2010 Olympic Village
Encyclopedia
For the location of the Olympic Village in Singapore, see Nanyang Technological University
or 2010 Summer Youth Olympics#Youth Olympic Village
The Vancouver Olympic Village (VVL), is an Olympic Village
built for the 2010 Winter Olympics
and 2010 Winter Paralympics
hosted in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
. A 600000 sq ft (55,741.8 m²) village with over 600 units, that was able to accommodate over 2,800 athletes, coaches, and officials.
The site, a former industrial area which was previously mostly parking lot, is located on the shoreline at the southeast corner of False Creek
, north of 2nd Avenue between Quebec and Manitoba Streets. Just south of Science World
, its waterfront is part of the False Creek Seawall
promenade and bike route, and is adjacent to the stations of the Granville Island Heritage Railway, the Spyglass Place pedestrian ferry wharf (served by Aquabus
and False Creek Ferries
), the Science World pedestrian ferry wharf (normally served by Aquabus and False Creek Ferries but closed temporarily from January 25, 2010 to March 24, 2010) and the Main Street and Olympic Village
SkyTrain
stations.
The Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Village
(WVL) is located in Whistler, British Columbia
, it served the 2010 Winter Olympics
and the 2010 Winter Paralympics
. Smaller than the VVL it accommodated 2,400 athletes, coaches, and officials with 450 beds made especially with wheelchair access. Site preparation began in 2006 with construction starting in March 2007 and it was completed in the summer of 2009.
(VANOC) for use during the Winter Games. On April 7, 2010 it was returned to the City of Vancouver
. The village was converted into residential housing, a community centre, daycare, retail, and service spaces.
overseeing construction of the Olympic Village, resigned. Vancouver
city manager, Penny Ballem
, was quoted as saying there was no reason for the public to lose confidence in City Hall over the resignation.
Vancouver
Mayor Gregor Robertson
made a request to the British Columbia
provincial government to allow the City of Vancouver
to borrow additional funds to complete the project. On Sunday, January 18, 2009 an emergency meeting convened by the BC Legislature
approved Bill 47, allowing the City of Vancouver unlimited access to additional funds for the development of the Olympic Village. The estimated new total cost is CAN$
1 billion to build VVL, approximately CAN$
467 million dollars were required by the City of Vancouver to complete the project. The project ran into financial woes late last year as well as the lender, Fortress Investment Group
, a New York hedge fund
, stopped payments to the developer, Millennium Development Group. Bill 47 is an unusual amendment to the charter for the Olympics in that it changes the original requirement that all additional borrowing is prohibited without a public referendum
, and also that it was until this legislation was passed that it was illegal for the City of Vancouver to pursue such financial dealings. The city, in order to meet its Olympics commitments, required extraordinary legislative proceedings to amend the city's charter to allow it to borrow to buy out the loan from Fortress.
As of January 2011, the village's developer has failed to make loan repayments, forcing Vancouver to place the property in receivership. Of the 737 apartments for sale in the development, only half have been purchased.
toured the site and expressed concern that it might contravene policy, as the banner is not the flag of Australia but rather depicts a kangaroo wearing boxing gloves
. Former Australian deputy prime minister (now Prime Minister) Julia Gillard
called it a disgrace. According to a representative of the Australian team, the flag has been at every Olympic Village since the 2000 Games in Sydney. The image had flown from the victorious Australian yacht in the 1983 America's Cup
and is now a mascot of Australia's Olympic teams; the Australian Olympic Committee
owns the image's trademark. After IOC president Jacques Rogge
discussed the issue with John Coates, chief of the AOC, it was confirmed that the flag could remain at the Olympic Village. "While the IOC is of the view that the display of the boxing kangaroo at the Olympic village is a breach of the IOC rules relating to clean venues, the IOC is not going to request us to take down the boxing kangaroo flag on this occasion," Coates said. The AOC would be required to register the image with the IOC. The controversy sparked a demand for a version of the boxing-kangaroo flag at a Vancouver flag shop.
Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University is one of the two largest public universities in Singapore with the biggest campus in Singapore and the world's largest engineering college. Its lush 200-hectare Yunnan Garden campus was the Youth Olympic Village of the world's first 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in...
or 2010 Summer Youth Olympics#Youth Olympic Village
Olympic Village
An Olympic Village is an accommodation centre built for an Olympic Games, usually within an Olympic Park or elsewhere in a host city. Olympic Villages are built to house all participating athletes, as well as officials, athletic trainers, and other staff. Since the Munich Massacre at the 1972...
built for the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
and 2010 Winter Paralympics
2010 Winter Paralympics
The 2010 Winter Paralympics, officially the X Paralympic Winter Games, or the 10th Winter Paralympics, were held in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia, Canada from March 12 to 21, 2010. The Opening Ceremony took place in BC Place Stadium in Vancouver and the Closing Ceremony in Whistler...
hosted in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. A 600000 sq ft (55,741.8 m²) village with over 600 units, that was able to accommodate over 2,800 athletes, coaches, and officials.
The site, a former industrial area which was previously mostly parking lot, is located on the shoreline at the southeast corner of False Creek
False Creek
False Creek is a short inlet in the heart of Vancouver. It separates downtown from the rest of the city. It was named by George Henry Richards during his Hydrographic survey of 1856-63. Science World is located at its eastern end and the Burrard Street Bridge crosses its western end. False Creek is...
, north of 2nd Avenue between Quebec and Manitoba Streets. Just south of Science World
Science World at TELUS World of Science
Science World at Telus World of Science, Vancouver is a science centre run by a not-for-profit organization in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
, its waterfront is part of the False Creek Seawall
Seawall (Vancouver)
The seawall in Vancouver, Canada is a stone wall that was constructed around the perimeter of Stanley Park to prevent the erosion of the park's foreshore. Colloquially, the term also denotes the pedestrian, bicycle, and roller blading pathway on the seawall, and which has been extended far outside...
promenade and bike route, and is adjacent to the stations of the Granville Island Heritage Railway, the Spyglass Place pedestrian ferry wharf (served by Aquabus
The Aquabus
The Aquabus, also known as, Aquabus Ferries Ltd., is a privately owned and operated ferry service that provides commuter and sightseeing services to locations all along False Creek of central Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
and False Creek Ferries
False Creek Ferries
False Creek Ferries, a division of Granville Island Ferries Ltd, is a privately owned and operated ferry service that operates on False Creek near downtown Vancouver, Canada...
), the Science World pedestrian ferry wharf (normally served by Aquabus and False Creek Ferries but closed temporarily from January 25, 2010 to March 24, 2010) and the Main Street and Olympic Village
Olympic Village Station
Olympic Village Station is a SkyTrain station on the Canada Line in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The use of the term "Olympic" has been licensed for use by the International Olympic Committee.-Location:...
SkyTrain
SkyTrain (Vancouver)
SkyTrain is a light rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. SkyTrain has of track and uses fully automated trains on grade-separated tracks, running mostly on elevated guideways, which helps SkyTrain to hold consistently high on-time reliability...
stations.
The Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Village
Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Village
The Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Village is a 2010 Winter Olympics facility in the resort town of Whistler, British Columbia. The Olympic Village is considered one of Whistler's legacy projects, in that it will be used after the Olympics to help house and train Canadian athletes. Whistler is...
(WVL) is located in Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
, it served the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
and the 2010 Winter Paralympics
2010 Winter Paralympics
The 2010 Winter Paralympics, officially the X Paralympic Winter Games, or the 10th Winter Paralympics, were held in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia, Canada from March 12 to 21, 2010. The Opening Ceremony took place in BC Place Stadium in Vancouver and the Closing Ceremony in Whistler...
. Smaller than the VVL it accommodated 2,400 athletes, coaches, and officials with 450 beds made especially with wheelchair access. Site preparation began in 2006 with construction starting in March 2007 and it was completed in the summer of 2009.
Construction
Preparation and construction of the site Vancouver began in February 2006. Construction was completed on November 1, 2009, and turned over to the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter GamesVancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games was the non-profit organization responsible for planning, organizing, financing and staging the 2010 Winter Olympics and 2010 Winter Paralympics...
(VANOC) for use during the Winter Games. On April 7, 2010 it was returned to the City of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. The village was converted into residential housing, a community centre, daycare, retail, and service spaces.
Funding crisis
On Thursday, January 15, 2009 Jody Andrews, the deputy city managerCity manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
overseeing construction of the Olympic Village, resigned. Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
city manager, Penny Ballem
Penny Ballem
Dr. Penny Janet Drury Ballem, MSc, MD, FRCP is the city manager for the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and served as a member of the VANOC board of directors, corporate director for Bentall Capital G.P. Ltd., as well as a senior adviser to RPO Management Consultants...
