The atmosphere during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Whistler is starting to come into view with the announcement of the Live Sites program—the free arts, culture, and entertainment programming planned for Whistler Village during the 2010 Winter Games. Live Sites will integrate Olympic and Paralympic arts festivals, ceremonies and village animation during Games-time in 2010 with the goal to provide an extraordinary experience for local residents, our nation and the world. The entertainment will range from film, performing arts, concerts and sport demonstrations, to Games competitions on big screens, nightly medals presentations, and the Closing Ceremony for the Paralympic Winter Games.
“Our goal is to provide one seamless Live Site throughout Whistler Village—it will be like a ‘necklace with multiple jewels’ including six different programming locations in the Village,” says John Rae, RMOW Manager Strategic Alliances, and spokesperson for the Live Sites Working Group.“We want each and every Whistlerite and visitor to take away lasting memories through this celebration of artistic creativity, sport, and community.”
On October 1, Council approved an RMOW application to Canadian Heritage for $10 million to fund the Live Sites project—$5 million for capital and $5 million for programming. Other funds will be contributed from VANOC, and the RMOW through the hotel tax.
The Whistler Live Sites Working Group, which includes participants from the RMOW, the Whistler Arts Council and VANOC, has developed the robust program that will showcase Canadian values and culture and feature international talent while enabling the Whistler community to celebrate its own unique culture.
The six Whistler Live Site locations will have a total capacity for approximately 25,000 people during the Olympic Winter Games (scaled back for the Paralympic Winter Games): Celebration Plaza (8000- 3000 seated/ 5,000 standing); Town Plaza (1500); Village Common (1000); Village Square (2400); Mountain Square (2600); and Skiers’ Plaza (5000). Additional animation on a smaller scale may also be planned for other areas of Whistler including Blackcomb Village.
The anchor location will be the Celebration Plaza (Lots 1 and 9, official name yet to be determined) where medals presentations and concerts will take place nightly during the Winter Olympic Games and where the Closing Ceremony for the Paralympic Winter Games will be held. More details about the plans for developing Lots 1 and 9 will be presented at an RMOW public meeting Thursday, October 18, 5-8 p.m. at the Telus Whistler Conference Centre.
Large LED screens will be featured at both Village Square and Skiers Plaza, which will broadcast short films and digital arts, sport from all fields of play as well as the concerts and ceremonies at the Celebration Plaza.
Live Sites will be active during the Olympic Winter Games February 12-28, 2010 and the Paralympic Winter Games March 12-21, 2010. Each location will have its own distinct programming and schedule, but people can expect to see programming from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Potentially, “Late Night Live”, an after hours DJ party at Celebration Plaza will run to 1 a.m., and “Snow and Glow”, a laser and lighting presentation, may be shown on select evenings at Skiers Plaza.
The Live Sites project is led by the Whistler Live Sites Working Group and the program has been developed with input from a variety of Whistler stakeholders. The Government of Canada, as the major contributor, will be recognized in a permanent artistic way on Celebration Plaza.
