Countdown To The Olympics

Vancouver, BC – The board of directors for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) met today in Vancouver for its third meeting of 2009. In addition to standing agenda items, discussions also covered VANOC’s intensive Games-time readiness planning and ongoing financial management in the current economy. Updates were also provided on Phase 2 of Olympic ticket sales and on new communities added to the Olympic Torch Relay route.

“With less than nine months to go, important milestones are now around every corner and Games-time planning is a key focus for management,” said Jack Poole, chairman of the board. “As with all companies, the economy continues to be a big focus. Planning for and operating Olympic and Paralympic Games in this uncertain climate calls for daily scrutiny. VANOC’s management team continues to review costs and revenues with a relentless focus on prudence.”

The board also received an update today on Phase 2 of Olympic ticket sales. Over 150,000 Olympic tickets will go on sale at www.vancouver2010.com on June 6, including several thousand tickets for each of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. The lion’s share of sport tickets are for ice hockey and curling but tickets will be available for all sports. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis so the public is encouraged to set up an account in advance at www.vancouver2010.com if they have not previously done so.Ticket prices remain unchanged from Phase 1 pricing.

“We were pleased today to confirm to the board that thousands of tickets will be available to the Canadian public next month and that the Olympic Flame will pass through more Canadian communities than originally planned. Canadians will continue to have more opportunities like this to engage in the Games in the coming months,” said VANOC Chief Executive Officer John Furlong.

“We’re continuing to try and strike the right balance between fiscal realities in these difficult times and our overarching commitment to deliver a great experience for everyone at the Games,” he added.

With only 165 days until the start of the Olympic Torch Relay, VANOC confirmed today the route has been finalized with the addition of 19 more communities. Three previously announced stops along the route have also been promoted to hosting Olympic Flame celebrations.

The communities are: Lac La Hache, BC, Pender Harbour, BC, Qualicum (FN/PN), BC, Qualicum Bay, BC, Xaxli’p, BC, Gleichen, AB, Torrington, AB, Cochin, SK, Creemore, ON, Iskatewizaagegan No. 39, ON, Kakabeka Falls, ON, White River, ON, Upsala, ON, Vermilion Bay, ON, Blainville, QC, Masson-Angers, QC, Saint-Prosper-de-Beauce, QC, Hopedale, NL, and Ausuittuq (Grise Fiord), NU. The three new celebration communities are: Cold Lake, AB, Canadian Forces Station Alert, NU, and Qausuittuq (Resolute Bay), NU. For information on specific dates, visit www.vancouver2010.com/torchrelay.

The board also received the following updates:

• Report of the Finance Committee: A number of contracts were approved in principle and management was delegated authority to finalize the details of such contracts. VANOC will post further information at www.vancouver2010.com once the contracts are finalized.
• Venue Construction: Dr. Penny Ballem provided an update to the Finance Committee on the positive progress being made on construction of the Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver. VANOC expects to start its tenant fit-out of commercial spaces in August. At the Olympic and Paralympic Village Whistler, occupancy permits have been obtained for 60 of the townhomes and final finishing is underway on three of the four core apartment buildings. The Trout Lake training venue achieved substantial completion and received its occupancy permit in April, while the Killarney training centre is also substantially complete and expected to receive its occupancy permit within the next two weeks.
• Paralympic Torch Relay: The Paralympic Torch Relay route will be announced in late June at an event in Vancouver with Sir Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee. The announcement will focus on the lighting ceremony location, torchbearer uniform and torch designs, as well as the unveiling of the first ever Paralympic Torch Relay logo.
• Litigation Update: An update was provided to the board regarding the recently completed women’s ski jumping trial. A decision by the presiding judge is expected in the coming months.
• Sport: Along with transferring knowledge between functions and debriefing senior management on key learnings from sport events, the ice hockey department is planning for the final sport event: Hockey Canada Cup – Women’s Hockey at Canada Hockey Place from August 31 to September 6. Tickets are on sale now at www.hockeycanada.ca.
• Venue Management:Walkthroughs are currently being conducted at all venues to establish consistent and economic planning, validate levels of service and study challenges.
• Venue Leadership: Good progress has been made by VANOC in appointing key leadership positions for the pre-Games and Games-time operations of all venues including sport venues and the Vancouver and Whistler Villages. More details will be provided in the coming weeks.
• Workforce:More than 21,000 Games-times volunteers have been interviewed and offers for confirmed Games-time roles have started.
• Sponsorship: VANOC has signed 3.3 million in sponsorship revenue, achieving 99 per cent of its revenue target

• Contributing Province/Territory Program: The Northwest Territories joined the program in April. VANOC is continuing negotiations and discussions with the remaining provinces and expects to announce them in the near future.
• Strategic CommunicationsSteering Committee: The board received an update on the sale of Paralympic tickets, as well as the communications strategy for Phase 2 of Olympic ticket sales. They also received an update on the Games-time website concept for www.vancouver2010.com.

