Vancouver and Beyond

The Whistler Sliding Centre — home to bobsleigh, luge and skeleton — and Whistler Olympic Park/Whistler Paralympic Park — the venue for all 2010 Winter Games Nordic sports — are hosting public tours this summer.

The Whistler Sliding Centre
Beginning Thursday, July 3, The Whistler Sliding Centre on Blackcomb Mountain will be offering self-guided public walking tours Thursdays to Sundays until the end of August. Walking tours provide an opportunity for the public to learn about preparations for the 2010 Winter Games, as well as a glimpse of the venue and an understanding for the sliding sports of bobsleigh, luge and skeleton that will take place there.

High performance track

Nestled in the backyard playground of Whistler Village, the sliding track at The Whistler Sliding Centre is a new addition to the many adventure activities in the area. The track has been certified and approved by International Sport Federations for sliding training camps and Sport Events in the 2008-09 winter season. Post-Games, the facility will be operated by the Whistler Legacies Society as a centre for high performance development, youth and recreational sport programming, tourism (passenger rides and venue tours), and group and corporate events.

One of two sliding tracks in Canada, the Whistler sliding track will elevate the Canadian high-performance sport development program and increase participation specifically in the Sea to Sky corridor.

 It’s also an engineering marvel. This May, the BC Ready-Mixed Concrete Association presented the Century Award to VANOC and the project team for The Whistler Sliding Centre’s technically demanding and ultra-fast sliding track.

Fast facts: The Whistler Sliding Centre

The Whistler Sliding Centre is one of 15 international competition sliding tracks in the world and has the highest vertical drop of all (152 metres)
Track G-force is expected to reach 5.02 Gs (men’s luge)
In 2007-08, the track’s inaugural season, the highest speed reached was 147.9 kilometres per hour (four-man bobsleigh)
The track measures 1,450 metres from start to finish, with an elevation change of over 150 metres
350 tons of concrete were used to construct the track
A thin ice surface measuring between two and five centimetres is produced and maintained by hand
The track has 36 on-track cameras and 42 “timing eyes”
The track is designed to minimize refrigeration energy by using an ammonia refrigeration system. Ammonia is one of the most energy-efficient refrigerants, producing no chlorofluorocarbons (which contribute to ozone-layer depletion and global climate change)
Summer tours at The Whistler Sliding Centre
Canada Day special access on July 1, 2008

Following the Whistler Canada Day Parade, all parade participants and spectators are invited to visit: the venue is open from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
A shuttle service will run from the base of Blackcomb Mountain to the venue and return
Admission is by donation
Regular tour dates

Every Thursday to Sunday from July 3 to August 31, 2008

Hours of operation

11:00 am to 5:00 pm

General admission

$5 per person
Free for children 12 years old and under
$20 for a family of more than four
Admission includes:

Wheelchair accessible, self-guided walking tour of the track lower loop and finish stadium (some pathways are steep)
A brochure map (available in English and French) marking points of interest, including venue history, sport facts, events timeline and sustainability attributes
Access to the Track Lodge showcase of sport equipment, sport history, photos, venue history and more
Admission fees go towards pre-Games operations of The Whistler Sliding Centre tour program
 For more information, visit whistlerslidingcentre.com or call 604.964.2401.

Whistler Olympic Park/Whistler Paralympic Park 
Another tour opportunity lies just 15 kilometres south of Whistler, at Whistler Olympic Park/Whistler Paralympic Park, the home of biathlon, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and ski jumping for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Whistler Olympic Park/Whistler Paralympic Park first opened its doors to recreational and competitive skiers during the 2007-08 winter season. Anyone who has yet to cruise through the stunning Callaghan Valley on cross-country skis will have many opportunities this summer to explore the trails and recreational facilities on foot with self-guided tours, guided tours or ski jump tours.

