2010 Olympics thread ( From transportation to the events. )

[Masozi]

The games are here and this thread is designed as a place to post notices of your experiences in travel, transit or the actual events.  Hopefully with some of the experiences posted, others will have an idea as to what to expect should they venture to or through the Olympic areas.

I will start this off with a warning about transit in general, expect it to be busy.

Crowded buses - I recently had to take a southbound #321 Newton exchange from near Surrey Central at midnight. The bus was packed end to end, standing room only. It was to the point where I had to practically stand against the windshield, I have never seen this bus become such a tuna can before.

Holland Park ( King George Sky Train station) - When the Olympic torch relay went there during the past week the northbound traffic on King George Highway was backed up from SkyTrain back to 88th Ave, (almost 20 blocks). It shouldn't be that bad during the games but with a major Celebration site at King George the Surrey Sky Train line will be quite busy during event times.  Expect the same congestion problems at David Lam Park in Vancouver, the Ozone Celebration site in Richmond, the False Creeek venue sites...Sky Train will be running at "almost rush hour" capacity all day most days and more frequently later at night.

Reports from CBC, CTV are showing buses near Broadway and downtown are very full during morning and evening rush hours. The ISU is reporting an approximate 20-25% drop in car traffic downtown as of Monday Feb 8th, ( based on observations through the new security camera network.)  Most of these drivers will be trying to use transit, ( which was already at capacity before the games. )

Protester Warning, FEB 12th - Anti and pro Olympic protests are scheduled in the city on the same day that the opening ceremonies occur.  The locations will most likely be the art gallery and possibly near BC place. The Anti Olympic movement has threatened to "disrupt" the torch relay as it approaches BC Place.  A group of pro Olympic supporters have stated they want to protest the anti Olympic protesters.  With two extremist opposites demonstrating against each other there is an increased likelihood for trouble. Police and security will have extra members present in case these combustive elements clash in a potential riot situation.

Opening Ceremonies - They begin tomorrow night around 18:00hrs, attenders will be starting to show up to BC Place by mid afternoon. Those of you going to Fursuit bowling be reminded that transit will be slower, busier.  The ceremonies are scheduled to be shown on big screens at the Olympic Celebration sites in Vancouver, Richmond and Surrey.

[Unition]

The olympics came to my work today!  Or at least the torch did.

Here's the album: http://yfrog.com/j61002791jx

Web player available here: http://img690.yfrog.com/slideshow/webplayer.php?id=1002791.jpg

The images are too huge to link directly, but it's the Olympic torch, the procession following it, and a handoff.

[Acco]

@thebuzzer, @skytrainlady, @translink, @kenhardie on twitter are your best sources of up to date information with regard to transit updates. Would -highly- recommend following at least @kenhardie, @translink, and @skytrainlady and then setting up your phone to receive texts from twitter if only because it's going to be the fastest way to get that information.

[Tai]

Woooooo, Canada got the gold in men's hockey!

[Hadlock]

YAH!!!, oh man that game was TENSE!!!!

14 gold medal, the most gold ever won in the olympics by any country!
26 medals total, the most Canada has ever gotten!

best Olympics for Canada!

[Acco]

And, yanno, while the games were a bit uneasy at first with some of the stuff that happened on the lead up and first few days, I'd say the games were a major success. Translink coped really well with the games, and the only time it's really struggled is tonight, just after the gold medal hockey game. ;p

So, if you are claustrophobic, the games weren't for you. Otherwise, there was something for everyone to enjoy pretty much, and sitting out especially when this event was in your backyard... once, maybe twice in your life, was a wasted experience, imo.

While I'm not sure it was worth the amount of money spent on this 17 day long party, I'll certainly say that it has been fun, even back in Edmonton. To some extent, I want to see the 2028 olympics hosted here/seattle, cause this was pretty awesome. But, it's a long way off.

[Tony Greyfox]

I absolutely loved the way they started the closing ceremonies. Poking fun at ourselves is so ingraned Canadian... that was a great moment. Neil Young playing the cauldron out? Absolutely inspired. The whole thing was brilliant, I thought, though the musical choices could've been a bit better. (Dammit, Great Big Sea was in town Friday night, why couldn't they have stuck around for an appearance? Man, GBS would've taken the place down!)

[Univaded_Fox]

I volunteered for 13 shifts during the Olympics.  Nothing glamorous.  I was stuck in a high-rise at Boundary road as part of something called "Workforce Communications", which essentially meant our little team was designated with helping the onsite staff to feel included despite their not being at a sporting venue.  We held regular sport and provincial trivia contests designed around the events, and published a daily newsletter (the foxes here will be happy to know I snuck in a picture of an Arctic Fox for the issue celebrating Northwest Territories Day).  I also handed out tickets downtown to the opening ceremony dress rehearsal and participated in crowd control, designed poster boards, researched sport and provincial facts, assisted setup of an event at a secret torch appearance nobody was supposed to know about (oops!), and was even asked to film the official torch appearance at our venue seven hours before the opening ceremonies.  Despite having expected not to attend anything official, my supervisors gave me tickets to two Victory Ceremonies, and the Men's Quarterfinal Swizterland/United States Ice Hockey game.  On days off I ran around the city trying to record everything.  I visited LiveCity Yaletown, and waited in lineups for two hours to meet the Coca-Cola Bear.  I saw the cauldron on the waterfront.  I visited Robson Square and saw the mascots.  I walked Robson Street and saw all the entertainers.  I saw Burton Cummings perform inside BC Place.  And in my happiest moment, I met a group of fursuiters by pure chance.  I did not wake up nor go to bed at my regular hours for almost a month and I was drained when it was all over.  But I miss it all now.  I hope to volunteer during the Paralympic Games, and although I am glad they will receive their deserved coverage at least here, it just won't be the same.  I will be at a new venue with different volunteers.  The atmosphere won't be the same; the scale won't be the same.  The Olympics are gone and I want them back.  We waited seven years for what amounted to a lifetime of memories spread over just two weeks.  Our parents at least had five months to enjoy Expo 86.  

[Blue]

I would truly enjoy seeing all the memorabilia you have collected through all of this, Mr. Fox!!

[Torwin]

I was a mountie In the closing ceremonies :P, I have Pics on my FA, hehe

Cheers


~Tor~

[Kirkus]

I'll be at Ice Sledge Hockey in just over a week, keep an eye out for the guy in the extremely-blue outfit  :P