The next VANOC board meeting will be held on July 15, 2009.

VANOC Board of Directors Background
The VANOC board of directors is made up of 20 members nominated by: the Canadian Olympic Committee (seven); the Government of Canada (three); the Province of British Columbia (three); the City of Vancouver (two); the Resort Municipality of Whistler (two); the Canadian Paralympic Committee (one); a joint appointment by the Band Councils of the Lil’wat and Squamish Nations (one); and one member nominated by the other 19 members.

The board is scheduled to meet six times per year, and more often at the call of the chair as required. The meetings are generally held at the VANOC offices in Vancouver, although they are occasionally hosted by our Games partners in other locations. The board’s responsibility is to oversee the conduct of the business of VANOC as it works toward achieving its Mission: to touch the soul of the nation and inspire the world by creating and delivering an extraordinary Olympic and Paralympic experience with lasting legacies.

As part of its commitment to public transparency and accountability, the VANOC board of directors has made today’s agenda, discussion topics and decisions available to the public on www.vancouver2010.com, subject to conditions of confidentiality related to personal information and/or competitively sensitive or privileged information. VANOC is also committed to hosting media briefings following each board meeting with the board chairman, the CEO and other director(s) or members of the VANOC senior management team to elaborate further on matters.

About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Please visit www.vancouver2010.com for further details on programs and schedules.

Contact
If you are a member of the media, please contact mediarelations@vancouver2010.com

For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com

Vancouver 2010

Canadians donating their time and talents celebrated today  

Vancouver, BC and Toronto, ON — The names and welcoming faces of 13 volunteers chosen to represent their home province or territory as Canada’s ambassadors to the world at the 2010 Winter Games were unveiled today by Workopolis and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). Workopolis is the Official Supplier of Online Recruitment for the 2010 Winter Games.

The 13 are among the first 200 volunteers offered Games-time roles with Vancouver 2010 out of almost 64,000 applications received so far through www.volunteer.workopolis.com and www.vancouver2010.com. Volunteer positions will be offered throughout the summer and continuing up to Games time.

Following the launch on February 12, 2008 of what is quite possibly the largest request for volunteers during peace time in Canada, applications started pouring in. Candidates have applied from every province and territory, as well as from almost 130 countries worldwide, including the Cayman Islands, Iceland and Tunisia, which is more than 9,400 kilometres away from the Host City of Vancouver!

“Last February, Workopolis and Games organizers literally hit the streets to get the word out about the call for volunteers in order to recruit the 25,000 volunteers needed to bring the Games to life,” said Gabriel Bouchard, president of Workopolis.  “The response was incredible and we’re thrilled to introduce this team of fantastic individuals who will represent our country and help truly make these Canada’s Games.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Cathy Priestner Allinger, who heads up sport and Games operations — including volunteer recruitment — for VANOC. “Thanks to the recruitment and promotional campaign we launched with Workopolis, we’re finding a great team of volunteers who’ll be integral in helping us stage great Games. We’re grateful for the enthusiasm and willingness of those who’ve applied.” 

The 13 volunteers are: Chris Brodeur of Calgary, AB; Lynn Ledgerwood of Squamish, BC; Scott Grant of Winnipeg, MB; Joanne Sonier of Memramcook, NB; Wayne Connors of St. John’s, NL; Eric Bond, of Halifax, NS, Tracy Cross Gauthier of Hay River, NT; Dallas Anderson of Iqaluit, NU; Tom Broumas of Toronto, ON; Debbie MacMurdo of Charlottetown, PEI; Diane Drolet of Val-David, QC; Allan Chizek of Prince Albert, SK; and Jean-Francois Latour of Whitehorse, YT.

As thebackbone of the 2010 Winter Games, these volunteers come from all walks of life and all adult age groups in Canada, and speak a variety of languages.  Assigned to a number of areas, they will groom ski hills, take tickets and usher spectators to their seats, welcome athletes to the Olympic and Paralympic Villages in Vancouver and Whistler, shuttle athletes and coaches to and from Olympic and Paralympic venues, and much more.

For additional details about the first 13 volunteers, as well as their photos, please visit www.volunteer.workopolis.com.

For Ontario volunteer Tom Broumas, volunteering at the Games has been a dream almost 20 years in the making.  He will be working in workforce break areas and doing check-in for staff and volunteers at the Games.  

