The Olympic/Paralympic party is nearly over

Today is the last day of the 2010 Winter Paralympic Games and it is three weeks since the end of the Olympic Games.  They say all good things must come to an end…but this quick, come on!!!  It only seems like five minutes since the IOC awarded the Games to Vancouver in the first place.

The Paralympic Closing Ceremony is taking place in Whistler Medals Plaza today and I wish I was there to see it because it will be fantastic.  I am pleased to hear Whistler is getting to bring down the curtain on what has been a fantastic event.  The locals in Whistler have done a huge amount of work and deserve to see the Closing Ceremony on their on door step.

For anyone in Whistler reading this and don’t know the times: the event will start with the athletes parade along the Village Stroll at 6:45 p.m.   The Closing Ceremony will celebrate more than 500 Paralympic athletes from 44 countries and the entire show will be broadcast on Whistler Live! screens.  Wrap up and get out there and see the last hurrah of the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Wheelchair Curling

Wheelchair curling differs from Olympic curling in that the teams are required to be mixed-gender and since no sweeping is allowed to keep a rock straight, shooting has to be precise.

Wheelchair curling only has eight ends compared to 10 in traditional curling, so the mid-game break comes after the fourth end.

And today, in the opening game, Canada beat Great Britain 9-2 in seven ends, in what was a rematch of the gold medal final from four years ago in Torino.

I hope the GB wheelchair curling team is not going to go the same way as the Olympic team 😦

The Paralympic Symbol and Motto

The symbol of the Paralympic Games is composed of three Agitos, colored red, blue and green, encircling a single point, on a white field.

The Agito (meaning “I move” in Latin language) is a symbol of movement in the shape of an asymmetrical crescent.

The colours of the agitos with the white background stand for the three colours that are most widely represented in national flags around the world.

The Paralympic motto is “Spirit in Motion”.  The motto was introduced in 2004 at the Paralympic Games in Athens.

The previous motto was “Mind, Body, Spirit”, introduced in 1994

Let the Games begin

The 2010 Paralympic Winter Games are officially open.

VANOC news release

Olympic bouquet of flowers

A fascinating story you may not have heard . . .

The bouquet of flowers presented to each Olympic/Paralympic medalist on the podium – 1,800 in all – are all the same, made up of green spider mums with hypericum berries surrounded by leather-leaf fern, monkey grass, and aspidistra leaves.

They’re all made by Just Beginning Flowers, a non-profit company in Surrey, British Columbia, which employs women who are just out of prison, abused, fighting addiction, or with special needs, and teaches them how to be florists.

1 day to go – Paralympic Games

With one day to go to the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Paralympic Games the President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has stated that the Games should be combined with the Olympic Games.

The IPC President has said that they need to look at the full inclusion of Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games together.  He added, “Why wait 10 days and have to re-energise the spirit that was in this city and this country for two-and-a-half weeks just last week?”

“If we could have been incorporated in that whole situation, which I think can happen, what a wonderful presentation.

“We want to take advantage of their [the Olympics] structure and success and it is also a way for us to become integrated and a part of the whole superstructure of sport in the world.

“I mean, why reinvent the wheel?

“They’ve got good sponsors, good media support, good rules and regulations and technical elements.”

When I was in Vancouver/Whistler this issue came up in conversations on a few occasions and concerns were expressed that the Paralympic athletes and visitors would not enjoy the same excitement which took over Vancouver and Whistler and that events would not be well attended.  It is good to read that this is not the case.

The Paralympic Torch Relay is getting great support since it left Ottawa last Wednesday, and particularly now that it is in BC.  It is also great to learn that tickets for the Opening Ceremony and the sledge hockey are selling well.  Tickets for all sledge hockey matches involving Canada and the Final have sold out already, as have the men and women’s alpine events at Whistler.

For information:

Paralympic ticket prices range from $15 (£9.75) to $175 (£114), for top seats at the Opening Ceremonies.

No competition charges more than $50 (£32.50) for a single ticket.

“Winter” Games…you are having a laugh!

Today was a fantastic Spring day in Vancouver, and the Winter Paralympic Games start next week!  The Vancouver sky was crystal clear and it was warm enough not to wear a jacket today, and many people were walking about in t-shirts and shorts.  At one point the car registered the temperature at 16 degrees and at 8pm it was 11 degrees.

Blossom in Vancouver

I had to go to the VANOC office today and it was bit of drive from the house and according to Google maps it should only take about 30 minutes…it took me 3 hours!  At no point did I get lost, I was distracted.  I was distracted with the blossom on the trees.  Every street I was on was lined with pink and white trees, and of course I had to stop and take pictures.  The city looks so pretty with the trees in full bloom.

I realised I was heading towards the Queen Elizabeth Park so I decided to go there for a nice walk in the morning sun.  The park is one of the highest natural points in Vancouver and the view of the downtown area and beyond is incredible.  I could have stood there all day just looking and taking it all in.  The buildings in city were as clear as a bell and the snow-capped mountains in the background made a picture perfect scene.

Vancouver

I then got on with my journey to VANOC and I got on the street heading in the right direction but I got distracted again when I drove underneath a canopy of pink and white blossom.  I stopped again to look and snap.  I wasn’t alone, there were a few other folk out looking at the spring colours.

Eventually I got to VANOC, got my item and continued on with my journey.  I drove across to the bridge to North Vancouver, then to West Vancouver to Horseshoe Bay.

I like Horseshoe Bay, it was one of the first places in Canada I got to know well because my aunt and uncle lived just up the hill from the village.  Horseshoe Bay is a major ferry terminal and I like to watch them come and go to the islands off the BC coast.