Fast facts: Whistler Olympic Park/Whistler Paralympic Park

For the first time in Olympic Winter Games history, all four Nordic disciplines (biathlon, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and ski jumping) are occurring at the same venue
Over 13 days of Olympic competition, athletes will compete for a total 24 Olympic medals at The Whistler Sliding Centre
The venue will host 30 per cent of the Olympic medal events and 50 per cent of the Paralympic medal events
Athletes will ski an average speed of about 25 kilometres per hour during cross-country ski races, reaching maximum speeds near 60 kilometres per hour
During the men’s 50-kilometre race, athletes will climb approximately 2,000 vertical metres (more than twice the vertical of the men’s alpine downhill course at Whistler Creekside).
The only snowmaking system at the venue is used for the ski jump landing hill
Summer tours at the Whistler Olympic Park/Whistler Paralympic Park
Dates

Self-guided walking, wheelchair accessible, car or bike tours of Whistler Olympic Park/Whistler Paralympic Park are now available during park hours. The venue is open seven days a week. Tour dates and times will vary.

Hours of Operation

Daily, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

General Admission

Tour fees vary depending on tour choice.

Self-Guided Tour

Free, self-guided tours are available seven days a week during park hours, allowing visitors to learn more about Nordic sports by visiting the biathlon, cross-country and ski jumping stadiums. Guests will be given a map that will lead them through the venue by car or bike where they can snap a photo of the towering inukshuk or enjoy a picnic in the breathtaking Callaghan Valley. No pre-booking required.

Guided Tour

For groups of 10 or more, guided tours through the venue provide detailed information about the Nordic sports and the role of the venue during the 2010 Winter Games. Guided tours must be booked in advance and are subject to availability. Transportation during the tour is not provided.

Groups of 10 to 22 people: $150 plus GST
Groups of 23 or more: $300 plus GST
Ski Jump Tour

Available on Saturdays and Sundays only, starting July 5, 2008, the ski jump tour is a glimpse of the venue from the athlete’s perspective. This tour includes a ride on the chairlift to the top of the large hill, an opportunity to learn about ski jumping and a unique view of the beautiful Callaghan Valley. No pre-booking required.

General admission: $12 plus GST
Group rate (10 or more): $10 plus GST
Free for children 12 years of age and under
Entry for drivers/tour company guide is complimentary
Guided venue tours and ski jump tours can be combined at a 25 per cent discount.
For more information, or to book a guided tour, visit whistlerolympicpark.com or call 604.964.2455 or 1.877.764.2455.

Tags: blackcomb mountain, british columbia, canada, olympic park, whistler

Council voted unanimously yesterday to support a sustainable transportation program with incentives for employees who work at City Hall precinct locations. The program aims to reduce single-occupant vehicle commuting to the City Hall precinct from its current share of 37 per cent of employees to less than 25 per cent by 2010.

The incentive package available to employees who travel to work by a sustainable means such as transit, carpooling, cycling or walking includes:

• 35 -50 per cent discount on transit passes
• Faresaver passes for transit
• subsidized parking for car pools
• cycling skills courses, bike maintenance workshops, free bike tune-ups and cycling gear
• walking shoes
• a Guaranteed Ride Home program.

The incentive program will not add to the City’s operating budget. Incentives will be funded through setting up pay parking at the City Hall precinct parking lots.

“The City is showing itself to be a leader when it comes to getting employees out of their cars and in to green commutes. We’re doing our part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and I encourage all Vancouverites to do the same,” said Mayor Sullivan.

Council recently approved additional measures promoting sustainable employee transportation options: a contract was approved with the Co-operative Auto Network (CAN) to provide vehicles for City business needs so that employees don’t need to use personal cars for work requirements. Council also approved bike facility improvements at City Hall.

The City is actively working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Vancouver through action plans and commitments, and to shift all Vancouver citizens towards more sustainable types of transportation. Demonstrating leadership and engaging staff is a key part of that work.
For more information:     
Corporate Communications
604.871.6336

Tags: british columbia, canada, Ecotourism, environment, vancouver

Jazz Fest Preview I: The Bassists
posted by Nou Dadoun

As a continuing mark of quality programming, this year’s Vancouver International Jazz Festival presents an incredible array of bass-players. In fact, one could easily argue that over the next couple of weeks, over a half-dozen of the world’s top ten bass players will be participating in performances at this year’s festival.
Dave Holland
Growing up in England, Dave Holland was inspired by Ray Brown, Charles Mingus, Jimmy Garrison and Scott Lafaro while collaborating in a musical community that included John McLaughlin, John Surman and Chris McGregor. Getting the call to work with Miles Davis kickstarted a career that has included working almost every major jazz artist in the last 40 years. Today, Dave Holland is one of the most versatile musicians around, leading his big band, quintet, trio and performing solo on both bass and cello. Any ensemble he joins becomes, by definition, an all-star group. Holland performs with the Herbie Hancock All-Star Ensemble also featuring saxophonist Chris Potter, and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta.