“My first memory of the Olympic Winter Games was watching Kerrin Lee-Gartner win gold in Albertville (in 1992).  That’s when I realized what a great honour it is to be involved with the Olympic Movement —whether that’s as an athlete or as a volunteer,” Broumas said shortly after learning he had been selected.  “I’m most looking forward to the opportunity to work together with all of the other volunteers and being part of an event that will showcase Canada to the world.”

VANOC will continue to recruit applicants up until Games time next February.  Interested volunteer candidates, especially those with language skills in French, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Norwegian and Spanish, as well as those who have event services and transportation experience, are invited to apply at www.volunteer.workopolis.com or www.vancouver2010.com. The application takes about 20 minutes to fill out and captures information about your skills and experience, preferences, availability and accommodation.

Volunteer Experience — Giving You a Competitive Edge in a Tight Job Market

Volunteering your time also shows leadership, time management and altruism — all qualities that employers value. Workopolis offers the following ways volunteering can work for you in a tight job market:

• Increasing your stock.  Employers admire people with a social conscience who make it a priority to take action.  A willingness to work for free demonstrates to an employer that you’ve got a strong work ethic and the benefits you seek are more intrinsic in nature than just financial gain. 
• Testing the waters.  No matter your interest, there’s an unpaid position with your name on it. Think of it like swimming; before jumping in the deep end head-first, start by sticking your toes in the shallow end through some hands-on volunteer experience.  Volunteer experience can result in an added skill set you can include in your resume.
• Opening new doors.  More than half of job vacancies are still being filled internally or through external networking, either through online networks or mingling at social functions.  Diversifying your network through volunteer opportunities can help you stand out from the crowd. 

Celebrating the Unsung Heroes —Our Volunteers

“Workopolis is encouraging Canadians from coast to coast to give the people helping out behind the scenes at the 2010 Winter Games a virtual standing ovation today,” said Bouchard.  “Too often the efforts of volunteers in our society go unnoticed. It’s important for organizations to recognize the volunteer efforts of their employees — whether they are participating in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like this or volunteering their time at a local not-for-profit organization.”  

For more tips on what employers can do to recognize their employees’ volunteer efforts, and to read about the best practices VANOC utilized to help recruit their volunteer workforce, please visit,

www.volunteer.workopolis.com.

About Workopolis
Workopolis (www.workopolis.com) is Canada’s leading online career-solutions provider with over three million unique visitors monthly in Canada, the most posted resumes and twice as many job postings as the nearest competitor. 

Workopolis provides a fully bilingual suite of industry-leading products and services including:

• Powerful Resume Database search functions and intuitive screening tools to help connect employers with the “best fit” candidates — contributing to a 71 per cent hiring success rate for customers.
• An inside look at niche industries as part of Canada’s largest specialized association and publication job board network.
• Career alerts, Resume Rescue and an online salary calculator to help job seekers find the right job.

Headquartered in Toronto, Workopolis has offices in eight Canadian cities.  Workopolis is a partnership of Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. and Gesca Ltd., the newspaper publishing subsidiary of Power Corporation of Canada.

Workopolis is the exclusive Official Supplier of Online Recruitment Services for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Please visit www.vancouver2010.com for further details on programs and schedules.

Contact
If you are a member of the media, please contact mediarelations@vancouver2010.com
For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com

Vancouver 2010

IOC

IOC

Vancouver, BC — Simon Fraser University (SFU) will contribute hundreds of parking spaces to support the 2010 Winter Games integrated transportation plan, and students will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to add Games work experience to their résumés under a partnership announced today between SFU and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC).

The agreement falls under VANOC’s Community Contributor Program, designed to engage community groups in the Games and invite their active participation in welcoming the world in 2010. The British ColumbiaInstitute of Technology (BCIT), Capilano University, Douglas College, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Langara College and Educacentre College are educational institutions also taking part in the program.

SFU will make at least 2,400 parking spaces available from February 12 to February 28, 2010 at its Burnaby campus, located east of Vancouver. The SFU lots will be used as departure hubs for the Olympic Bus Network — a crucial component of VANOC’s Games-time transportation plan, which will move ticketed spectators to the Whistler and Cypress Mountain venues on motorcoaches departing from a network of locations in Metro Vancouver.

In addition, the university will designate a staff member to work as a Paralympic Games engagement coordinator. Students with in-demand skills needed to stage the Games will be encouraged to find work as volunteers or find temporary paid positions in support of various functions at the Organizing Committee. The parking spaces and volunteer opportunities are possible because of a two-week break from classes at the university from February 15 to February 26, 2010.

The agreement with SFU will also allow VANOC to use the Segal Graduate School of Business, as well as Harbour Centre and the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue in downtown Vancouver, for training and meeting facilities.

