Let's be clear from the outset here: The 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games were not the financial windfall for Squamish that some expected. The community didn't get the expanded ice arena that former mayor Ian Sutherland and others hoped would come our way; it didn't get as much marketing exposure as it could have if we'd been allowed to keep the "Heart of 2010" banners, for example.
But as neighbouring communities prepare to mark one year since the start of the 2010 Winter Olympics this weekend, Squamish residents should also reflect and remember some of the benefits, both tangible and intangible, that flowed from the Games.
On the "tangible" benefits side, there is -perhaps most prominently - the $750,000 "Legacy Fund" over which local leaders are deliberating at the moment. And there's the fact that a number of local businesses benefited from the Games' spectators, volunteers and staff who were housed here, including the 1,400 who lived aboard the "pocket" cruise ship Mona Lisa that was docked at Squamish Terminals for the duration of the Games.
We also received a safer, much-improved Highway 99, the construction of which provided employment for many people, both long-term and short-term residents. There were impacts on traffic flow and the environment from this project to be sure, but the long-term economic impact can only be positive.
On the less tangible side, there were the dozens - hundreds? - of local residents who were employed directly by the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) for varying lengths of time before, during and after the Games. Some of those who came for the Games are still with us, adding breadth, depth and energy to our community.
There's also the ongoing benefit of Whistler Olympic Park (we're not afraid to call it that even though some local residents might prefer that we nix the "Whistler" part in favour of "Callaghan Valley" or something else), a world-class facility that provides recreation for many and should continue to attract events and athletes for decades, not to mention employment for some in our community.
One of the big intangibles is the incredible memories the Games provided for the countless local residents who volunteered or attended events. The estimated 8,000 who attended the Olympic Torch Relay celebration on Feb. 4, 2010 will no doubt remember the community spirit that surged through the crowd that evening and was carried right through the Games.
Sure, the lion's share of the financial benefits from the Games flowed to our neighbours to the north and south. And the situation with the sledge hockey arena - in which both VANOC and Whistler council waffled until the Bid Book plan (which had Squamish getting the sledge hockey arena if Whistler declined it) fell by the wayside - didn't go Squamish's way. But instead of complaining that the glass is (or was) half empty, we need to appreciate the fact that it's half full and carry whatever positive vibe we can glean from the experience into the future.
- David Burke
