The XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games promise to be one of the most important achievements of the city of Vancouver. The eyes of the entire world will be on the west coast of Canada as some of the best sub-zero athletes on the planet battle for gold at venues across the city and at the nearby mountain resort of Whistler.

But when the cameras go down and the crowd goes home, will the city have more than fond memories and tourist dollars? Critics have vehemently argued that the IOC awarding the 21st Winter Olympics to Western Canada’s favorite metropolis is more of a punishment than a blessing. But most would not agree. International exhibition, infrastructure, economy … everything can improve with the flag of the five rings of the largest sports organization in the world flying over the City Hall. But no one can earn more than the people of Vancouver themselves. An impressive collection of new and improved winter venues will open to the public once the Games have come and gone. And when they do, Vancouver residents and visitors will have access to facilities that could make a calgaro jealous. Here are the old and new places that are benefiting from the facelift Vancouver can look forward to as a proud host city …

Canada Hockey Place Y Thunderbird Arena They share the responsibilities of the game ice hockey. The first, Canada Hockey Place (or GM Place for Vancouver Canuck fans) is one of the busiest entertainment venues on the continent, having welcomed more than 10 million visitors since it opened in 1995. With a capacity of nearly 19 thousand, international fans will have the opportunity to watch their teams pursue Olympic medal dreams in the enigmatic atmosphere of ‘The Garage’. Of course, all true Vancouverites also foster the dream of watching the Stanley Cup final here, something they will return to after the Games!

Second venue, Thunderbird Arena on the huge seaside campus of the University of British Columbia was built on the site of the current Thunderbird Winter Sports Complex, on budget and four months ahead of schedule. This installation will be part of the Vancouver Venues Aboriginal Arts Program 2010, which features traditional and First Nations work from across the country. After the Games, this 7,200-seater vehicle will be used as a high-performance multi-sport and recreational legacy facility with a new training area including the renovation of the current competition area as well as the construction of new ice sheets, one for the competition. and one for training.

Formerly the home of the Vancouver Canucks, The colosseum of the pacific It will host the figure skating and short track speed skating events. The Coliseum is located in Hastings Park, the center of the National Expo of the Pacific, an annual fair that attracts more than 60,000 visitors a day. More than 14,000 seats have comfortably accommodated spectators for events as diverse as boxing, ice shows and trade conventions. Now, it is ready to host the best figure skaters and short track speed skaters in the world! Said and done, this place will see more than $ 40 million in renovations by the time the torch hits town.

The Vancouver Olympic Center, site of the Curling and Wheelchair Curling events, is another participant in the Vancouver 2010 Venues Aboriginal Arts Program. This 6,000-seat venue will be converted into a multi-use community recreation center once the athletes pack their brooms at the end of March of that year. It includes an ice rink, aquatic center, library and gym, and of course half a dozen layers of rippled ice so that anyone with the ‘stones’ can follow in the footsteps of a pro!

On the banks of the Fraser River, the Richmond Olympic Oval, the event center for speed skating events, is just 14 kilometers south of the city. This 8,000-seat venue is slated to become an international sports excellence and wellness facility after the Games. The structure’s design allows for an easy transition to accommodate numerous sports and includes 2 international-size ice rinks, a 200-meter running track, 8 gyms and more than 23,000 square feet of gymnasium. There is no doubt that the Richmond Olympic Oval will be the focal point of the new waterfront urban development currently taking place in the area.

Cypress Provincial Park in West Vancouver is home to Cypress mountain, one of the peaks that rise majestically behind the Vancouver skyline. Already a popular ski destination that draws thousands of visitors each season, the Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding venue was the first to be completed and ready for the upcoming Games. An estimated $ 16.7 million has made this city ski hill an enviable location for both recreational and competitive use. The Cypress Legacy project presents new opportunities for First Nations art and culture, while site enhancements include race modification, a new ground half pipe, a freestyle mogul and aerial site. and a parallel giant slalom circuit, as well as a snowmaking system.

Just 123 kilometers north of Vancouver, the alpine resort town of Whistler it is home to some of the most exciting events of the Winter Olympics. The Whistler Sliding Center, home to the Bobsleigh, Luge and Skeleton events, is located on Blackcomb Mountain, the sister peak that shares the city with Whistler Mountain. After the Games, the facility will serve as a high-performance development hub with youth and club programming, while also giving tourists the opportunity to tour and even ride on the slopes. And look forward to future international competitions as well. Such an amazing facility is going to turn heads …

As the premier ski resort in North America, Whistler has hosted numerous international ski events. Suffice it to say, downhill denizens are in good hands at Whistler Creekside, home to alpine skiing events. The Dave Murray Downhill and Franz Run will serve as battlegrounds as nearly 8,000 spectators brave the cold mountain air to see the excitement. Expect serious upgrades and renovations to all equipment and facilities on the mountain. Did the mountain air make you hungry? At this event you will also find World Cup Plaza, a strip of bars and restaurants just minutes from the Whistler Creekside Gondola. And five minutes down the road you’ll find Whistler Village, a pedestrianized, European-style Alpine village with over 100 restaurants, bars, and clubs, not to mention a host of boutiques and specialty shops.

With a capacity of 12,000 people in each of the three stadiums, the one-square-kilometer Whistler Olympic Park includes cross-country skiing, biathlon and ski jumping facilities within just 400 meters of each other. A normal ski jump and a large ski jump include state-of-the-art snow cooling and piste installation systems. More than 12 kilometers of cross country and biathlon tracks have been tested. The fully electronic 30-lane biathlon stadium has been tested. Tale? All systems are ready.

Vancouver is ready for the Games. And Vancouverites are ready for their legacy.