“We’re excited Simon Fraser University is joining our team as a community contributor — one of seven educational institutions to offer us Games-time assistance,” said Donna Wilson, VANOC executive vice president, workforce and sustainability. “The university is offering us a tremendous range of services, from meeting spaces to parking lots for our Games-time mountain departure bus systems. The SFU departure hub will be a critical part of the Olympic Bus Network, which will transport spectators from the Lower Mainland to our mountain venues.”

“SFU is proud to be a part of the Community Contributor Program, providing vital services and resources that will help ensure the success of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games,” said Dr. Michael Stevenson, president of Simon Fraser University. “We live, work and study in one of the world’s most stunning urban landscapes and we look forward to opening our doors to the world during this exceptional event.”

In exchange for their support, community contributors receive a wide range of domestic rights and benefits that create a close association with the Games, including various advertising, promotional and workforce opportunities.

More information on the 2010 Winter Games integrated transportation plan outlined by the Olympic and Paralympic Transportation Team, including maps and a fact sheet, is available at www.vancouver2010.com. Detailed transportation information will be made widely available in fall 2009 as residents and visitors to the Games Host Region begin to determine their more detailed travel plans.

About Simon Fraser University
Named after explorer Simon Fraser, SFU opened on September 9, 1965. SFU currently has more than 30,000 students and 100,000 alumni, more than 700 tenure-track faculty and 1,600 staff. The original campus has grown into three vibrant campuses in Burnaby, Vancouver and Surrey, and a program located in Kamloops. SFU’s reputation has grown into one of innovative teaching, research and community outreach.

About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Please visit www.vancouver2010.com for further details on programs and schedules.

Contact
If you are a member of the media, please contact mediarelations@vancouver2010.com

For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com

Vancouver 2010

Photos of works at Stratford Regional Station designed to improve the journeys for thousands of spectators travelling to the Olympic Park in 2012 have been released today by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).

London 2012

Vancouver, BC — The City of Port Moody will contribute hundreds of parking spaces to help the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) encourage drivers to take public transit during Games time.

The partnership, announced today, falls under VANOC’s community contributor program, designed to engage community groups in the Games and invite their active participation in welcoming the world in 2010.

The City of Port Moody will make parking areas available to passengers using the West Coast Express train from February 12 to February 28 in the Rocky Point Pool parking lot at 2800 Murray Street (150 parking spaces) and the Inlet playing field in the 3200-block of Murray Street (300 parking spaces). The lots will be staffed by volunteer parking attendants, provided by the city, to provide directions and general assistance to users.

The agreement will also allow VANOC to use meeting and training spaces at the Port Moody Recreation Complex from May 15, 2009 through January 31, 2010.

“We’re delighted the City of Port Moody is joining our team,” said Taleeb Noormohamed, VANOC director, corporate strategy and partner relations. “The almost 500 parking spots they’re providing will help encourage motorists to park and take public transit during the Games.”

The Games-time transportation plan is based on a reduction of at least 30 per cent in local vehicle traffic into downtown Vancouver. The Port Moody parking spots will support West Coast Express customers on a first-come, first-serve basis. The West Coast Express will have an 80 per cent capacity increase during the Games by adding six additional trips on weekdays, nine more on Saturdays and seven on Sundays.

“As a community contributor, we look forward to leveraging our international recognition as an official partner of VANOC and building upon our past successes such as the International Awards for Livable Communities, which we received in 2004,” said Port Moody Mayor Joe Trasolini.  “Now that the City of Port Moody has been recognized as a community contributor, we will be marketing our city internationally to attract Olympic teams to use Port Moody’s facilities to prepare for the Games, as well as to attract cultural and special events to take place in Port Moody.”

In exchange for their support, community contributors receive a wide range of domestic rights and benefits that create a close association with the Games including various advertising, promotional and workforce opportunities.

More information on the integrated transportation plan for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games by the Olympic and Paralympic Transportation Team (OPTT), including maps and a fact sheet, is available at www.vancouver2010.com. Detailed transportation information will be made widely available in fall 2009 as residents and visitors to the Games Host Region begin to determine their more detailed travel plans.

About the City of Port Moody

Port Moody – City of the Arts! – is located at the head of Burrard Inlet and at the foot of Eagle Mountain. A vibrant city of 30,000, Port Moody is located an easy 40-minute drive from both downtown Vancouver and the Canada-United States border and just steps from seaside parks, mountain trails and lakes.

About VANOC

VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Please visit www.vancouver2010.com for more information.

Contact
If you are a member of the media, please contact mediarelations@vancouver2010.com
For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com

Vancouver 2010

IOC

IOC

Improvement works have started on The Greenway, an important cycle and walking route to the Olympic Park.

London 2012