 
Miroslav Vitous
Like Holland, Vitous was another alumnus of Miles Davis’ electric ensembles, and subsequently, was a founding member of Weather Report with Zawinul and Wayne Shorter. His collaborations and recordings with the like of Chick Corea and fellow Czech Jan Hammer are the stuff of legend. In recent years, he has specialized in duo and solo performances with the occasional foray into larger collaborations like the Universal Syncopations projects for ECM. For this year’s festival, Miroslav Vitous resurrects a duo collaboration with Quebecois vibes player Jean Vanasse with whom he recorded the Nouvelle Cuisine album for Justin Time in the late 80s.

Steve Swallow

Steve Swallow has been musically linked with Gary Burton, Jimmy Giuffre, Bill Evans, Paul Motian and both Paul Bley & Carla Bley. As a poll-winner, educator, improviser, composer, he’s made a singular mark in contemporary jazz. Also reknowned as one of the instantly recognizable voices on the five-string electric bass, Steve Swallow performs at this year’s festival as part of the John Scofield Trio, another recurring collaboration which goes back almost 30 years.

Barry Guy
Barry Guy is an outstanding composer, improviser, educator and group leader. With his formidable technique, he’s equally at home with Bach, Stockhausen, Michael Nyman or Evan Parker. He has a predilection for leading and composing for large ensembles including collaborations with Vancouver’s NOW Orchestra and his own London Jazz Composer’s Orchestra. At this year’s festival, Barry Guy presents his ensemble The Barry Guy New Orchestra as well as a number of spin-off performances including a duo with Maya Homburger on baroque violin.
 Charlie Haden

Like Holland, Charlie Haden is another collaborative genius who adds immediate prestige to any ensemble. At home in any setting from duets, to solo, to the Ornette Coleman quartet, to his own Liberation Music Orchestra. At the Centre this year, Haden brings back his long-standing and award-winning group Quartet West. Quartet West is inspired by the music, literature and ambient culture of post-war Los Angeles which was the scene of his early musical development and collaborations with Ornette Coleman, Paul Bley and Don Cherry. The quartet features veterans Ernie Watts, Alan Broadbent and relative newcomer Rodney Green.

Michel Donato

A uniquely Canadian treasure, Donato played one of the first Vancouver International Jazz Festivals in his acclaimed collaboration with vocalist Karen Young and returned a few years ago leading a quintet of young European players. Donato brings his new trio featuring accordionist Marin Nasturica and guitarist Jon Gearey to the festival to celebrate a swingin’ Canada Day down at Granville Island.
 Renaud Garcia-Fons

A performer who may be relatively unknown in Vancouver, he is well-known and admired in Europe and his native France. He plays a modified 5-string bass which, together with his accomplished arco technique, presents a string palette which ranges from a sonorous bass up to the warm sound of a viola. French with a Spanish/Catalan heritage, his trio draws on elements of jazz, flamenco, musette and Mediterranean/Arabic flavours for an intriguing mix. Catch him the first of his two nights at Performance Works before the word gets out.

And that’s not even including bassists Michael Formanek (with Tim Berne), Michael Moore (with Dave Brubeck), Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and Wilbert de Joode and more!

For more information, concert schedules, and occasional sound samples, see http://www.coastaljazz.com/ .
—
On a sad note, the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society issued the following press release today:
Coastal Jazz & Blues Society, producers of the TD Canada Trust Vancouver International Jazz Festival, wishes to express its profound sadness at the news of Esbjorn Svensson’s death on the weekend. Our condolences go out to his family and friends.

The acclaimed Swedish pianist and leader of the group e.s.t. died Saturday while scuba diving near his home in Stockholm. e.s.t. was scheduled to perform June 24 at The Centre on a double bill with the John Scofield Trio during the TD Canada Trust Vancouver International Jazz Festival.

