The Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games announced Monday that following a decision by the Resort Municipality of Whistler Council not to build a new 2,700-seat arena in Whistler, the ice sledge hockey tournament will be moved to the University of British Columbia (UBC) Winter Sports Centre in Vancouver.
Vancouver 2010 also announced that wheelchair curling will be moved to Hillcrest/Nat Bailey Stadium Park in Vancouver.
Vancouver 2010 CEO John Furlong said in a letter to Whistler Mayor Ken Melamed and the city council “the new proposed delivery model will bring the added advantages of more spectators and greater profile for the Paralympic Games in Vancouver”
He added Vancouver 2010 did not believe it was fair to expect Whistler to fund the new arena to the level that would be required.
Whistler will remain home to the majority of Paralympic events including nightly Paralympic celebrations (84 events) and the Closing Ceremony.
