In case you weren’t here to catch the Olympics live, below is a link to some amazing photos on the website of a local photographer – Blake Jorgenson.

http://www.blakejorgenson.com/files/webgalleries/olympics/index.html

Here is a link to a slideshow of great photos that showcase the Winter Olympics… enjoy!

Vancouver2010

Whistler Live! is where the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games come to life with an energetic fusion of sport, art and entertainment.  For 27 days, Whistler’s wintery pedestrian village will pulsate from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m against the spectacular backdrop of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. A diverse range of free and unique Whistler Live! experiences offer a dazzling taste of Whistler’s iconic mountain culture.

Up-to-date information leading up to and during the Games. Whistler2010.com has a a variety of information from transportation to hours of operation for municipal services.

Click here for link for VANOC’s Game Plan with specific information in regards to transportation, Games-time security, municipal operations, event venue operations, Whistler Live! programming and other community updates.

February 13 to 27 during the Victory Ceremonies at Whistler Medals Plaza.

Date Scheduled Headline Performer
February 13 All American Rejects
February 14 Estelle
February 15 Pierre Lapointe
February 16 Feist
February 17 Our Lady Peace
February 18 Deadmau5
February 19 Hedley
February 20 Stars
February 21 OneRepublic
February 22 To be confirmed
February 23 The Fray
February 24 Jet
February 25 The Roots
February 26 K’Naan
February 27 Usher

Gates open at 4:30 pm (Pacific Time) on all 15 nights of Whistler Victory Ceremonies. The night of entertainment starts with a DJ and interactive games for the crowd, followed by a live simulcast of the nightly provincial and territorial pre-show held at BC Place in Vancouver. At 7:00 pm, the medals ceremonies will be held for the winning athletes of the day at Whistler-area venues, followed 30 minutes later by that night’s headlining act. The ceremony will end at approximately 8:30 pm.

Whistler Victory Ceremony tickets will be distributed to the public in the Sea to Sky region through a contest operated by Tourism Whistler at whistler.com

Join the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and its partners for an update on 2010 Winter Games planning. The evening will include transportation information on the Sea-to-Sky Checkpoint and Localized Vehicle Permits, safety and security, venue preparations and a look ahead to the daily operations of the Games.

Pemberton – Tuesday December 8, 2009 ~ Pemberton Community Centre
Whistler – Wednesday December 9, 2009 ~ Whistler Conference Centre
Squamish – Thursday December 10, 2009 ~ Brennan Park Recreation Centre
The one-hour presentation begins at 7:00pm sharp, followed by open house displays until 9:00pm.

Below are some Q & A’s from Whistler Blackcomb managers.

What are the exact parking lot dates, some say February 1, others are February 11?

There is some minor phased in use starting January 11th, but full VANOC use of the day skier lots starts on February 1^st.

If someone from Vancouver is coming to visit and they can park in my garage, what do they need in order to be able to travel? And if they don’t have a permit, is there a time frame where they can travel on the highway without a permit?

To manage traffic volumes and parking in the area, vehicle permits will be required to travel north of Squamish between 6 am and 6 pm February 11 to 28, 2010 and a checkpoint will be established at the Alice Lake turnoff to verify vehicles heading into or beyond Whistler have the required Sea to Sky checkpoint permit. This will help ensure people and businesses in the corridor can move efficiently and athletes can get to their events.

Anyone travelling outside the hours of 6 am and 6 pm will not require a checkpoint pass, but motorists should confirm their parking arrangements before driving to Whistler. Anyone travelling south on the Sea to Sky Highway will also not require a checkpoint permit.

What is the window of time passengers can book on OBN; 2 or 3 hours?

The OBN is designed to get spectators to their respective venues with enough time to travel between the OBN hub and the venue, clear security, and safely find their spot before the event begins. As well, the OBN schedule is designed to get spectators home after the event in a timely fashion. That said, there is not time allotted in the OBN schedule for significant additional activity before and after an event.

Is there enhanced BC Transit Service in January, or from February 1-11, or in March?

 BC Transit enhanced service is from February 1^st to 28^th. There is discussion currently underway regarding enhanced service during the Paralympic Games. Stay tuned.

Is there a youth or student pass price for February?

The souvenir pass for the Games is one price for all. 

How will the snowploughs get around the new tall yellow stanchions in the highway?

 Maintenance is planned to run generally as usual. A number of field tests with maintenance contractors were done. A variety of different road markers with different adjustments to the plough heads (such as width of blades) to test what would stand up to maintenance the best were also tested. It was felt that it would be beneficial to provide some positive road guidance with the temporary road changes, and the yellow fixed delineators will provide additional guidance to drivers and maintain the roads. They can withstand some snow loads and have some flex in it them as well.

What do the Creekside permitting limits look like right around Nita Lake Lodge?

 Traffic will remain two-way on Lake Placid Drive from Hwy 99 and Nita Lake Lodge. Taylor Way will become one way north bound from Hwy 99 to Nita Lake Lodge. All movement in this one-way area of Taylor Way will require a Local Vehicle Permit (LVP). For more information on LVPs visit: www.whistler.ca

Will there be a park and ride in Squamish and Pemberton?

Though both locations are currently investigating the logistics of operating a Park and Ride, currently there isn’t one confirmed in either community.

Is the BC Transit Pass transferable?

Yes

Is there a Whistler to Cypress Park and Ride for OBN?

No. Individuals that live in Whistler and have tickets to an event at Cypress Mountain (CYM) will require to find their own way down to one of the three Hubs assigned to Cypress Mountain on the OBN; SFU Campus, Capilano University, and/or Lonsdale Quay. Please note that there is no parking available at the Lonsdale Quay, the other two locations allow you to book a parking space with your OBN seat. OBN bookings online open November 24^th.

Is there an estimated travel time from Creekside to the village? Or one from Function junction to Base II?

It is difficult to provide an estimate for travel time as it really depends on how the community embraces the 30 percent reduction (Travelsmart plan). We would hope to achieve what it is today during peak season; however, we do recommend people build extra time in their travel

What does the Games Express (Squamish to Whistler, Pemberton to Whistler) bus service look like in March?

All service – both local and regional – with the exception of the Olympic village service noted above – reverts back to the existing winter schedule.

What are the pass prices for March?

There is no 2010 Games pass for March.  The tariff reverts back to the existing pricing.

Will the Black Tusk/Pinecrest bus be the same cost as the Whistler bus? $2 single ride?

Yes, Black Tusk/Pinecrest will have a $2 cash fare.

Why is the Whistler Shuttle that is normally free going to be $2 during games time?

The Village Shuttle like all Whistler service has a greatly increased level of service and a cash fare is reasonable during the Games.  In addition the cash fare then allows a free transfer for customers heading south bound to Creekside and other southern locations.

What is the ‘official’ name of the Games Express BC Transit service?

The “Games Express” is the route name for the new service traveling between the athlete’s village and Whistler Village.  The entire system is the BC Transit service.  Service to Squamish and/or Pemberton will be referred to as the Squamish Connector or the Pemberton Connector.

Below is a link to find out more about transportation over the Olympics.  Here you’ll find answers to your questions about available parking areas, passes required and bus routes.

http://www.whistlerchamber.com/2010-Events/2010-Transportation.html