The Vancouver Paralympics schedule includes 10 alpineevents at Whistler Creekside. (Getty Images)(ATR) Tickets for the Vancouver Paralympics go on sale next May and some top-secret tests take place at the arena to be used for Olympic ceremonies.
A quarter-million tickets for the 2010 Winter Paralympics will go on sale May 6, 2009 for as low as C$15 each.
VANOC announced Aug. 28 that some group tickets would start at C$10 each. Like the 1.6 million 2010 Winter Olympic tickets -- on sale Oct. 3 – 90 percent are expected to be snapped up online.
Vice-president of consumer marketing at VANOC Caley Denton said the spring date was chosen to allow enough time for potential buyers to be familiar with Paralympic sports.
VANOC hosts the International Paralympic Committee alpine and nordic skiing world cups March 9-15 in Whistler and Callaghan Valley and the Four Nations sledge hockey tournament Feb. 23-March 1 in Vancouver. The later date for Paralympics also provides a sense of consolation to those who may not have secured the Olympic tickets they desired when the seat lottery begins this fall.
“Most Canadians have never seen it or seen Team Canada are the defending men's ice sledge hockey champions; the 2010 tournament is at the UBC Thunderbird Arena. (Getty Images)very little of it,” Denton said. “We’re hoping some of the sport events will give it some exposure.”
Tickets to the March 12, 2010 Paralympic opening ceremony at B.C. Place Stadium are C$30 to C$175.
Hush-Hush Inside the Dome
Two nights of top secret technical tests for the 2010 Olympic opening and closing ceremonies began Aug. 28 at B.C. Place, the domed stadium in downtown Vancouver.
Workers were warned that cameras, tours and even peeks at the set-up and testing were forbidden.
More than 30 individuals from international and domestic lighting, imaging, special effects and rigging companies joined VANOC ceremonies producer David Atkins for the sessions.
Atkins has previously said the fabric roof of the stadium would be used as a screen for giant images during the pageants.
Written by Bob Mackin in Vancouver
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