For Your Informationskip to main content City of Vancouver 
Search 
Help 
      Vancouver Park Board     Parks and Gardens     Recreation     Board Meetings     For Your Information     News Printable Page  

2010 Winter Games

Vancouver Olympic Centre/Vancouver Paralympic Centre

at Hillcrest Park

One of the signature venues of the 2010 Winter Games is in the Riley Park neighbourhood near scenic Queen Elizabeth Park. The spectacular Vancouver Olympic Centre/Vancouver Paralympic Centre will be the home of competition curling events.

After 2010, the venue will be converted to a legacy community facility for the residents of Vancouver. It will boast a new community centre, ice rink, curling club, library, preschool, field house and offices. Being built at the same time and attached to the curling venue is a new destination aquatic centre with indoor and outdoor pools.

The Vancouver Olympic Centre/Vancouver Paralympic Centre is a barrier-free venue for spectators and athletes. Once complete, the entire complex will be a fully accessible legacy facility.

At-A-Glance
Location 4575 Clancy Loranger Way (Ontario Street & 30th Avenue)
Olympic Use Men's and women's curling and mixed wheelchair curling competition
Post-Olympic Use Conversion to a new multi-purpose community and recreation complex
Project Costs Curling venue - $39.05 million
Post game conversion - $14.00 million
Aquatic centre - $34.80 million
Total - $87.85 million
Project Funding Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) - $40.25 million
City of Vancouver - $47.60 million
Total - $87.85 million
Aquatic Centre is funded solely by the City of Vancouver and the Park Board
Timeline
2007
February – Project groundbreaking
2008
Pre-operational planning
Overlay planning
December – Curling venue completion
2009
February – Official opening of curling venue
February – VANOC sport event (World Wheelchair Curling Championships)
March – VANOC sport event (World Junior Curling Championships)
  July – Aquatic Centre construction completion
December – VANOC exclusive use period
2010
February – Olympic Winter Games
March – Paralympic Winter Games
Spring – Construction begins on legacy conversion of curling venue
Spring – restoration of Hillcrest Park to pre-Games conditions
Spring/Summer – Opening of aquatic centre and fitness centre
Spring/Summer – Closing of Percy Norman Pool and fitness centre
2011
Summer – Opening of legacy facility with community centre, rink, library and curling club
Summer – Closing of Riley Park Community Centre
Demolition of pool, arena, community centre and field house in Riley Park and Vancouver Curling Club
2012
First full year of operation for complex
Riley Park returned to open green space
Public consultation for park redevelopment
Size Curling venue – 10,000 sq m (108,000 sq ft)
Aquatic centre – 6,200 sq m (66,500 sq ft)
Legacy recreation facility – 16,200 sq m (174,500 sq ft)
Seats Curling venue - 6,000 (2010 Games)
Architects Hughes Condon Marler: Architects
PWL Partnership: Landscape Architects
Project Manager This project is jointly managed by the Park Board and VANOC
Park Board: Andrew Norrie, 604-257-8457
VANOC: info@vancouver2010.com, 1-778-328-2010
Media enquiries Joyce Courtney, Manager of Communications, 604-257-8699
Building the Venue

The curling venue, set against the city skyline and North Shore mountains at Hillcrest Park, is now complete. Construction on the surrounding legacy complex will continue through 2011.

Project Update

July 9, 2009 – The venue is being readied by VANOC for the 2010 Winter Games while the Park Board continues construction on the rest of the legacy facility.

Click thumbnails below to view larger images



Southwest side of curling and aquatic centre
Southwest side of curling
and aquatic centre
First day of filling water in lap pool
First day of filling
water in lap pool
Leisure pool water fill complete
Leisure pool water
fill complete
Lap pool water fill complete
Lap pool water
fill complete
Pool change rooms complete
Pool change rooms
complete
Outdoor pool gutter tile complete
Outdoor pool gutter
tile complete

Curling Venue
All temporary facilities from the sport events have been removed from the curling venue with the exception of some temporary seating which will stay in place until Games time.

Aquatic Centre
The lap pool has been filled with water and commissioning of the pool filtration systems is progressing well. Final installation of the water features to the leisure pool is complete and the leisure pool has been filled with water. In the hot pool, ceramic tile is now complete.

The universal change areas, lockers and cubicle partitions are complete. Final cleaning is well advanced to the aquatic side and detail cleaning is progressing well.

On the upper floor, fitted furniture items are complete in staff areas and ceramic tile splash-backs are being installed above the sinks. The blue vinyl sports flooring to the fitness area has also been installed.

Commissioning of building systems is well underway, air systems and pool filtration systems will be finalized over the next few weeks.

Exterior Works & Landscaping.
Final road surfacing & line painting to parking lots and Clancy Loranger is complete. Landscaping to the car parks is progressing well. Top soil, trees and shrubs will continue to be installed throughout the month of July.


Construction photo gallery - see the project take shape.

As part of the venue construction, sport fields, ball diamonds and parking lots at Hillcrest Park and Nat Bailey Stadium have been reorganized.