Horseshoe Bay

I am very fortunate, I live near and work in Edinburgh, one of the world’s beautiful cities and I can come to Vancouver, another of the world’s great cities.  Vancouver gives me a nice feeling and I believe it is the only place where I could live outside Scotland.

I am thankful for having relatives in this great city and I can visit when I want.  I am so grateful to my cousin Margaret and her husband Greg for their kindness and welcoming me into their home and giving me the use of their car, they are so kind to me.

The Agitos in Coal Harbour, Vancouver

The giant Olympic Rings in Vancouver’s Coal Harbour and at Vancouver International Airport will remain lit until 7 a.m.

On March 5, proudly displaying a gold glow to celebrate the remarkable achievements of Canada’s athletes during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

International Paralympic Committee

With 3.5 billion people – more than half the world’s population – watching the Games and more than 250,000 people visiting B.C., the giant Olympic Rings proved to be a popular visual component for the festive atmosphere in the City of Vancouver during the month of February.

Following March 5, the Province will install the Paralympic Symbol – The Agitos – in the same harbour and airport locations.

The Agitos will carry the spirited legacy of Vancouver 2010 forward, promoting the excitement of the Paralympic Winter Games. The project is scheduled to be completed shortly before the Paralympic Winter Games begin on March 12.

Taken from BC Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Secretariat – 4 March 2010

The Legacy of 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

Whistler 2010 Sport Legacies will focus on sport development in Canada long after the Games

For Whistler, what happens after the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is as important as what happens during, which is the reason for Whistler 2010 Sport Legacies (WLS2010).

After the 2010 Winter Games, it will be up to the Whistler 2010 Sport Legacies to ensure the multimillion-dollar Games venues in the Whistler community become part of the community, a new tourist attraction and a key player in athlete development in Canada.

WLS2010 is a not-for-profit business that will own and operate three 2010 Winter Games venues post-Games: the Whistler Sliding Centre, Whistler Olympic Park and the Whistler Athletes’ Centre.

The 2010 venues will offer recreational programs as well as training facilities where they can fine-tune their skills. Athletes will also be able to find affordable accommodations at the Athletes’ Centre, which is key to attracting training camps, international competitions and other tournaments.

“The three new 2010 Winter Games venues will mean increased recreational and economic opportunities for the Sea to Sky Corridor,’’ said Keith Bennett, president and CEO of Whistler 2010 Sport Legacies. “Our goal is to make these venues economically sustainable.’’

Seven years after the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, the venues are still well used. Visitors take tours of the freestyle skiing venues, ski jumps and sliding track. The former Olympic venues are also home to U.S. national ski, snowboard and sliding athletes.

“These venues are an on-going legacy for us,’’ said Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker Becker. “They continue to be a draw for everyone from elite athletes to the public.’’

Taken from WhistlerToday – 26 February 2010

The ‘après’ Games experience

As the 2010 Games are drawing to a close (where did the time go?) folk are already commenting on the success of the Games.

Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, has raved about the Games in media.  Quoted as saying “I have never seen a city embrace the Games as Vancouver has done, it’s really been astounding.  I would say Sydney comes at the same level, but you cannot compare Summer and Winter Games.  What we have seen here, in the streets of Vancouver, is absolutely extraordinary.”  That is praise indeed.

Vancouver and Whistler has shown how a Games can bring a place to life with streets full of excited fans singing, cheering and generally having a good time.

Crowd on Robson Street

Canadians clearly love being part of the Games and have taken every opportunity to show the world how much they mean.  To see the amount of red around the place, the maple leafs visible on almost every street and the smiles on the faces of Canadians is a joy to see.

And of course, it also helps to have success on the field of play and have athletes on the podium and having something cheer.

The Live Sites, where there are big screens in prominent places, are a great way of bringing people together to celebrate.  I have witnessed live events in both Vancouver and Whistler and the atmosphere has been incredible. Even if you don’t have a ticket to events there are many ways to get involved in the fun and celebrations, most of which are free, such as skating, zipline, various pavilions.

However, in some, if not most, cases a great deal of patience is required.  I am lead to believe that yesterday it was taking eight hours to get into the Canadian Mint to hold the gold, silver and bronze Olympic and Paralympic medals

Some of the best parties are at the Live sites where thousands turned out to watch the action unfolding on-screen, created by sponsors.  The atmosphere at these sites when Canadians won medals was incredible.  Big screens play an important role out with the venues.  The Live sites also have other entertainment to suit all ages.

Pyrotechnics in Robson Square

One issue that is vital in the good nature of the celebration is alcohol, or the lack of alcohol-related incidents.  In Vancouver, and the rest of British Columbia, alcohol can only be purchased at government run liquor stores, wine stores, beer and wine stores, pubs, bars, lounges, clubs and some restaurants.  And it is my understanding that BC has a law that prohibits the drinking of alcohol in public places, on the street.

To ensure safety, on two occasions (after hockey games) the Police took further action and asked the B.C. Liquor Control and Licensing Branch for an order to close down stores.  The action was sought under the Liquor Control and Licensing Act, which allows the control and licensing branch to temporarily suspend or impose conditions on a licence for 24 hours when it is in the public interest to do so.

Live site at Whistler

I have never seen anything that was the result of alcohol and the only time I saw cans or bottles on the street were those confiscated by the Police.

It has been a pleasure to get on a bus or train knowing that there would be no or very little irritation from those who were slightly worse from taking too much ‘juice’.

I have been very impressed with the efforts Vancouver and Whistler have made to include everyone in these Games and London and Glasgow need to take note and look at ways that will excite and inspire us to feel part of our Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games in 2012 and 2014 respectively.