed by Ontario and then Alberta, though VANOC declined to release specific numbers for those provinces. 'The goal is to make these Canada's Games and to bring every province and every territory into the fold and really see that they have embraced the idea of feeling a sense of ownership of the Games,' she said. Picking up on that theme will be the federal government, which will launch an ad campaign of its own this fall that will run until the end of the Paralympics next March. The responsibility of uniting Canadians around the Olympics is one the government takes seriously, not just because of its substantial investment in the Olympics, said Michelle Yao, a spokesperson for the minister of state for sport, Gary Lunn. 'Corporate sponsors and VANOC are doing a good job getting out their message, but our message is for all audiences, it's for Canadians everywhere,' said Yao. 'In order to really make these Canada's Games the government should be involved in passing that message to everyday Canadians.' The federal government just put a pavilion on a tour of Canada with Olympic-related games and activities. It will stop in eight places before coming to rest in Vancouver for the Games. A recent audit of federal government efforts around the Olympics suggested the federal government wasn't engaged enough in the Games. |
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5-7-2009 Guide to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver BC
5-7-2009 Guide to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver BC
The 2010 Olympics in Vancover, BC begin on February, 12, 2010. Events are scheduled for February 12 through 28 for the Olympic Games and March 12 through 21 for the Paralympic Games. Find Competition Schedules. Competition Venues: VancouverPacific Coliseum will feature figuring skating (men’s, women’s, pairs and ice dance) and short track speed skating (men’s and women’s all distances). UBC Winter Sports Centre will feature men’s and women’s tournament ice hockey and eight-team tournament ice sledge hockey. Canada Hockey Place otherwise known as GM Place, will feature men’s and women’s tournament ice hockey. Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Centre will feature men’s and women’s curling and wheelchair curling (mixed). Whistler Whistler Creekside otherwise known as Whistler Blackcomb, will feature alpine skiing (men’s and women’s downhill; men’s and women’s super-G; men’s and women’s giant slalom; men’s and women’s slalom; men’s and women’s super combined). Whistler Olympic Park/Whistler Paralympic will feature biathlon, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and ski jumping. Whistler Sliding Centre will feature bobsleigh (two-man, four-man and women’s), luge (men’s, women’s singles; doubles) and skeleton (men’s and women’s). Get updates on skiing news and events from the About.com Guide to Skiing. Richmond Richmond Olympic Oval will feature men’s and women’s speed skating. West Vancouver Cypress Mountain will feature freestyle skiing and snow board. Find non-competitive venues. Tickets There are phases that tickets are sold in. The Vancouver Guide has full information on the ticket structure. Transportation and Maps Find how to get to and around Vancouver and download maps to help you navigate the city. Accomodations For accomodations visit Tourism Vancouver. Dining For where to eat and drink in Vancouver visit the About.com Guide to Vancouver or Tourism Vancouver. Border Crossing Border Crossings during the Olympics can be time consuming so plan ahead. Be sure you have the proper paperwork and know the rules before you go: Adults traveling to and from Canada by land (bus and train): After June 1, 2009 the new rules are adults will need proof of identity and citizenship in the form of a passport. Or a passport card, which is a lower-cost, wallet-sized document. Apply for a pass card. Adults (and students) arriving by air: Before and after June 1, 2009: All persons, including adults and students traveling to and from Canada by air will need passports to board their airplanes. Resident aliens Before and after June 1, 2009: An original Green Card is required for resident aliens (permanent legal residents of the United States who are not U.S. citizens) who will be traveling to Canada by air or land. More information on border crossing rules can be found at Visit Canada. And be sure to visit the U.S. Border Customs and Canadian Border Customs. |
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4/30/2009 Come Celebrate Our Canadian Athletes at Local Torch Relay Events
4/30/2009 Come Celebrate Our Canadian Athletes at Local Torch Relay Events
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - April 30, 2009) - The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport), today invited all Canadians to join in the excitement of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Torch Relays celebrations across Canada. In Toronto's Nathan Phillips Square-which will be one of many sites for celebrations along the route of the Olympic Torch Relay-Minister of State Lunn gave details on how Canadians can get involved and embrace the Olympic spirit. Local initiatives will encourage as many Canadians as possible to participate in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays. The Government of Canada will provide support to: - Facilitate community celebrations featuring local artists - Encourage young people across Canada to organize innovative projects to commemorate the passage of the torch through their communities - Enhance celebrations in provincial and territorial capital cities, and - Highlight the 2010 Games during the Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill 'Six months from now, the Olympic Torch Relay will start on a journey of more than 45,000 kilometres that will touch the hearts of thousands of Canadians in more than 1,000 communities across the country,' said Minister Lunn. 