Vancouver 2010 issued a media release Wednesday responding to the claims of anti-Games activists by re-affirming its commitment to fiscal responsibility and environmental, social, and economic sustainability in planning, building and staging the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer said, “we accept that there will always be critics of our project; we would only hope that criticism will be constructive and truthful rather than political and destructive in nature”. He added, “we owe it to the people of British Columbia and Canada to stay focused on organizing the best Games possible. We will not allow ourselves or this project to be undermined by naysayers who never have and likely never will support the Games”.
Furlong said VANOC wants to achieve “one of the most environmentally and socially responsible Games in Olympic and Paralympic history”, adding that the Vancouver organizing committee promised to deliver its venue program for less than the $580 million capital budget and to finish the venues well ahead of the Games.
VANOC says it will be issuing its first annual sustainability report in the first quarter of 2007 that will provide a detailed review of its performance on the full range of its sustainability commitments.
According to VANOC’s media release venue buildings have been designed to optimize energy performance and reduce energy demand. VANOC says all waste wood from site clearing at Whistler was chipped and composted for re-use, committed to create economic opportunities for inner-city communities.
VANOC’s first quarterly report was issued June 14, 2006 and the next quarterly report will be issued October 25.
VANOC said it is now undertaking a comprehensive study into the long-term economic, social, educational, tourism, employment, recreational and high performance sport benefits of hosting Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in previous North American host communities and will release the study in mid-fall.
