Ottawa Counting Down to the Games
2010 Olympic Games countdown clock unveiled at nation's capital
February 6, 2008 | VANOC News Release
Sports and timing go hand-in-hand. Today in Ottawa, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and the Government of Canada, a major partner of the 2010 Winter Games, unveiled the Vancouver 2010 Countdown Clock in Ottawa at the Capital Infocentre, located across from Parliament Hill.
The timing for the unveiling couldn’t be better as Ottawa’s famed Winterlude, or Bal de Neige, celebrations are in full party mode.
Just prior to the clock event, James Moore, Member of Parliament for the riding of Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, issued a statement in the House of Commons prior to Question Period declaring the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to be Canada’s Games, and inviting all Canadians to join in welcoming the world in 2010.
“Let us all be inspired by the power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games – the power to promote friendship and respect, stir dreams and tell a story about our country and our people,” said Moore, who also serves as the Parliamentary Secretary for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics.
Just two years before the Games officially begin in 2010, the announcement comes as a message of inspiration for all Canadians.
Canada's Games
For VANOC Chief Executive Officer, John Furlong, “The Olympic and Paralympic Games have the power to reach and inspire every Canadian, and more broadly, the power for us, as a country, to make a remarkable contribution to a better world. We need every Canadian to be part of telling our unique story and we’d like to thank the Government of Canada for providing, on behalf of all Canadians, tremendous support toward the success of the Games.”
Going for the Games
Canadian ice sledge hockey Paralympic gold medallist, Ray Grassi, was also at the Capital Infocentre to celebrate the two-year countdown – a celebration that included Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, National Capital Commission officials, athletes, spectators, media and representatives of VANOC.
Grassi, of Windsor, Ontario, was glad to see the dedication of an Omega Countdown Clock in Ottawa. He had heard about the Omega Countdown Clock in Vancouver, and was elated to see 2010 Winter Games excitement celebrated outside British Columbia.
”It’s great to have [a Countdown Clock] in Ottawa, especially with all the tourists coming in, and for all the foreign diplomats there,” said Grassi. “It’s a good idea to have the visual reminder that the biggest stage is coming to Canada for the first time since [1988].”
Vancouver 2010 Winter Games Declared Canada’s Games
The Countdown to 2010 Begins in the Nation’s Capital
February 6, 2008 | VANOC News Release
OTTAWA, February 6, 2008 – Today, at a public event attended by an enthusiastic crowd, David Emerson, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, and John Furlong, Vancouver 2010 CEO, unveiled the Vancouver 2010 Countdown Clock in Ottawa alongside Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The new clock is an enduring reminder to all who see it that in just two years, Canada will welcome the world.
Earlier in the day, James Moore, Parliamentary Secretary for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, set the tone for the celebrations with a statement in the House of Commons declaring the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games as Canada’s Games. “Let us all be inspired by the power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games – the power to promote friendship and respect, stir dreams and tell a story about our country and our people,” said Moore.
The illuminated clock today signals 737 days until the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Games. The clock will count down the days, hours, minutes and seconds remaining until the beginning of the celebrations on February 12, 2010. The clock features a timepiece provided by Omega, the Official Timekeeper of the 2010 Games.
Showcased opposite the Parliament buildings in the window of the National Capital Commission Infocentre on Wellington Street, the clock provides an opportunity for visitors and residents of the Nation’s capital to share in the excitement and anticipation leading up to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
At the Countdown Clock unveiling event, Minister Emerson noted, “In two years, the eyes of the world will turn towards Canada on the occasion of the 2010 Winter Games. This is a perfect time to re-affirm our commitment to make these Canada’s Games and to encourage all Canadians to get engaged as we prepare to host this once-in-a-generation event.”
“The Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games have the power to reach and inspire every Canadian and provide the opportunity for Canadians to come together on a global stage to make a remarkable contribution to a better world,” said Furlong. “We need every Canadian to be part of telling our unique story and we’d like to thank the Government of Canada for providing, on behalf of all Canadians, tremendous support toward the success of the Games.”
“Canada’s Capital Region is the place where we communicate and pay tribute to the achievements of Canadians across the country and honour important national events such as the upcoming Winter Olympics and Paralympics in 2010”, said Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Office of the NCC. “The National Capital Commission is honoured to collaborate with the organizers of the 21st Winter Games.”
“With nearly two years from the opening of the 2010 Winter Games, the Olympic and Paralympic spirit and anticipation are spreading all across Canada,” said Gordon Campbell, Premier of British Columbia. “This clock in our nation's capital is a reminder of all that we have achieved in bringing the Games to B.C. and Canada, as well as the legacies that will be shared by all for years to come.”
The Government of Canada is a major and committed partner in delivering successful, well-managed Winter Games in 2010. Total federal investment in the 2010 Winter Games is $578M.
Ottawa's countdown clock is somewhere here:
It would've been better if it was at a more prominent location...why the hell is it behind a window?
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