'The Torch Relays will bring Canadians together, inspiring local and national pride in the spirit of the Games.' With stops in every province and territory, the Olympic Torch Relay will reach approximately 90 percent of the Canadian population, ending at the Opening Ceremony and the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron at the start of the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver on February, 12, 2010. 'The Olympic Torch Relay will provide an opportunity to showcase our diverse cultures, our vast geography, and our proud history,' said Minister Lunn. 'I encourage all Canadians to share in the Olympic spirit by becoming a torchbearer, by contributing your artistic, cultural, or administrative talents, or simply by joining in the celebrations in your community.' 'The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay is a unique opportunity to unite Canadians and celebrate the accomplishments of our people, places and achievements,' said Jim Richards, VANOC Program Director, Torch Relays. 'We'd like to thank the Government of Canada for its generous contribution and tremendous support in helping us to put on relays that will inspire the world and make all Canadians proud. I encourage everyone to apply to become 2010 Olympic Torchbearers and to get out and see the Olympic Flame when it comes to your community.' This news release is available on the Internet at www.canadianheritage.gc.ca under Media Room. BACKGROUNDER ON THE VANCOUVER 2010 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC TORCH RELAYS The Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays The Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays will spread the Olympic spirit across Canada and ignite a sense of pride and excitement in Canadians from coast to coast to coast. The Olympic Torch Relay is a 106-day journey that will bring all parts of the country together as Canada prepares to host to the 2010 Winter Games. The Torch will cross the Pacific Ocean from Greece and will arrive in Victoria, British Columbia, on October 30, 2009. It will then begin a 45,000-kilometre trip across Canada involving more than 12,000 torch-bearers. With stops in every province and territory, the route for the Relay is expected to pass through 1,000 communities, travelling by hand, by foot, by plane and by convoy and crossing rivers, mountains, prairies and the Arctic. It will reach approximately 90 percent of the Canadian population. The Olympic Torch Relay journey will end at the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver on February 12, 2010, with the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron to signal the start of the Games. The Paralympic Torch Relay will touch the soul of the nation and inspire the world. The celebrations surrounding the 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay will clearly leave an enduring legacy in communities across Canada. The Government of Canada Contribution The Government of Canada is providing $24.5 million to ensure that the Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays bring the excitement of the Games to communities throughout Canada. This includes $12M contribution towards the organization of the Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays and a $12.5M contribution to local initiatives to support community celebrations. The Government of Canada will provide support to: - Feature local artists across Canada during local community celebrations - Enhance the programming for celebrations that will take place in Canada's provincial and territorial capitals, in the Olympic cities of Montreal and Calgary , and in Canada's Capital - Create innovative projects reaching out to young people across Canada to commemorate the Olympic flame's trip through their community - Ensure that all Canadians remember the journeys of the Olympic and Paralympic torches through their communities with commemorative products, and - Promote the Torch Relays and the Olympic adventure during the nationally-televised Canada day celebration on Parliament Hill These activities will inspire Canadians' pride all along the route of the 2010 Winter Games Torch Relays, giving them the chance to share in an unforgettable cultural experience while participating locally in the 2010 Winter Games. Did You Know ... The torch relay will showcase some of Canada's world class attractions, such as Niagara Falls and Confederation Bridge, which draws both Canadians and visitors to Canada throughout the year. Other world-class destinations the Olympic Flame will visit include: - British Columbia: Kootenay Pass; at 1770 metres above sea level, this is the highest point the Olympic Flame will reach in Canada - Newfoundland and Labrador: Cape Spear National Historic Site of Canada; Canada's easternmost point - Nova Scotia: Lunenburg; a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home of Bluenose and Bluenose II - Nunavut: Alert; the world's northernmost permanently inhabited community - Quebec: Fortifications of Old Quebec; a UNESCO World Heritage Site - Saskatchewan: Wanuskawin Heritage Park - Alberta: The Canadian Rockies, Banff National Park; the grand masterpiece of the West - Manitoba: Churchill; located on the southwestern shore of Hudson Bay at the mouth of the historic Churchill River - New-Brunswick: Moncton; situated in southeastern New Brunswick within the Petitcodiac River valley - PEI: Charlottetown; known as the 'Birthplace of Confederation' - Ontario: Niagara Falls; a natural phenomenon and world-class tourist destination - Yukon: Whitehorse; a city with a reputation forged a hundred years ago and steeped in the romance of the Gold Rush - Northwest Territories: Yellowknife; has placed first as the overall 'Year-Round Coldest' city in Canada Not only will the Torch be carried by hand, foot, plane and convoy, but the route plans will feature up to 100 different modes of transportation including: - First Nations canoe - horse-drawn carriage - cross-country skis - kayak - snowmobile - tractor Enhanced programming for community celebrations will take place in Canada's provincial and territorial capitals, in the Olympic cities of Montreal and Calgary and in the National Capital on the following dates: - St. John's, NFL: November 13, 2009 - Charlottetown, PEI: November 21, 2009 - Halifax, NS: November 18, 2009 - Fredericton, NB: November 25, 2009 - Quebec, QC: December 2, 2009 - Toronto, ON: December 17, 2009 - Winnipeg, MB: January 5, 2010 - Regina, SK: January 9, 2010 - Edmonton, AB: January 13, 2010 - Victoria, BC: October 30, 2009 - Iqualuit, Nunavut: November 9, 2009 - Yellowknife, NWT: November 5, 2009 - Whitehorse, Yukon: November 3, 2009 - Montreal, QC: December 10, 2009 - Calgary, AB: January 18, 2010 - Canada's National Capital: December 12, 2009 |
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4/27/2009 Time for Vancouver to get aboard Obamas Cascadia Express
4/27/2009 Time for Vancouver to get aboard Obamas Cascadia Express
Even if you love trains, nobody much likes riding the rails from Vancouver to Seattle for business. The four-hour trip takes twice as long as driving to Seattle. Flying is way faster. And it's murder doing a round-trip business trek in a single day, meaning taking the train is hardly a realistic option for business travel. But what if you could do that trek, downtown to downtown, in well under three hours each way? Say with two or three Internet-equipped trains running each day that get you to Seattle for breakfast and back home for dinner? Better? Well, that's now a distinct possibility thanks to U.S. President Barack Obama. In his attempt to stimulate the U.S. economy out of recession, Obama has earmarked $8 billion for 10 high-speed rail corridors around the United States. One of the targets is Amtrak's Cascades line, now linking Vancouver to Seattle and Portland. It's potentially a game-changing development. We're no longer just talking about slight improvements to this unique Canada-U.S. rail link. The political will now exists in the U.S. for a real push to high-speed train travel in the corridor, much like Amtrak's Acela Express now running between Boston, New York and Washington, D.C. It's vital that Vancouver, the province, and Canada get aboard. This linkage will further our role in the mega-region, the conglomeration of key cities that will be North America's economic hubs in the 21st century. Here's how urban theorist Richard Florida frames it: 'Worldwide, people are crowding into a discrete number of mega-regions, systems of multiple cities and their surrounding suburban rings like the Boston-New York-Washington Corridor. In North America, these mega-regions include SunBelt centres like the Char-Lanta Corridor, Northern and Southern California, the Texas Triangle of Houston-San Antonio-Dallas, and Southern Florida's Tampa-Orlando-Miami area; the Pacific Northwest's Cascadia, stretching from Portland through Seattle to Vancouver.... 'We need to ensure that key cities and regions continue to circulate people, goods, and ideas quickly and efficiently.' Now, Americans aren't going to hand us any of their $8 billion. But we only represent about 40 kilometres of the Vancouver-Seattle-Portland route. With a much smaller investment -- likely in the tens of millions to start -- we can piggyback on their massive infrastructure project and tie ourselves into the Pacific Northwest, sometimes called Cascadia. If we don't, we'll be in danger of becoming a second-tier player in our mega-region. But how, in a recession and a time of cutbacks, do Vancouver and the province get the money for such a project? It might be easier than you think -- with the right political pitch. It goes like this: Canada needs to find future-oriented infrastructure projects to stimulate the Canadian economy, cement U.S.-Canada trade ties and also take cars off the road. Nothing does that better than high-speed rail. As well, there's the 'me-too' argument we can mount in Ottawa. The federal government is considering a Toronto-Montreal high-speed train for central Canada's key mega-region. We can insist a north-south train makes just as much sense on the West Coast -- and will cost substantially less because it would involve fewer kilometres of track upgrading. There's no better time to begin this argument than this week. Federal Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff is in Vancouver for his party's convention, trolling for votes. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who prides himself on being a westerner, won't want to be outflanked on this issue, with an election in the wind. So, all aboard for Obama's Cascadia Express. Its destination is the future. |
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4/27/2009 Olympics Cruise ships set for security in 2010 Games
4/27/2009 Olympics Cruise ships set for security in 2010 Games
