Should Vancouver host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, it is expected that up to 73,000 people will attend the Paralympics in Whistler and another 25,000 will watch Nordic events at the Callaghan Valley.
Pique News Magazine reports that about 800 members of the media will cover the Games, between 5,000 and 8,000 volunteers will be needed to help run the Paralympics smoothly, and 600-800 athletes from 40 countries are expected to attend the Games.
Pique says that all the lifts on both Whistler and Blackcomb will be open, except for those used for competitions and training; and event tickets bill be a fraction of the cost of the Olympic Games, making the Paralympics accessible to everyone.
The medals will be handed out in Whistler in a new arena-entertainment complex which will be built.
Tim Gayda, director, operations planning for the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation, said, “we can do an incredible job of putting this on”. He said, “having all the events up here together is great”, adding that the events were quite spread out at the Salt Lake Games.
All the events will be held in Whistler except for the opening ceremonies, which would take place at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver.
The Paralympic Games include alpine skiing – downhill and super G on Whistler and Slalom and giant slalom on Blackcomb; biathlon and cross country skiing at the proposed Nordic centre in the Callaghan Valley; sledge ice hockey at a new arena that would be built in Whistler; and wheelchair curling at yet to be determined locations.
The public will be transported to the venues by public vehicles such as buses and shuttle vans. There will be no public parking at venue sties.
It’s expected the transportation system would carry between 7,000 and 11,000 spectators a day.
Paralympic athletes will be staying at the same Olympic Village as the Olympic athletes currently proposed to be located at the mouth of the Callaghan Valley. Construction of the village will be paid for in part through the capital cost budget financed by federal, provincial and municipal governments.
Pique reports that Whistler is considered one of the most accessible sport venues for the disabled.
Stacy Kohut, a former world champion sit-skier who has just moved to Whistler and will act as a consultant for the 2010 Games said the one area the resort needs to improve upon is signage. “They just need to make it clearer where the ramps are and it’s the same for wheelchair bathrooms”.
“Most of the buildings are accessible, most of the shops are, most of the restaurants are and there seems to be an elevator in just about every building, but the architects have done such a good job of making them blend into the background that you can’t find them”.
