Locals are incensed over a VANOC transportation plan that forces visitors to travel three hours to get to the Callaghan Valley's Whistler Olympic Park (WOP) - typically a half-hour journey.
"I think it's the most ill-conceived and asinine idea they've come up with yet," said Cliff Miller, whose boarders are among hundreds of Squamish visitors with tickets to WOP events.
One resident is so angry that his boarders have to travel as much as eight hours a day to cheer on their niece, a cross country Olympian, that he set up a Facebook page meant to ease their burden.
"Let's show VANOC how it's supposed to be done," writes Paul Demers on his group site, Squamish Olympic Connection.
The problem, says Demers, is that the bus going directly from Squamish to the Callaghan Valley is only accepting local residents and their guests bearing events tickets. Squamish visitors travelling to the WOP without a resident must take a BC Transit bus to the Squamish Transit Exchange, board a bus to Whistler, then board a bus to WOP. The estimated travel time is three to four hours while direct travel takes approximately half an hour.
Squamish-based VANOC workforce will enjoy a VANOC operated direct shuttle.
But VANOC does not approve of Demers's solution.
Representative Dan Doyle stated by email that encouraging drivers to park in Squamish to hop on a direct shuttle bus runs contrary to VANOC plans. However he did not respond to questions over the plan to connect Squamish visitors with locals.
"Motorists travelling from Vancouver will likely face long waits for service as our priority is to serve Squamish residents first, and the system capacity is designed to meet Squamish needs," states Doyle. "Promotion of park and ride opportunities puts service to Squamish residents at risk and runs contrary to the goal of minimizing traffic on the Sea to Sky highway."
For the past two years, VANOC has been asking for Homestay volunteers, a program that sees locals open their homes to Olympic visitors such as athletes' families and VANOC volunteers. However the organizing committee had yet to conclude the transportation options during its numerous calls for support.
Demers agreed to take in a Canadian cross country Olympian's family members for a reasonable rate in a situation he believed would be win-win - that was before he realized his guests would be "condemned to" travel such long hours.
"The plan penalizes visitors to Squamish," states Demers.
Several residents hosting visitors agreed.
"The efficiency in that does not make sense especially if we are striving for green Olympics and showcase the 'Adventure Capital Of Canada,'" said Chris Christie, a Highlands resident hosting visitors.
"It's just every time we turn around VANOC has done something to shoot themselves in the foot and screw Squamish," said Miller.
Miller calls Demers's plan to connect Squamish event-goers with visiting event-goers to get them on the direct bus "brilliant."
