[Richmond] Olympic Oval | Completed

[Smooth]

There are pictures on the very first page of this thread titled "Olympic Mode" and "Post-Olympic Mode". There were never any plans to keep the building functioning as a speed skating oval post-olympics. The plan has always been to keep the facility in Calgary as the main training venue for Canadian athletes.

[northwest2k]

Originally Posted by Hed Kandi

Is it true that Richmond (and this oval) are sinking ?

Uhh no Richmond as a whole isn't sinking. Only certain parts. My house isn't sinking

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by EastVanMark

If it can't be used for speed skating anymore, that would be real unfortunate. That building is too big/nice to just use for community centre style activities.

The original plan at SFU also didn't call for a post-games speed skating facility, instead a field house. Fortunately for SFU, since the oval was moved they've gotten a proposal for a $250-million multi-sport venue at the oval site.

[Yume-sama]

It is kind of too bad the oval will not be permanent. At the Olympic Oval in Calgary it is, obviously, permanent and open to family skating along with competitions. However, they are able to change the inside of the oval to various things, including 2 NHL sized hockey rinks. Surely they COULD keep the oval and do something in the middle of it. Are there any other Olympic Oval sized ice in the Vancouver area?


cinevideogroup on Flickr.

Usually the interior rinks will have boards and glass, making them fully functional, like this:


mikeatwestern on Flickr.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

It is kind of too bad the oval will not be permanent. At the Olympic Oval in Calgary it is, obviously, permanent and open to family skating along with competitions. However, they are able to change the inside of the oval to various things, including 2 or 3 large sized hockey rinks. Surely they COULD keep the oval and do something in the middle of it. Are there any other Olympic Oval sized ice in the Vancouver area?

The thing is there is only so much demand for speed skating training in Canada....and it's not feasible to have two training facilities in Western Canada.

And with the oval being at sea level, it doesn't make any sense to have international speed skating events. High altitude ovals such as the one at Calgary and Salt Lake enable athletes to break record times.

As for the post-games usage of the oval, there will be two NHL-sized hockey rinks.

[Yume-sama]

Hmm well that is nice, then. I just have fond memories of skating around the oval 20 or so years ago as a kid.

[ravman]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

The original plan at SFU also didn't call for a post-games speed skating facility, instead a field house. Fortunately for SFU, since the oval was moved they've gotten a proposal for a $250-million multi-sport venue at the oval site.

yeah that project is dead

[hollywoodnorth]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

The original plan at SFU also didn't call for a post-games speed skating facility, instead a field house. Fortunately for SFU, since the oval was moved they've gotten a proposal for a $250-million multi-sport venue at the oval site.

whats the url to that project again? seems pretty quiet right now on that project....

[jlousa]

Umm the SFU mutli-sport facility is definetaly not dead, it's currently in the pre-bid stage. There is no firm start date yet but it is certainly not dead. I'll post details when they are released to the general public. I've posted the prelimary details quite some time ago, there have been some minor changes since that time.

[EastVanMark]

The project isn't going to be anywhere near $250 million.

[deasine]

But you know they should be keeping the ice... perhaps dividing the community centre in half, half for ice, the other for the rest. Because we have a hue shortage of skating places in Vancouver =(

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by deasine

But you know they should be keeping the ice... perhaps dividing the community centre in half, half for ice, the other for the rest. Because we have a hue shortage of skating places in Vancouver =(

That's the plan if you look at the diagrams and renderings of the post-games configuration. Half of it will be ice (two rinks NHL size) while the other half will be tennis/badminton/basketball courts with a running track.

The project isn't going to be anywhere near $250 million.

My bad....must've remembered wrong, must be the project with the $60-million figure then.

[mr.x]

Some pictures from flickr:

[sacrifice333]

One of the coolest venues for 2010. I just hope there isn't too much shifting and/or sinking over the life of the venue.

[NetMapel]

Huh ? It's sinking !?

[twoNeurons]

Richmond is sinking

[northwest2k]

Enough about the sinking site for god sakes

The better question is. Will those ugly sand piles be there when the Olympics start. I know they're using them to prep for condos...

[Delirium]

it's looking great except i find it really unfortunate that they couldn't find a better place for those air intakes (or outake, whatever that is). looks bad and ruins the flow of the facade.

Originally Posted by mr.x2

Some pictures from flickr:

[jlousa]

They had to put it up so it doesn't take in water when it sinks.

[David]

ohhh that venue is looking gorgeous