Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Venues
The Games Come to British Columbia with Elite Sports Athletes
Feb 16, 2009
British Columbia is welcoming the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games by offering up some fantastic sports venues for athletes to compete in.
From the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver and Whistler Creekside, to the Richmond Olympic Oval and Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver, these sporting venues are hot tickets to see Olympic competitions.
Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver
This locally loved arena was once the home of the Vancouver Canucks NHL hockey team and is now the address of the Vancouver Giants Junior hockey team. During the Olympics, though, it will see the figure skating and short track speed skating events.
- Venue Capacity: 14,239
- Elevation: 26 m
- Completed: All upgrades were finished in fall of 2007
UBC Thunderbird Arena in Vancouver
Known for hosting some great musical concerts, this arena will focus on some of the hockey tournaments and the men’s ice sledge hockey competitions.
- Venue Capacity: 7,200
- Elevation: 90 m
- Completed: Refurbishments were completed in June 2008, four months ahead of schedule
Canada Hockey Place in Vancouver
Otherwise known as GM Place and the current home of the Vancouver Canucks, this venue will be the centrepiece of the men and women’s hockey tournaments.
- Venue Capacity: 18,630
- Elevation: 8 m
- Completed: Hockey will be played on North American-sized rinks, so there was no need to expand the rink; additional locker rooms will be built before 2010
Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Centre
Located at the base of lovely Queen Elizabeth Park and with views of the gorgeous coastal mountains, this venue will see the curling and wheelchair curling competitions.
- Venue Capacity: 6,000
- Elevation: 74 m
- Completed: Phase one is complete for the Olympics, but will also see an aquatic centre and legacy recreation complex finished by the summer of 2011
The Whistler Sliding Centre
Perched on Blackcomb Mountain, this venue is only one of 15 sliding centres in the world. This will be the venue for the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events.
- Venue Capacity: 12,000
- Elevation: men’s luge handles 939 m, bottom 787 m, highest vertical drop 152 m
- Completed: Testing was successfully finished in February 2009
Whistler Creekside
This popular site will be the home of the alpine skiing competitions during the 2010 Winter Games. Events include downhill, suger-g, giant slalom, slalom and super combined.
- Venue Capacity: 7,600 (Olympic Games) and 6,000 (Paralympic Games)
- Elevation: 810 m
- Completed: finished in the fall of 2007
Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Park
Comprised of three separate stadiums, this venue makes up the cross-country skiing, biathlon, paralympic biathlon and ski jumping competitions.
- Venue Capacity: 12,000 in each stadium (Winter Games) and 6,000 (Paralympic Games)
- Elevation: 840 m - 930 m
- Completed: Permanent construction was completed in the fall of 2007, while temporary construction will begin in the summer of 2009
Richmond Olympic Oval
This classy and fantastic venue will host all of the speed skating events. The oval is located 14 kilometres from the Vancouver International Airport and close to downtown Richmond.
- Venue Capacity: 8,000
- Elevation: sea level
- Completed: works was finished in December 2008, 14 months ahead of schedule
Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver
Another popular skiing spot, this venue is located within Cypress Provincial Park. Views of Vancouver are magnificent and the mountain is well serviced by the Trans-Canada highway 1.
- Venue Capacity: 8,000
- Elevation: 930 m
- Completed: Improvements were finished in the fall of 2007, while the freestyle venue was the first to be completed in November 2006
For more detailed information about the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Venues, visit the game’s website.
For accommodation information, see this Vancouver 2010 Olympic Hotels in BC article.
Find out where to buy Olympic merchandise.
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