Destination Vancouver: Gearing Up for Olympics 2010

Vancouver, the largest city in British Columbia, Canada, has so much to offer. It’s not only a wonderfully cosmopolitan city, with an amazing array of restaurants, nightclubs and hip hotels, but its location in the southwest corner of the province, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Coast Mountains, gives visitors the opportunity to enjoy all sorts of outdoor pursuits–from mountain biking and hiking to kayaking and boat tours. With shopping and spas, fine dining and sidewalk cafes, golf courses and pretty city parks, Vancouver is an inviting spot to visit, whether you’re traveling with just the guys, on a girls’ getaway, or have the whole family in tow.

Soon, Vancouver will be thrust into the world spotlight as the host of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. In less than two years, thousands of athletes, fans, supporters and media will descend upon Vancouver and its neighbor, the mountain resort town of Whistler, to take part in what promises to be a fabulous event, February 12 to 28, 2010.

Here’s a sneak peek at some interesting facts about this Olympic city, and ways that Vancouver will stand out among previous hosts of the Games, from the folks at Tourism Vancouver:

*With a population of over 560,000 and a metropolitan area of 2.1 million, Vancouver is one of the largest cities ever to host the Winter Olympic Games.

*Vancouver was recently ranked one of the top restaurant cities in the world by Food & Wine magazine, which should also make it the tastiest Games ever.

*Vancouver has one of Canada’s mildest climates and the warmest average temperatures of any Winter Olympic host. Winters are wet, but it rarely snows, except, of course, on the ski hills. In February, Vancouver has an average temperature of 42.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

*The Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be held at BC Place Stadium in downtown Vancouver. This marks the first time in Olympic Games history that these ceremonies will be held in a closed-roof stadium and the first time that the Olympic flame will be lit indoors. Besides offering protection from the elements, an indoor stadium expands the possibilities for lighting, projection, sound and special effects technology.

*The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games mark the first time in history that Indigenous peoples have been recognized as official partners in hosting the Olympic Games. The Lil’wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations, known collectively as the Four Host First Nations (FHFN), will join the Governments of Canada and British Columbia, the City of Vancouver, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, and the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees as hosts of the 2010 Winter Games.

*Vancouver, the birthplace of Greenpeace, has long been a leader in environmentalism. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games continue that tradition, setting a gold standard for environmental sustainability. The 2010 Winter Games will, for example, be the first Olympic Games to use a rigorous set of criteria called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in any new venues built by the Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee (VANOC). LEED buildings are designed to minimize waste, emissions, toxic materials, energy consumption and water use. In addition, Vancouver, together with VANOC, Whistler and several surrounding communities, has adopted a zero waste policy — aiming to minimize and divert as much waste as possible from landfills before, during and after the Games.

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