A Perfect Match: Vancouver and the 2010 Winter Games

How is Vancouver putting its own stamp on the 2010 Winter Games? The city's setting and culture are at the heart of what will make this a standout celebration, as will the unique focus the Games' planning efforts are taking this time around.

The Ultimate Olympic Setting

Consistently voted and judged the world's most livable city, Vancouver promises to be one of the most spectacular and pleasant places the Games have been held in recent years. Sparkling shoreline is never far from any point in the city, and just beyond are the stunning Coast Mountains (including the world-class slopes at Whistler, host to several Games events) that dramatically rise straight up from turquoise inlets. Surrounding forests, lakes, islands and rivers have also enticed more than a few outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers to take up residence in Vancouver. Combined with a thriving and progressive urban culture - and all the opportunities that come along with it (think amazing cuisine, a sizzling nightlife scene and shopping that wows even celebrities) - it's no wonder the city is so desirable.

The fact that Vancouver has such wide appeal simultaneously influences the social landscape. Since its beginnings, Vancouver drew immigrants from across the globe, and today the population remains incredibly diverse.

As you walk down the street in Vancouver at any given time, there's a good chance you'll hear French, German, Japanese, Chinese and a host of other languages, plus a range of accents. All across town, you can taste just about any type of ethnic food you desire - Cambodian, Ethiopian, Lebanese, you name it. And the city's art galleries, museums and performing arts groups reflect the city's vast multiculturalism, too. So as Vancouver welcomes the world for the 2010 Winter Games, visitors can rest assured that welcoming the world is nothing new to cosmopolitan Vancouver.

Another aspect that has earned Vancouver its "most livable" status is its reputation for being clean, green and easily accessible. The community takes pride in keeping the city spruced up, maintaining an excellent infrastructure and providing a wide-reaching, efficient transit system.

There is also a high expectation for social and environmental responsibility here, reflected in the Oceanwise symbols that indicate sustainable seafood on restaurant menus all over town, noticeably rigorous recycling efforts and programs that make it one of the most accessible cities in the world among travellers with special needs.

The Unique Legacy of the 2010 Winter Games

It's no surprise, given Vancouver's character, that sustainability became a major focus early on for the 2010 Winter Games -one that helped win the bid for Host City. And we're not talking just about environmental concerns. Sustainability, in this case, takes into consideration the social and economic impacts and opportunities of the Games, as well as the legacy they will leave.

One aspect of this includes engaging Canada's artistic community, which has played and will continue to play a major role in the Games celebrations. The Cultural Olympiad, a major three-part series of more than 200 events, showcases the best in Canadian and international arts and popular culture, bringing artists, performers and audiences into the Olympic Winter Games experience across Canada. The Cultural Olympiad will culminate in the days just before and during the 2010 Winter Games with an explosion of events in theatres, galleries, plazas and on the streets.

Another unique feature of the 2010 Winter Games is that they will be held on the traditional and shared territories of the Lil'wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations - known collectively as the Four Host First Nations. The support and active participation of these nations, which was sought at the outset, will enrich the Games.

For example, the Four Host First Nations will have an Aboriginal Pavilion - in the heart of downtown Vancouver on the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza - a gathering place where the Aboriginal peoples of Canada will showcase their culture to the world. Two very visible Games images, the emblem that is based on the inukshuk (an ancient symbol of Inuit culture) and the Vancouver 2010 mascots (characters that draw from First Nations legends) also point to the First Nations presence and inspiration in these Games.

Conserving natural environments and managing negative impacts is also a hugely important - and admirable - goal of the Vancouver Organizing Committee, and their efforts are already earning awards. Sustainability in venue design and procurement and the legacy of each venue - how it will serve the community after the Games - has been carefully considered.

Take the Olympic and Paralympic Village, which provides newly built, sustainable housing for athletes and officials that will be a model LEED neighbourhood post-Games. Or the Richmond Oval, which features a roof that was constructed with wood damaged by the pine beetle infestation in British Columbia. There are countless other examples of how careful planning will help these Games limit their negative impact and maximize positive impacts, and you can read more at vancouver2010.com.

These efforts towards inclusion and sustainability will leave Vancouver with enhanced sports facilities, public transit, green buildings, and arts and culture - legacies that residents and visitors alike will enjoy and appreciate in the exciting days before, during and long after the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.