Vancouver View - U.S. Homeland Security Czar Visits Coordination Center; VANOC Closes Second Phase of Ticket Sales

U.S. Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano (center) opened the Olympic Coordination Center Monday with U.S. congressman Rick Larson (D-Wash.) (left) and Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire (right). (ATR/B. Mackin)Napolitano Opens Coordination Center

United States Department of Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano opened the $4 million Olympic Coordination Center on Monday at Bellingham International Airport in Bellingham, Wash.

The Customs and Border Protection facility, 45 miles south of Vancouver, is a communications and planning nerve center for 40 U.S. agencies to monitor the 2010 Games. It is getting a dry-run during the July 31-Aug. 9 World Police and Fire Games in Vancouver. A total of 10,000 participants are expected in the "guns and hoses games."

"We plan for the worst, we hope for the best," Napolitano said. "I'm looking forward to a great and successful Games."

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canadian military will be responsible for securing Vancouver 2010. The level of the American contribution to the Vancouver 2010 security force has not been disclosed. A 1995 policy directive by President Bill Clinton said the U.S. government is responsible for protecting American citizens and interests at home and abroad.

Napolitano was hosted by Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire and U.S. Congressman Rick Larsen (D-Wash.). They were joined by Naomi Yamamoto, British Columbia's minister of state for intergovernmental affairs. They toured the airport facility, Peace Arch border crossing and the U.S. Coast Guard centre in Seattle.

Larsen admitted the Peace Arch border construction wouldn't be finished by Games-time, but 10 operational booths will be open to process southbound traffic in February.

Ticket Sales Slow to Turtle Pace

Vancouver 2010 ticket sales have stalled in Canada, so VANOC is closing the second phase window on Friday at 7 p.m. PDT.

Four hours after a new wave of 200,000 tickets to all Olympic events went on sale June 6, VANOC reported 130,000 were gone. After its July 15 board meeting, however, sales were reported to be 155,000. When VANOC issued the second phase deadline July 28, it said 45,000 tickets remained.

Unsold tickets as of July 31 will be added to the pool for November's third phase. A resale and exchange website will also be launched in November.

The Paralympic ticket window, which opened May 6, is also closing.

Olympians Reunion Center to Chinatown

The 120-year-old Wing Sang building in Vancouver's Chinatown will host the World Olympians Association reunion center during the 2010 Games.

The 120-year-old Wing Sang building in Vancouver's Chinatown will host the World Olympians Association reunion center during the 2010 Games. (ATR/B. Mackin)Real estate marketer Bob Rennie, who is selling post-Olympics condominiums in the Vancouver Olympic Village, is restoring Wing Sang for an October opening as his office and gallery. He is donating the space to WOA.

"It would be really great to have the Downtown Eastside included in the Olympics," Rennie said. "There’s not really a venue there, but the whole city should be included."

The 51 East Pender building was where Chinatown patriarch Yip Sang built a small fortune as an importer/exporter, merchant and labor agent. The building included stores, a classroom and even an opium factory. Yip, a Guangdong, China native, died in 1927.

WOA vice-president Charmaine Crooks called it a location "where we can really engage the community."

Crooks hopes to program special events in the third-floor classroom, such as a forum on women in sport.

“The Olympics are about celebrating sport, culture, diversity,” five-time Olympian and Los Angeles 1984 silver medalist Crooks said. “In this facility we have a powerful combination of all those.”

Visa will not be title sponsor, but is scheduled to sponsor the opening gala.

Deadline Approaching for Ad Campaign Bids

Aug. 6 is the deadline for advertising agencies to bid for a contract to produce a campaign promoting the 2010 Games to Canadians.

The federal government wants to spend $10 million on the broadcast and Internet campaign, which it wants to launch in October during the Olympic torch relay.

"Anticipation is growing across Canada as we prepare to welcome the world for the 2010 Winter Games," said the request for proposals. "Canadians are excited to have the opportunity to show the world what makes Canada the world’s best place to Vancouver real estate marketer Bob Rennie (center) is renovating the Wing Sang building in Chinatown. He is pictured here with Millenium Development partners Shahram Malekyazdi (left) and Peter Malek (right). (ATR/B. Mackin)live, work and thrive as individuals and families."

Athletes and Canadian scenery are to be central in the campaign, instilling "pride and excellence" and encouraging Canadians to be "active and healthy."

"From playground to podium there is a place for all of us," said the document.

Companies Fined for Canada Line Bridge Accident

Builders of the new rapid transit system that connects Vancouver International Airport with downtown were fined $289,000.

WorkSafeBC announced the penalty against SNC-Lavalin Constructors (Pacific) of Montreal and Rizzani de Eccher of Udine, Italy on Tuesday. The two companies were cited in the Jan. 21, 2008 crushing death of 22-year-old crane operator Andrew Slobodian on the Canada Line bridge over the Fraser River.

WorkSafeBC, the provincial workplace safety regulator, found the operator had insufficient supervision, training and experience.

The Canada Line will open this fall and be an integral component of the VANOC transportation plan.

Architects Awarded For Venue Design

Designers of nine Vancouver 2010 venues were honored July 22 with awards from the World Green Building Council.

WGBC called the venues -- including the Vancouver Olympic Village, Richmond Olympic Oval, Vancouver Convention Centre and Whistler Sliding Centre -- the largest set of simultaneously built, low-environmental impact structures in history.

None of the buildings, however, was built on-budget.

The one-time award for excellence in green building practices went to Walter Francl, Acton Ostry, Hughes Condon Marler, Nick Milkovich, Merrick, GBL Architects Group, IBI/HB, DA, MCM Partnership, LMN, Cannon Design, CJP, Stantec and Hottson Bakker Boniface Haden, Burrowes Huggins.

With reporting from Bob Mackin in Vancouver.