Banners for the Vancouver Olympics are going up.Banners Flying
The first of 6,000 banners are flapping in the breezes of Vancouver today as the look of the Games expands through the Olympic city.
More than $500,000 is being spent by the city of Vancouver for the banners. The first bunch went up Jan. 6 around the King Edward Canada Line station, the nearest rapid transit stop to the Vancouver Olympic curling arena.
Host city communications project manager Lesli Boldt says the banners will be ubiquitous.
“The main arterials, Cambie, Granville and Hastings, throughout downtown Vancouver as well,” she said. “There’s a gateway to the Games aspect to the planning of the banner program, there’s also a celebratory aspect.”
Staff estimated $150,000 could be recovered after the Games if the banners are sold or recycled as handbags.
VANOC Pay Raise
VANOC gave its head office staff a 1.5 percent pay raise effective Jan. 1.
Staff received a memo Jan. 4 from workforce executive vice-president Donna Wilson announcing the increase.
“As many of you know, the current economic times have challenged our creative thinking as an (organizing committee),” said the memo. “Notwithstanding the times we're in, at the end of 2009, the VANOC board of directors approved a 1.5 percent salary increase for all VANOC employees.”
The pay raise is smaller than the 2 percent hike the previous year. VANOC employees who work through the Games will receive shares from a 30 million Canadian dollar severance fund set-up to prevent early resignations.
The raise was not disclosed to reporters who covered the Nov. 18 board meeting.
McDonald’s Launch
Mary Dillon, McDonald’s chief global marketing officer will help launch the sponsor’s campaign for the Vancouver Games on Monday. (ATR)McDonald’s is launching its Vancouver 2010 sponsorship program with Canadian figure skater Patrick Chan and U.S. gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson.
They will be joined by chief global marketing officer Mary Dillon and McDonald’s Canada president John Betts on a live Monday webcast at 11 a.m. CT. The webcast originates from Chicago, Toronto and Vancouver.
The group will disclose special packaging, T.V. ads and the Champion Kids and Olympic Champion Crew programs.
5 Percent Friday
The first of five Friday traffic reduction rehearsals is coming.
VANOC hopes downtown traffic will be reduced 5 percent if commuters can take public transit, walk, bike or work from home on Jan. 8.
VANOC said the 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. windows will be the peak times for traffic during the Games, which begin Feb. 12.
VANOC wants to cut downtown traffic by 30 percent overall to compensate for the network of Olympic lanes. Companies that commit to reducing traffic and sharing their travel plan have a chance to win 50 tickets to victory ceremonies. More information is at TravelSmart2010.ca.
The next phase of the transportation plan is expected to be revealed Jan. 12.
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With reporting from Bob Mackin in Vancouver.
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