A Green and Sustainable Facility

In keeping with the Park Board's ongoing commitment to sustainability, this facility is built to high environmental standards, targeting LEED* Gold certification. This includes following features:

Sustainable Site

  • erosion and sediment control plan
  • appropriate site selection
  • public transportation access
  • bicycle storage and change rooms provided
  • alternative fuel refueling stations provided
  • sustainable parking strategies provided
  • maximum reduction of heat island effect at roof and parking
  • light pollution reduced through sustainable electrical design

Water Efficiency

  • water harvesting for use in dual-flush water efficient toilets
  • 30% reduction in water use

Energy and Atmosphere

  • optimized energy performance by 40%
  • excess heat from ice slab cooling will be used to heat building, aquatic centre, future community centre and run air conditioning system
  • ongoing measurements and verification of building systems
  • best practice building commissioning
  • elimination of HCFC and Halons in HVAC equipment
  • purchase of green power

Materials and Resources

  • storage and collection / separation of recyclables provided
  • diversion of 75% of construction waste from landfill
  • use of recycled content and regional materials for new construction
  • use of certified and sustainable wood

Indoor Environmental Quality

  • achieved required indoor air quality
  • provided environmental tobacco smoke control
  • provided carbon dioxide monitoring
  • employed construction indoor air quality management plan during construction and before occupancy
  • indoor materials are low V.O.C. (volatile organic compounds), low fumes and no urea formaldehyde used
  • provided high level of thermal comfort, ventilation and lighting system for users
  • provided daylight and views for 90% of spaces

Innovation and Design Process

  • provided green and sustainable housekeeping
  • secured ongoing sustainability education program for public
  • achieved exemplary performance in 40% of water use reduction
  • supplied energy star appliances and green guard furniture
  • design team included LEED accredited professional

*LEED is a North American rating and certification system that evaluates energy performance and sustainable building practice. Canada Green Building Council 

Pre-Games

The curling venue has successfully undergone two test sport events (World Wheelchair Curling Championship  February 21-28, 2009 and the World Junior Curling Championships  March 5-15, 2009). Work will now focus on readying the venue for the 2010 Winter Games

Interior construction will continue on the new pool which is scheduled to be complete by Summer 2009.

Games Time

Two tournaments will be held during the Olympic Winter Games (February 12-28, 2010)--Men's and Women's Curling--with approximately 100 athletes competing. One tournament will be held during the Paralympic Winter Games (March 12-21, 2010)--Mixed Gender Wheelchair Curling with 50 athletes from 10 nations. A total of three medal events will take place (two Olympic events, one Paralympic event).

The 108,000 sq ft facility will have 6,000 seats for optimal viewing of four ice sheets.

During the Games, Riley Park Community Centre, Percy Norman Pool and Riley Park Ice Rink will be open: programming may be modified during this time. Activities at other facilities in Hillcrest Park will also be impacted – for more information contact your local sports group.

Planning around neighbourhood access and security is underway and the community will be kept informed as key decisions are made. The Host City Transportation Concept Plan proposes limited vehicle access around competition venues during the Games.

After the Games / Community Legacy

After the 2010 Winter Games the Park Board will continue construction on the legacy complex. The curling venue will be converted as part of this process. After conversion to legacy design, the new state-of-the-art destination facility, managed and operated by the Park Board, will become a recreation legacy for all of Vancouver.

Legacy Plans and Drawings

Facility Model West and North Elevation East and South Elevation

Open to public in Spring 2010

  • New 6,200 sq m (66,500 sq ft) aquatic centre with 50m lap pool, with swim and dive tanks and moveable floor, leisure pool, seasonal outdoor pool, 70-person hot pool, steam room and sauna
  • Adjacant fitness centre with state-of-the-art equipment

Open to public by Summer 2011

  • An all new 9,300 sq m (108,000 sq ft) legacy facility
  • Community centre featuring full-size gym, arts and crafts rooms, multi-purpose rooms, aerobics room and games room, large fitness centre and preschool/after school childcare
  • Rink with NHL-size ice
  • Vancouver Curling Club with 8 ice sheets
  • Branch library with multi-purpose room, community meeting room and wireless access
  • Field house with change rooms for teams and officials
  • Park Board's Queen Elizabeth District Office with multi-purpose room

The continuing use of the name Vancouver Olympic Centre/Vancouver Paralympic Centre will be decided.

2011 and 2012

  • The old Percy Norman Pool, the Riley Park Community Centre, Riley Park Ice Rink and Vancouver Curling Club buildings will be demolished
  • Riley Park will be returned to green space. Public consultation will be carried out around the development.

Note: All dimensions and measurements are approximate.

Related Information and Reports
Location
Click Map for Site Plan
Vancouver Olympic Centre/Vancouver Paralympic Centre
Green award

July, 2009 -- Architects of the Park Board's four new 2010 Winter Games legacy facilities received the Excellence in Green Building Practices award. The awards were presented by The Globe Foundation and World Green Building Council. More>>
The Mercer Report
Rick Mercer and Premier Gordon Campbell visit the curling venue and learn to wheelchair curl. Aired on the Mercer Report on CBC, March 24, 2009.
Watch video on YouTube
Venue opening



February 19, 2009
The Vancouver Olympic / Paralympic Centre was officially opened with ceremonies, sport and fun! 4,000 people came through the front doors to see the curling venue and get a peek at what the facilities legacy will hold.
Venue sneak peek
Dan Doyle, Executive Vice-president, Construction, VANOC; Jim Armstrong, 2008 Canadian Champion, wheelchair curling; Georgina Wheatcroft, Canadian Olympian, curling
Media view the curling venue from the complex's concourse
Media preview Dec 19, 2008
Members of the media were invited to see the new curling venue at Hillcrest Park and get a sense of what the sports events and 2010 Winter Games will look like in the stunning new facility. The event marked the substantial completion of construction for the venue. As well they heard about the legacy this new complex will leave for the community and people of Vancouver. The public will be invited to have a look in February, 2009.
GVTV Videos
Project Groundbreaking

Mayor Sam Sullivan and Park Board Chair Ian Robertson with special guests at the official groundbreaking for the curling venue on February 23, 2007.