The 2010 Whistler Accessibility Blog (The WFTD Society)

The 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay made its stop in Whistler on Monday March the 8^th.   Music Bands and Live Entertainment kept spectators busy leading up to the start of the Torch Relay.  The Torch was just as welcome to the Whistler Community and the 2010 Olympic Torch with the exception of being Blue in color and hosted by some special people as Paralympic Runners…

Pictured above is Phil Craven the International Paralympic Chief and Phil Chew at the end of his run (standing leg amputee) who carried the Torch earlier in the day at the Top of Whistler Mountain.

Pictured above is Whistler’s own Matt Hallat a Winter Paralympian who will compete in the 2010 Winter Paralympics up in Whistler..  

The British and the Russian Teams are already here in full force ready to take home some Paralympic Medals they think they will Win, if Canada lets them that is….?  Good luck to all participants in during the Paralympic Games…

From Whistler:

There is no public parking directly at any Paralympic venue. Access to public transit (BC transit) is included in your Paralympic ticket for the day of the event. Public transportation is accessible to all and is the quickest, most reliable way to go.

Accessible Bus Service to Whistler Venues

§       Whistler Paralympic Park: Walk or take BC Transit to Day Lot #4 in Whistler Village, accessed via Fitzsimmons Trail.  From here, take the Whistler Paralympic Park Express to the venue. 

Spectators with specific needs will be dropped off at the venue entrance and from there will board the accessible shuttle, which stops approximately 50-75 metres from the spectator plaza of the stadium.

§        Whistler Creekside: Take BC Transit from the Gondola Transit Exchange in Whistler Village or from additional bus stops located along Highway 99. 

The accessible shuttle will pick up spectators with specific needs from the transportation drop-off points, and bring them to the accessible entrance located approximately 40 metres before the accessible seating area.

§        Whistler Medals Plaza:  Follow the Village Stroll or take BC Transit to the Whistler Medals Plaza. 

Helpful Tip…  Timing is everything. Ensure you give yourself sufficient time to travel to your venue and go through ticket checking. It could take a considerable amount of time to reach your seat – if you arrive too close to the start of an event, you may miss it.

Paralympic event tickets are valid for use on local Whistler Transit on event day until 4 a.m. the following morning.

The Sea to Sky Highway checkpoint is closed. In the days following the Olympic Winter Games road crews will begin to remove the Olympic lane markers. Highway is open to everyone now.

Blackcomb Way is still closed to public access between MY Place and Lorimer Road March 1 to 21. London Lane, under the bridge in Creekside is closed March 7 to 21.

Creekside gondola is open to the public with priority loading for Paralympic athletes and officials.

Some of the previously closed runs on Whistler Mountain are now open. These include: Bear Cub, Raven/Ptarmigan, Upper Whisky Jack and Crabapple.

Accessible Accommodations are still available!

Paralympic Winter Games line up includes daily après concerts 

Each day during the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, Whistler Village Square will continue to epitomize the après action Whistler is famous for!

After showcasing the best in Paralympic competition on the big screens, our favourite Sea-to-Sky artists warm up the crowds for national bands who rock the stage until the sun goes down.

Three back-to-back bands mix things up, showcasing a range of Indie up-and-comers, seasoned Blues vets and pure Rock ‘n Rollers.

The acts you’ll see on the Whistler Live! Village Square stage starting March 12:

March 12: Whole Lotta Led, Rich Hope & His Evil Doers, Thornley

March 13: Bluesberry Jam Band, Bitterly Divine, She Stole My Beer

March 14: Brother Twang, Mimosa, Luke Doucet and the White Falcon

March 15: Redeye Empire, Jim Byrnes Trio, Bassekou Kouyate

March 16: Tommy Honest & the Liars, The Paperboys, The Waking Eyes

March 17: Route 99, Anique Granger, Rah Rah Band

March 18: Papa Josh, Hey Ocean!, Spirit of the West

March 19: Kostaman Band, Alpha Yaya Diallo, Rafael-Energia Dominicana

March 20: Still Smokin, The Respectables, 5440

March 21: Cease & Desist, (TBA), The Sadies

Check out the line-up of Whister Live! events during the Paralympics this week at www.whistler2010.com/calendar.  Coming up for the Paralympics and looking for Accessible Accommodations be sure to check out our Guides.

The Paralympic Torch started today in Ottawa with a Visit to Parliament.   A disabled track athlete carried a flaming torch Wednesday into the House of Commons to launch a 10-day relay that will culminate with the kickoff of the Paralympic Games in Vancouver. 

Five-time Paralympic athlete Arnold Boldt brought the flame into the Commons just three days after it was extinguished in Vancouver.

"It's very humbling to have been asked and invited to come here to be the first to light the torch," said Boldt, who competed in his first Games in 1976. "It's quite the honour to represent all my fellow paralympians and those that have been interested in athletics for the disabled over the years."

Boldt, who lost his right leg in a farming accident at age three, has competed in three Paralympics summer games as a high jumper and long jumper.

The Paralympic flame will be carried by more than 600 torch bearers through 11 Canadian communities, culminating at BC Place for the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games on March 12.

"Sixteen torchbearers representing each province and territory participated in the ceremony on Wednesday morning, including comedian Rick Mercer. Fifty-five Canadian athletes will join 1,350 competitors from 43 other countries at the 2010 Paralympic Games. They will compete for gold in five events – alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, wheelchair curling and sledge hockey.

This is the first time the Paralympic torch relay and the Paralympic Winter Games are being held in Canada. It's extinguished nightly and re-lit by local aboriginal leaders at each stop along the way.

