The Olympic spirit is alive and well in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. The community is already showing signs of preparation to co-host the 2010 Winter Olympics with its urban neighbor to the south, Vancouver.
Securing The Bid When it comes to hosting the world's most prestigious sporting event, it's never too soon to start planning. In February 1998, a group of Vancouver and Whistler citizens formed the Olympic Bid Society and approached the Vancouver City Council for support of a joint bid for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The Council approved a recommendation to support the concept, and the work began. Before it was over, Vancouver had to prevail over the likes of Bern, Switzerland; Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina; and Salzburz, Austria. Other contending nations included South Korea, Andorra, China, and Spain. But prevail it did, and on July 2, 2003, Vancouver was selected by the International Olympic Committee to be the Host City for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Vancouver is a world-class city, with the population base, infrastructure, and metropolitan cachet to draw and host the crowds necessary for a successful, large-scale international event. Cosmopolitan and diverse, Vancouver is a major transportation hub and gateway to western Canada. It successfully hosted the last World's Fair in North America, Expo '86. The city itself is home to more than 500,000 citizens, but the population of the greater Vancouver area easily tops 2 million.
Recreational venues within the city include two major indoor ice arenas that each seat more than 15,000 people, covered stadium seating for more than 55,000 people, eight ice skating rinks, 24 community centers, four community halls, 183 parks, including 1,000-acre Stanley Park, nine golf courses, 14 swimming pools (indoor and outdoor), and 181 tennis courts. Add to that the top-notch skiing afforded by nearby Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, and you have an international winter sports destination to be reckoned with.
Sweetening the deal, Canadians are naturally enthusiastic about winter sports. Generally perceived as a peaceful nation, these folks are downright rabid about their hockey, curling, ice skating, hockey, bobsledding, skiing, and, did I mention hockey?
Whistler's Role But back to skiing, and Whistler's contribution. First, let me explain that Whistler is a village (pop. 9,000) and that Whistler Blackcomb is a ski resort (http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/ ). There are two mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb; they are 7,160 feet high and 7,494 feet high, respectively. They have a combined total of over 200 alpine runs with over 7,000 acres of skiable terrain, and an hourly lift capacity of nearly 60,000 skiers/boarders. These are not typos. This place is enormous. By most calculations, it is the largest ski area in North America.
Of course, no matter how many thousands of stadium seats or acres of skiable terrain are available, Olympic host cities are known for re-inventing themselves prior to The Games, and Vancouver/Whistler are no exceptions. Infrastructure improvements will include a much-needed facelift for the Sea-to-Sky Highway that connects Vancouver with Whistler and expansion of the existing alpine ski runs to include more runs in the area known as Whistler Creekside. Entirely new construction will include a Nordic Centre to host the biathlon, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined events, and a Sliding Centre for the bobsled, luge, and skeleton events.
Community Vibe So, are the residents of Whistler excited about playing host to the world's greatest sporting event? Maybe just a little. Let's just say that on a recent visit to Whistler, I couldn't turn a corner in the Village without running into a visual reminder of the upcoming event. Red and blue signs proclaimed the host city status. Businesses advertised their early support. Real estate brokers used Olympic access as a selling point. And in front of the small, but vibrant Whistler 2010 Olympic headquarters, a bobsled and a 3-level podium provided irresistible photo opportunities.
As for me, a first-time-at-Whistler-Blackcomb skier, I found it surprisingly titillating to know that I was skiing a run that was going to be turned into the 2010 Olympic Giant Slalom. Whether I decide to brave the crowds and visit our neighbor to the north to see the events "live," or whether I tune in on television, I'll enjoy seeing the jagged white peaks and charming architecture of Whistler and saying, "Been there!"
NEXT WEEK: What exactly is the difference between a luge and a skeleton? Winter Olympic sports defined!
Sally O'Neal Coates is a travel writer who lives, writes, and skis in Washington State. For Sally, just getting to the bottom of a "blue run" with both skis attached is an Olympic event.