The John Scofield Trio will now perform two sets for a total of 100 to 120 minutes starting at 7:30 PM during the B.C. Honda Dealers Classic Sounds at The Centre Series. Billed as “An Evening with the John Scofield Trio” the Festival wishes to thank guitarist John Scofield for graciously extending his performance.

Tags: british columbia, canada, culture, jazz festival, vancouver

Three carved portals by prominent Coast Salish artist Susan Point were officially unveiled today in Stanley Park at the Brockton Point totem site.

Entitled People Amongst the People, the 15 to 17-foot-high portals are a welcome from the Coast Salish to visitors of Stanley Park, the totem site, and the traditional lands of the Coast Salish people. This installation is of particular significance to the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh people, who currently have no artwork represented among the totem poles at Brockton Point. The three Nations cooperated in the selection and celebration of this work.

The intricate works, which were three years in the making, were commissioned by the City of Vancouver’s Public Art Program, and developed through collaborative efforts with Coast Salish Arts; Vancouver Storyscapes, a City Social Planning project that encouraged aboriginal people to share their stories through a variety of media; the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Watuth First Nations, and the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation.
Susan Point is a Coast Salish artist living on the Musqueam reserve in Vancouver. She has completed numerous public and private commissions including major works for the Vancouver International Airport and for the Smithsonian institute in Washington, DC.

The City of Vancouver Public Art Program encourages and supports opportunities for artists to incorporate contemporary art practices into City and private sector planning. The Program funds art-making of many kinds to provide for the creation of art that expresses the spirit, values, visions, and poetry of place that collectively define Vancouver.

People Amongst the People
By Susan Point
All of the imagery used for the artwork draws on central Coast Salish design elements. People Amongst the People’s three portals are:

 Male and Female Welcome Figures
These three carved pieces frame the view of the original totem poles, creating a grand entrance to the site. In a traditional Salish gesture of welcome, the figures of these two upright poles greet visitors with raised, outstretched hands. Both figures wear Salish blankets incorporating weaving designs and a salmon motif. The male upright has traditional design elements carved on the back. The reverse side of the female upright uses a motif influenced by Salish berry basket designs, and honours the skills of Salish ancestors.

Grandparents and Grandchildren
On the southwest side of the totems are figures of grandparents and grandchildren on the upright poles. An intertwined braid of hair links the three female faces of the grandparents pole, illustrating the powerful matrilineal links running through Salish generations. The abstract design on the back of the pole represents the salmon that were once so plentiful in the area and so important in the lives of the Salish. The grandchildren upright also pays tribute to the importance of the family bond within Salish culture. The reverse side features a carved herring design that reflects the living culture in the area as it has been transformed through history.

Salish Dancer and Killer Whale
The third portal is visible from the seawall and park drive just north of the totem pole site.  The Salish Dancer upright shows a human figure holding a sea serpent rattle and serves as a reminder of the strength and ongoing evolution of Salish design. Above it is the Thunderbird, the most powerful of all spirits, and a symbol of protection. The tree roots on the opposite face of the upright remind us of our connection to the land, sea and sky.  The Killer Whale upright depicts five whales, each with a raven fin and salmon pectoral.  Humans and orcas are believed to be closely linked, and that when great chiefs die, they become killer whales. The reverse side displays a boldly coloured Salish design. The crossbeam is carved with a Salish textile motif.

 
For more information:     
Corporate Communications
604.871.6336

Tags: british columbia, canada, culture, salish, stanley park, totem, vancouver

Community invited to learn about venues and sports

Vancouver, BC – The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) today announced that The Whistler Sliding Centre will open its doors for tours this summer, providing the public with the first opportunity to personally touch and feel one of the 2010 Winter Games venues. Located on Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler BC, The Whistler Sliding Centre will be home to bobsleigh, luge and skeleton competitions in 2010. It is one of only 15 international competition sliding tracks in the world, and one of four in North America.

Whistler Olympic Park will also host tours this summer, offering members of the public the opportunity to explore the trails and recreational facilities that make up the venue, and a first-hand look at one of the world’s most sophisticated ski jumps. During the 2010 Winter Games, Whistler Olympic Park will be home to biathlon, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and ski jumping. Located 15 kilometres south of Whistler, the facility opened its doors to both recreational and competitive skiers during the 2007-08 winter season.

