Visitor's Guide to 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia from February 12-28, 2010.

SAFETY & SECURITY OVERVIEW

When Vancouver was awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics in 2003, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) formed the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit (ISU) to plan and provide security for all Olympic venues and for the Vancouver metropolitan area. The ISU will bring together police, military and security forces under common command to implement safety measures on land, air and sea. Approximately 6,000 security personnel – mostly RCMP and municipal officers from across Canada – will be deployed for the duration of the Games. As of this writing, the ISU has announced that it will not conduct random security checks in any of the host municipalities. Visitors will only be required to pass through a security screening when they enter an Olympic venue.

Events like the Olympic Games create a unique security challenge for visitors. The Games are like few other events on the planet; for most of February, Vancouver will be the epicenter of the world’s media reporting. There will not be a single target more attractive to terrorists during this time. However, whereas travelers are often urged to avoid high-profile, crowded, symbolic areas, downtown Vancouver will be nothing but these things from the days leading up to the Games until after the Olympic Flame is extinguished.

As always, increased vigilance and caution are advised in all circumstances. However, visitors should remember that large-scale violence is extremely unlikely, given the comprehensive security measures that the ICU has developed and implemented over the last few years. Less serious crimes – petty theft, inebriated revelers, simple assault – are far more likely to impact visitors to Vancouver. Travelers should be aware of their surroundings at all times, and take the usual precautions to secure wallets, credit cards, cash, passports and other valuables. Any unnecessary items, especially expensive jewelry, should be left at home.

It is recommended that all travelers carry a mobile phone with international capabilities, which will enable a faster response should they be involved in any type of health or security incident. As in the US, the number to dial for emergencies in Vancouver is 911. For non-emergencies, call the Vancouver police at (604) 717-3321. Travelers should also save to their phone Assist America’s contact number, the number of the closest respective consulate and the number of their credit card company in the event that their card is lost or stolen.

LOGISTICS

Venues

Most Olympic competition venues are located in or near downtown Vancouver. They include:

• Canada Hockey Place, also known as GM Place (Ice Hockey)
• Pacific Coliseum (Figure Skating, Short-track Speed Skating)
• Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Centre (Curling)
• Cypress Mountain (West Vancouver – Freestyle Skiing, Snowboarding)
• Richmond Olympic Oval (Richmond – Speed Skating)
• UBC Thunderbird Arena (University of British Columbia (Ice Hockey)

Several competition venues are also situated in the nearby resort town of Whistler, including:

• Whistler Creekside (Alpine Skiing)
• Whistler Olympic Park (Biathlon, Cross-Country Skiing, Nordic Combined, Ski Jumping)
• Whistler Sliding Centre (Bobsled, Luge, Skeleton)

Non-competition venues for the Games include BC Place Stadium, which will host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Downtown Vancouver will also have the Olympic Village and Main Media Centre. Whistler will have its own Olympic and Paralympic Village, a Media Centre and an Olympic Celebration Plaza.

Getting Around

It is advisable for visitors to the Vancouver Games to traverse the city on foot wherever possible. Residents and visitors alike can expect rush hour conditions and parking restrictions round the clock in downtown Vancouver. With this in mind, the city will open four pedestrian corridors from noon to midnight between February 12 and 28. The four designated corridors are:

• Granville Street between Smithe and Cordova Streets
• Robson Street between Bute and Beatty Streets
• The Hamilton/Mainland corridor between David Lam Park and Georgia Street
• Beatty Street between Smithe and Dunsmuir Streets

After walking, public transit will likely be the best transportation option. Vancouver’s regional transit authority, Translink, will increase capacity and extend hours of service to accommodate the large number of visitors. The city will also be unveiling the Olympic Line, a free service featuring a “state-of-the-art” streetcar, which will connect Granville Island to the Canada Line Olympic Village Station from January 21 to March 21.

Translink buses will enjoy an additional advantage on the city streets as well. Olympic Lanes, which are meant to facilitate travel between venues and other locales for athletes, officials and media, will be opened in several locations from February 4 to March 1. Along with accredited Olympic vehicles, these restricted lanes are available to Translink buses, which will greatly improve travel times across the city. These lanes have been designated in the following locations for 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout the competition:

• Burrard Street, Burrard Bridge to Pender Street
• Seymour Street, Granville Bridge to Hastings Street
• Howe Street, Hastings Street to Granville Bridge
• Pender Street, Cambie Street to Howe Street
• Cambie Street, Cambie Bridge to 59th Avenue
• Broadway, Arbutus Street to Commercial Drive
• Georgia Street, Richards Street to Stanley Park Causeway
• Hastings Street, Seymour Street to Boundary Road

Closures

The City of Vancouver has announced the following venue road closures to date:

• Olympic Village: Portions of Columbia, Cook, Crowe, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec Streets that border the Village will be closed from January 15 to March 24. First Avenue from Quebec to Wylie Street is already closed through March 31. Quebec Street will be closed from its terminal to Second Ave from January 15 to March 5, with the southbound lane remaining closed through March 26.

• BC Place and Canada Hockey Place: Pacific Boulevard from Quebec to Nelson, and Expo Boulevard from Nelson to Quebec, will be closed from January 29 to March 2. Carrall Street from Keefer to Pacific, and Griffiths Way from Expo to Pacific, will also be closed for these dates. Terry Fox Way from Expo to Pacific will be closed from January 29 to March 26. The Georgia and Dunsmuir Viaducts will be closed from February 5 to March 2. Abbott Street from Expo to Pacific is already closed through March 14.

• Main Media Centre: The following are closed from January 27 to March 1: Burrard Street from Canada Place to Cordova; Canada Place from Howe to Thurlow; Howe Street from Canada Place to Cordova; Thurlow Street from Canada Place to Cordova; and Waterfront Road from Main Street to the Cordova Ramp.

• Olympic/Paralympic Centre: The following are closed from February 1 to March 2: Midlothian Avenue from Ontario to Yukon; Dinmont Avenue from Midlothian to Peveril; Ontario Street from East 29th to East 33rd; and Peveril Ave. from Ontario to Dinmont.

• Pacific Coliseum: Renfrew Street from McGill to Dundas, including the east sidewalk, will be closed from January 24 to March 1. Renfrew from Dundas to Hastings will be closed from February 1 to March 1. The following will be closed from February 13 to February 27: Lillooet Street from Hastings to Pender; Pender Street from Renfrew to Cassiar; and Windermere Street from Hastings to Pender.

Dozens more streets in the downtown area will be subject to ‘no stopping’ and parking restrictions 24 hours a day during the Games. For more detailed information, the City of Vancouver provides detailed maps at:

http://olympichostcity.vancouver.ca/pdf/Olympic%20route%20network%20maps.pdf.

Again, walking, cycling or using public transportation are the recommended methods of travel. Taken together, this strategy offers the best way for visitors to experience maximum enjoyment and minimum hassle in a downtown scene that will feature thousands and thousands of people – and seemingly just as many access and parking restrictions.

For more information, contact Assist America at the number on your membership card. Additional details can be found at the City of Vancouver’s Olympic website at olympichostcity.vancouver.ca

Always remember to carry your Assist America membership card when you travel.


The content of this document is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace further investigation, common sense, sound judgment and personal observations. If you are planning travel, or are traveling in or near to the locations identified in this newsletter, you are encouraged to contact Assist America for additional information.