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OLYMPIC
HEIGHTS
Vancouver and Whistler are
buzzing with the approach of
This time Thankfully, the ink was dry on the new
next year, it will all be over. The British Shangri-La deal well before the recession
the 2010 Winter Games. But
Columbian trio of Vancouver, Richmond bit, and the group has now opened its first
and Whistler will have fulfilled their role hotel on the continent.
April Hutchinson finds there’s as an Olympic host, the third time the Brands such as Sutton Place, Fairmont
more to the region than just snow...
games will have been held in Canada. and Four Seasons had previously cornered
Whistler has been dreaming of hosting Vancouver’s five-star market, with new
the Olympic Winter Games since the boutique hotels such as Opus and more
1960s, when there was little more than the recently Loden and L’Hermitage giving
mountains and fishing lodges; today, it’s exciting variety to the hotel scene.
North America’s number one ski resort. The Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver is in
Louise Bourchier, UK manager of the downtown core and part of a new
Tourism British Columbia, says: “As building that has become the city’s tallest.
February 2010 approaches, we hope to The hotel occupies the first 15 floors of the
build on the province’s reputation as a 61-storey building, which also has luxury
four-season luxury destination, with apartments on the floors above, a flagship
ample opportunities for high-end Burberry store and public art space
activities such as wildlife watching, curated by the Vancouver Art Gallery.
outdoor adventure and summer touring.” Regularly ranked one of the best
Although the events don’t start until cities to live in the world for its quality of
February 2010, all the venues have been life, the city is surrounded by ocean and
completed on time and within budget, mountains. Plus it’s one of the most
typical of Canadian efficiency, and Ski harmoniously mixed cities in the world
Dream general manager Johnny Cassidy and boasts one of the largest Chinatowns
says that worries over construction outside of China, as well as being proud of
disruption have been exaggerated. its First Nations heritage.
“There has been concern there Part of the Olympic legacy has been to
would be a lot of construction, highlight First Nations Culture including
but having just returned from a the opening of a new Aboriginal Pavilion
trip there, I saw no evident in Vancouver in 2010, and an impressive
impact of the preparations.” new cultural centre in Whistler dedicated
Cassidy adds that while to the history of the Squamish and Lilwat
Whistler will inevitably be communities.
more expensive over this Other projects will also come to fruition
period, the operator has during the Olympic period, including the
already secured room $55 million update programme at the
availability. Museum of Anthropology. An extension to
Air Canada’s general the mass transit system will also make it
passenger sales manager, easier, quicker and greener to get from the
Robert Atkinson, says he is airport to the city.
confident the impact will At a time when everyone’s looking at
only be positive. the bottom line, Vancouver offers all the
“By hosting the Games, elements of a luxury destination, yet rates
Vancouver will raise its profile, as at its five-star hotels are among the lowest
will Air Canada, the official airline in North America so it’s a great switch-sell
for the event,” he says. option. The Canadian dollar may not be as
Vancouver has evolved from west- favoursome to the pound as it once was,
coast hippy outpost (Greenpeace started but you still get more bang for your buck
here in the 1970s) into a slick, desirable than in the US and
city and a popular luxury destination. there are few other
Waterfront condos have shot up in the places that can
last 10 years, and while the construction boast, ski, golf and
and property market has slowed, the need beach all within
to finish projects pre-Olympics has left a half an hour of a
thin veil of optimism over the city. Burberry’s.
29
cityvancouver
spring 09
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