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 21 (Reuters) - Canadian police have struck a C$76 million ($61 million) deal with two units of cruise line operator Carnival Corp (CCL.N) to house security personnel during the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Carnival's Holland America and Carnival Cruise Lines units will supply a total of three ships to serve as floating hotels in Vancouver harbor during the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, according to police officials. Police decided to use cruise ships for temporary housing and food service because of a shortage of regular hotels during the Games, and say the docked vessels will also give them easy access to the venues needing protection. Planners have said up to 7,000 police officers from across Canada may be brought to Vancouver as part of C$900 million security plan that will also include military personnel and 4,000 private security guards. Police say the heavy level of security is needed for the international event even though the threat level is considered to be low. The budget is largely paid for by the Canadian federal government. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Integrated Security Leader had initially awarded the cruise ship contract to a private U.S. firm, Cruise Connections, but that C$55 million contract fell apart and is now the subject of a lawsuit. Cruise Connections filed suit after the contract was canceled, alleging police backed out of the deal because they thought they could get a better price for ship accommodations because of the weak global economy. Police have alleged it was Cruise Connections that tried to scuttle the deal for an unspecified number of ships because the weakening of the Canadian dollar had eroded its profit margin. The Winter Olympics will be held in February 2010, followed by the Winter Paralympics for athletes with disabilities. |
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4/25/2009 Women ski jumpers deserve chance to vault into Olympic legend
4/25/2009 Women ski jumpers deserve chance to vault into Olympic legend
I know the case will depend on a judge's interpretation of whether Canadian laws about gender discrimination apply to an Olympics in Canada rather than to the competitive merit of having women ski jumpers in the 2010 Winter Olympics. I also know that one of the International Olympic Committee's reasons to keep women jumpers out is totally specious and that the other is debatable. The IOC claims jumping does not meet its universality standards, which I pointed out was patently wrong in a Blog after Lindsey Van of Park City, Utah, won the gold medal when women's jumping made its world championship debut in February. But I also noted the dramatic drop in quality from first to 10th at those worlds, which would seem to support the IOC argument about the discipline not being developed enough to get into the Olympics. I have changed my mind about the quality issue after looking back at what happened when the women's pole vault made its Olympic debut in 2000. Go deep into the results of the 30 competitors in Sydney, and you will find that an 18-year-old Russian was among four women who failed three times to clear her first height, 13 feet, 1 1/2 inches, nearly two feet below the eventual winning height of U.S. vaulter Stacy Dragila. On the surface, one might think that showed that the field had to be padded with vaulters who didn't belong, even if the Russian in question performed below her past standard and even if good vaulters sometimes fail to clear a height. But when I think about those caveats, I realize they are no different from the response Van gave when I asked her about the quality at worlds: 'With any sport, there is a drop in the middle of the field,'' she said. 'There were really tough conditions, snowing off and on all day, with the wind blowing like a tornado at times, coming from all directions. 'I don't think these results show the entire level of the sport. It is pretty obvious we are capable of having a sport worthy of the world championships and Olympics.'' And I would back that by maintaining the 18-year-old Russian vaulter has done pretty well since 2000, when she was motivated by a failure that made her seem unqualified for the Summer Games. Her record? Two Olympic gold medals, five world titles, 26 world records and the 10 highest leaps in history, topping out at 16 feet, 6 3/4 inches. 'Where you start,'' this vaulter has said, 'isn't necessarily where you end up.'' So I hope Judge Lauri Ann Fenlon sides with the women ski jumpers in a hearing that is to end today. That would give jumping the start it needs to end up giving more young women a new outlet for their competitive urges, just as pole vaulting has done. But I would rather see the IOC preempt the outcome — better late than never — by agreeing on its own to let the women jump. Doing the right thing before the judge rules would also allow the IOC to avoid a possibly precedent-setting decision that might affect its sovereignty over the operation of the Olympics. To the IOC, I offer exhibit No. 1: Yelena Isinbayeva. |
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4/25/2009 Thermal system at 2010 Olympic Village will recover heat from spent sewage
4/25/2009 Thermal system at 2010 Olympic Village will recover heat from spent sewage