“Tours are a great opportunity for the public to get a first-hand look at some of the most spectacular facilities of the Games and to learn about the sports they will host,” said Cathy Priestner Allinger, VANOC executive vice president, sport and Games operations. “Visitors will leave with a great sense of anticipation for the thrilling competitions that will take place there this winter, and in 2010. This is also a great chance for residents to familiarize themselves with the world-class facilities that are now in their own backyard, and what will be an important part of their community for years to come.”

Canadian athletes who have driven The Whistler Sliding Centre track have said it is one of the fastest and most challenging in the world. After participating in the christening of the track in December 2007, Pierre Lueders, four-time Olympian, and the most decorated slider in Canadian history, noted: “It’s definitely the fastest track in the world and that’s what makes it so difficult.” Canadian skeleton racer Michelle Kelly agreed, stating, “It’s an exciting track and what’s hard about it is that it has crazy speed, but any loss of concentration and you can get in trouble because it is technical as well.” Over 13 days of Olympic competition, athletes will compete for a total 24 Olympic medals at The Whistler Sliding Centre.

Self-guided walking tours of The Whistler Sliding Centre will begin on July 3 and continue until the end of August. Admission for these tours is $5.

Beginning June 15, free, self-guided walking, car or bike tours of Whistler Olympic Park will be available during park hours. Visitors interested in guided tours or tours of the ski jumps, however, must book in advance at www.whistlerolympicpark.com or by calling 604.964.2455. Admission fees for guided tours of Whistler Olympic Park will vary depending on tour choice. Proceeds from the tours will be directed towards general administration and overhead relating specifically to the summer 2008 venue tour programs. Both The Whistler Sliding Centre and Whistler Olympic Park are wheelchair accessible.

After the 2010 Winter Games, The Whistler Sliding Centre and Whistler Olympic Park will provide sport and recreation legacies as well as economic opportunities under the direction of the Whistler Legacies Society.

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. Visit www.vancouver2010.com.
QUICK FACTS

The Whistler Sliding Centre

One of only 15 international competition sliding tracks in the world
Highest vertical drop of any track in the world: 152 metres
Track G-force is expected to reach 5.02 Gs (men’s luge)
Highest speed reached in inaugural 2007-08 season: 147.9 kilometres per hour (four-man bobsleigh)
A thin ice surface measuring between two and five centimetres is produced and maintained by hand
The track measures 1,450 metres from start to finish, with an elevation change of over 150 metres
350 tons of concrete were used to construct the track
The track has 36 on-track cameras and 42 “timing eyes”
Energy-efficiency initiatives, designed to minimize refrigeration plant energy use, include an ammonia refrigeration system. Ammonia is one of the most energy-efficient refrigerants, producing no chlorofluorocarbons (which contribute to ozone-layer depletion and global climate change).

Whistler Olympic Park

First time in Olympic Winter Games history that all four Nordic disciplines (biathlon, ski jumping, Nordic combined, cross-country skiing) are occurring at the same venue
The only snowmaking system at the venue is for the ski jump landing hill
The venue has approximately five kilometres of paved rollerski trails and six kilometres of lit trails to enhance training opportunities
The venue will host 30 per cent of the Olympic medal events and 50 per cent of the Paralympic medal events
Athletes will ski an average speed of just under 25 kilometres per hour during cross-country ski races, reaching maximum speeds near 60 kilometres per hour
During the men’s 50-kilometre race, the athletes will climb approximately 2,000 vertical metres (more than twice the vertical of the men’s alpine downhill course at Whistler Creekside). The winning time for this race is expected to be approximately 2 hours, with an average speed of almost 25 kilometres per hour
Sustainability initiatives include an on-site waste water treatment plant to use leading technology (tertiary membrane filtration and ultraviolet disinfection) for high-quality discharge to local surface water. During Games-time, as with other outdoor venues, temporary wastewater collection infrastructure will be in place to accommodate high user numbers.
Contact

VANOC Communications
mediarelations@vancouver2010.com

Tags: 2010, british columbia, olympics, paralympic winter games, vancouver, whistler