Most of the events take place in Whistler and with tickets starting at just $15, everyone has the chance to witness the athleticism, determination and commitment of the competitors. Paralympic athletes are classified as standing, sitting or visually impaired and compete against other athletes with a similar disability.

Paralympic alpine skiing takes place at Whistler Creekside, home of the famous Dave Murray Downhill. Skiers reach speeds of 100 km per hour while racing down a vertical drop that ranges from 120 to 800 metres. Adding to the difficulty is a series of gates the skiers must twist and turn to pass through. Races include Downhill, Super-G, Giant Slalom, Slalom and Super Combined.

For Paralympic Nordic events, head to Whistler Olympic Park and check out cross-country skiing and biathlon. The Callaghan Valley provides a stunning backdrop to these high-energy races. Paralympic cross-country skiing includes men’s and women’s individual events with distances ranging from 2.5 to 20 km. Athletes either use the classic or free technique which is also called skate skiing. In biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, athletes compete in either short-distance or long-distance and always shoot in a prone position.

Victory Ceremonies will be held nightly between March 13 and 18 at Whistler Medals Plaza to award the medals won that day. Be there to cheer on the winners! After the medals presentation, a live concert will close out the evening. On March 19 and 20, medals will be presented at the venues.

Don’t miss the Paralympic Closing Ceremony which takes place at Whistler Medals Plaza on March 21. Full of celebration, inspiration and recognition, it’s sure to be a highlight of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.  Be sure to check out all our Guides to help you plan your trip up to Whistler during the 2010 Paralympic Games.

Media source: The Whistler Insider from Tourism Whistler our official partners…

Well the 2010 Winter Olympics may be over but the 2010 Paralympics are just about to begin and the same level of excitment comes with it.

Whistler BC, March 1st, 2010 – The Dubh Linn Gate, located in the Pan Pacific Mountainside, recently announced the creation of Whistler Adaptive Sports House for the Paralympic Games, which run March 12th to 21st, 2010.

All of the proceeds collected through the fundraising efforts during the Paralympic Games will be directed to the creation of the new Jeff Harbers Adaptive Sports Centre.

"We are so excited about the creation of Whistler Adaptive Sports House," said Chelsey Walker, Whistler Adaptive Sports Program's Executive Director. "The Dubh Linn Gate has stepped up to not only create a fun Games-time "House" for our athletes, volunteers and supporters to gather, they have pledged to raise much needed funds and help create a major legacy for individuals with a disability in Whistler."

"We are most pleased and honoured to be in partnership with Whistler Adaptive Sports Program and to have a role in debuting the Whistler Adaptive Sports House for the Paralympic Games," commented Chris Marshall, Dubh Linn Gate Manager. "We are working hard to encourage our guests to take part in this momentous occasion as we raise funds to help support the new Jeff Harbers Adaptive Sports Centre. Read more »

Canada Finished off the 2010 Winter Olympics in Style winning the Canada vs. USA Hockey Game in a thriller over time period 3-2.    It was truly amazing to be down in the crowds post Game in Vancouver (pictured above)… 

Not only that, we captured 14 Gold Medals the most for any Winter Olympics in History and the most Gold Medals for any Country who have hosted the Games.

We can only hope our Sledge Hockey Team, Para-Alpine and Para-Nordic Team does as well in the 2010 Winter Paralympics starting March 12 – 21st. 

Get your tickets now prices starting at only $ 15 dollars at Vancouver2010.com.

Be sure to book with us for Accessible Accommodations as we give back all of our Profits to Disability Groups and Organizations across the BC Province and throughout Canada

The Federal government has just announced (Feb 25) that they have appointed former Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan as Canada's Paralympic Ambassador. The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport), and the Honourable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Democratic Reform) made the joint statement this morning. As Canada’s Paralympic Ambassador, Mr. Sullivan will bring a greater visibility to the Paralympic movement while showcasing Canadian leadership and athletic excellence.

 "Canadians have fully embraced the spirit of the Games, and hosting the 10th edition of the Paralympic Winter Games is a proud moment for our country," said Minister of State Lunn, Minister of Sport,. "We are excited to celebrate our Paralympians and their amazing achievements."

"In a few short weeks, the Paralympic Winter Games will take place on Canadian soil for the first time in history," said Minister of State Fletcher, Minister of Democratic Reform. "This is our opportunity to showcase the Paralympic movement to the world and raise the profile of Canada's elite Paralympic athletes."

"I am thrilled to be Canada's Paralympic Ambassador, and I look forward to encouraging people throughout Canada to cheer on our athletes as they go for gold," said Mr. Sullivan.

The Federal government also announced that they will be providing an additional $12 million to expand broadcasting of the Paralympic Games. Of the additional $12 million in funding, $10 million will support the delivery of the Games and $2 million will support the television broadcast of the Games. From March 12 to 21, Whistler and Vancouver will host 1350 athletes and officials from 44 countries at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

The Paralympic Games date back to 1948, when the International Wheelchair Games were staged to coincide with the 1948 London Olympic Games. The event gradually grew to encompass other sports and other disability groups, and now the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games are the ultimate international competitions for world-class athletes with disabilities, with an emphasis on the participants' athletic achievements rather than their disability.

From March 12 to 21, Whistler and Vancouver will host 1350 athletes and officials from 44 countries at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.  Come out and be part of the 2010 Winter Paralympics with many of the Vancouver Venue\s and Houses remaining open during the Games.

Need some Accessible Accommodations in Whistler during the Games check out our own Guides and book with us!   All of our Profits go back into groups and organizations that support People with Disabilities across BC and Canada?