Vancouver’s 2010 Olympic Village will feature a unique heat recovery system from spent sewage through the use of a neighborhood energy utility (NEU), built under the south end of the Cambie Street bridge. The system will direct the heat back into a thermal system for area condominiums. It will be the first community energy system in North America to use heat recovered from raw sewage in an urban setting, said Chris Baber, project manager with the City of Vancouver. “(Its) a community energy system supplying thermal energy for space heating,” he explained. It will first supply heat and hot water to the Olympic Village site and then to all Southeast False Creek (SEFC) buildings at full project build-out. The utility’s three main components are: the energy centre located under the bridge producing thermal energy, the hot water distribution pipes looping the site to buildings and back to the energy centre, and the energy transfer stations located in each building’s basement used to draw in heat from closed loop hot water system, explained Baber. NEUs or district energy systems are not new. Vancouver has several, but these are legacy systems, utilizing steam rather than hot water. Other systems utilize heat recovered from treated sewage at sewage treatment facilities, where as the Vancouver system utilizes raw sewage upstream of the treatment facility. Two such systems exist. One is in Oslo, Norway and another is in Tokyo, Japan. Vancouver’s application is expected to become popular as treatment facilities are often outside major populated areas and the closer it is to the sewage source, the easier it is to capture heat. Baber said that sewage contains significant latent heat, which is derived from a number of domestic and commercial functions. In the False Creek system, it flows by gravity pipes to a sewage pumping station (SPS), or a lift station, which lifts it into another main towards a treatment centre. “The SPS we currently have in the area is at the end of its life,” said Baber. A new station must be built to service the area. The NEU presented the opportunity to integrate the SPS into the energy centre and not only recover heat, but also share building costs. Sandwell Engineering has designed the SEFC energy centre. Raw sewage is first screened to remove solids, then pumped through a heat exchanger. Sandwell’s project manager, Ray Tarnai, said heat is only drawn from liquids. The solids go into a self-cleaning wet well, where they are rejoined with the spent liquid later and returned to the pump station. A major concern is preventing fouling of the heat exchange surfaces in the heat pump evaporator. The heat pump has been designed with a self-cleaning ability to ensure that any particulate in the liquid does not block heat exchange tubes or cause bio-film build up and impede transfer. The system, Tarnai said, has the ability to effect a self-cleaning protocol such as a bar passing over a mesh filter to remove particulate build-up. FVB Energy Inc., a Swedish company, has designed the distribution system, which will eventually serve all 18 buildings on the SEFC site. The European-made, 10-inch pipe is jacketed, insulated and corrosion protected with an internal liner. “It will lose very little heat,” said Baber, adding only a few degrees of heat will be lost as water loops the site. The sewage recovery system has the ability to generate about 2.7 megawatts of energy, but will be supplemented by the energy centre’s three natural gas fired boilers. One boiler features a condensing economizer designed to reduce the operating costs. The sewage recovery system will supply 70 per cent of the energy needs for the False Creek project. Most of the NEU is actually below grade underneath the bridge. Its flu stacks have been disguised; the five stacks (three for the boilers, one from an odor control system and a fifth for waste energy) extend into a sculpted stainless steel hand, reminiscent of a female athlete’s hand with long fingers. “The fingernails are actually LED panels that can change color and are programmed to reflect the amount of green energy being produced,” said Tarnai. “It is really a showcase building.” |
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4/16/2009 Online 2010 Olympics Coverage to Have an Authentication Hurdle
4/16/2009 Online 2010 Olympics Coverage to Have an Authentication Hurdle
Watching the 2010 Winter Games online could be an Olympic feat in and of itself, as NBC plans to require viewers to prove that they subscribe to a pay TV service before they can watch any of the live streaming coverage over broadband. Additionally, live coverage will only be granted if that subscriber’s cable, satellite or telecom TV service provider agrees to a deal with NBC (Cablevision subscribers were blocked from last year’s coverage because it didn’t have one). According to The Sports Business Journal, which broke the story, those that don’t subscribe to a pay TV service will be able to watch some archived video, but no live streams. The details of exactly how a viewer would prove they’re a subscriber are still being worked out, but could involve their IP address when at home and getting them to fill out a more complicated form if they want to watch while at work.
Proving that you subscribe to a cable or satellite service in order to access premium content video is shaping up to be the big trend of 2009; Time Warner, Viacom and Comcast are already working on their own authentication systems. As for NBC, the network was particularly stingy with its online coverage of last summer’s games in Beijing, time-delaying the most popular events so they’d run after appearing on oldteevee. We get that it’s not cheap for NBC to carry the Olympics, and it’s not like we think everything has to be free all the time. But this isn’t the Super Bowl. The Olympics are supposed to be special, a opportunity for the country to unite and rally behind our best athletes as we face the world in competition. Putting up barriers is hardly in keeping with the spirit of the games. If the Canadians can run every single moment of next year’s games live online, why can’t we? |
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