, was quoted as saying there was no reason for the public to lose confidence in City Hall over the resignation.
Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
Mayor Gregor Robertson
Gregor Robertson (politician)
Gregor Angus Bethune Robertson is a Canadian politician who has been the 39th Mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, since 2008. He was elected as part of the Vision Vancouver party slate...
made a request to the British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
provincial government to allow the City of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
to borrow additional funds to complete the project. On Sunday, January 18, 2009 an emergency meeting convened by the BC Legislature
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
approved Bill 47, allowing the City of Vancouver unlimited access to additional funds for the development of the Olympic Village. The estimated new total cost is CAN$
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
1 billion to build VVL, approximately CAN$
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
467 million dollars were required by the City of Vancouver to complete the project. The project ran into financial woes late last year as well as the lender, Fortress Investment Group
Fortress Investment Group
Fortress Investment Group LLC is an investment management firm based in New York, New York. The company went public on February 9, 2007.-History:...
, a New York hedge fund
Hedge fund
A hedge fund is a private pool of capital actively managed by an investment adviser. Hedge funds are only open for investment to a limited number of accredited or qualified investors who meet criteria set by regulators. These investors can be institutions, such as pension funds, university...
, stopped payments to the developer, Millennium Development Group. Bill 47 is an unusual amendment to the charter for the Olympics in that it changes the original requirement that all additional borrowing is prohibited without a public referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
, and also that it was until this legislation was passed that it was illegal for the City of Vancouver to pursue such financial dealings. The city, in order to meet its Olympics commitments, required extraordinary legislative proceedings to amend the city's charter to allow it to borrow to buy out the loan from Fortress.
As of January 2011, the village's developer has failed to make loan repayments, forcing Vancouver to place the property in receivership. Of the 737 apartments for sale in the development, only half have been purchased.
Australia banner controversy
A giant banner hung from the Village by members of the Australian team attracted controversy in early February 2010 when a member of the International Olympic CommitteeInternational Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
toured the site and expressed concern that it might contravene policy, as the banner is not the flag of Australia but rather depicts a kangaroo wearing boxing gloves
Boxing Kangaroo
The boxing kangaroo is a national symbol of Australia, frequently seen in popular culture. The symbol is often displayed prominently by Australian spectators at sporting events, such as at cricket, tennis and football matches, and at the Commonwealth and Olympic Games. The flag is also highly...
. Former Australian deputy prime minister (now Prime Minister) Julia Gillard
Julia Gillard
Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved...
called it a disgrace. According to a representative of the Australian team, the flag has been at every Olympic Village since the 2000 Games in Sydney. The image had flown from the victorious Australian yacht in the 1983 America's Cup
1983 America's Cup
The 1983 America's Cup was the occasion of the first winning challenge to the New York Yacht Club who had successfully defended the cup over a period of 132 years...
and is now a mascot of Australia's Olympic teams; the Australian Olympic Committee
Australian Olympic Committee
The Australian Olympic Committee is the National Olympic Committee in Australia for the Olympic Games movement. It is a non-profit organisation that selects teams, and raises funds to send Australian competitors to Olympic events organised by the International Olympic Committee .-Background:The...
owns the image's trademark. After IOC president Jacques Rogge
Jacques Rogge
Jacques Rogge, Count Rogge , is a Belgian sports bureaucrat. He is the eighth and current President of the International Olympic Committee .-Life and career:...
discussed the issue with John Coates, chief of the AOC, it was confirmed that the flag could remain at the Olympic Village. "While the IOC is of the view that the display of the boxing kangaroo at the Olympic village is a breach of the IOC rules relating to clean venues, the IOC is not going to request us to take down the boxing kangaroo flag on this occasion," Coates said. The AOC would be required to register the image with the IOC. The controversy sparked a demand for a version of the boxing-kangaroo flag at a Vancouver flag shop.
External links
- Vancouver2010.com profile
- Government of British Columbia
- City of Vancouver
- News and photographs of the completed Vancouver Olympic Village
- Photograph of the construction of the Olympic Village in False Creek
- Photograph of Olympic Village footbridge installation Dec 2007
- Vancouver releases secret Olympic Village documents, Bob Mackin, The Tyee, June 19, 2009