The 2010 winter Olympics in Vancouver were one of the most memorable winter olympics in recent memory. From Nikki Yanofsky’s famous song “I Believe”, to Sideny Crosbys golden goal in overtime to win the gold medal for team Canada. There were endless memories made that still live with Vancouverites until today. But how did the Olympics change Vancouver? Lets get into it!

Tourism The Olympics Brought

Post 2010, Vancouver was put on the map globally for our winter sports paradise “Whistler”. Vancouver was now recognized as being one of the best skiing and snowboarding destinations in the world which still attracts tourism for across the world to visit our world renowned “Whistler Blackcomb”. Not to mention the summer activities Whistler has to offer, from mountain biking to hiking in the trails, the list of outdoor activities are endless.

Environmental Impacts and City Developments

When Vancouver was planning to host the Olympics they had a goal in mind wanting to make it “the greenest” Olympic games. One of the ways they displayed their efforts was with the construction of the “Canada Line”. The upgrade to the cities transit system allowed for less busses to be on the streets and to have a quicker and easier method of getting anywhere between Richmond to downtown. The city of Vancouver also invested in placing upgrades on B.C. Place stadium, and building of the Richmond oval, which is a world class facility that hosted the speed skating events in 2010 and now used as a multi purpose sporting facility open to the public. And lastly the famous athlete village know today as Olympic village. These developments were made for athletes to stay in during the olympics but are now being sold as luxury condos in the heart of false creek.

Cultural and Social Impact

The city of Vancouver got to see a lot of changes during the winter games in 2010. The most significant changes were the different cultures that were able to collide with one another. Fans and athletes from across the world got the opportunity to come represent their countries, cheer on their athletes, and compete in a once in a lifetime opportunity. The opening and closing ceremonies demonstrated how special these events truly are. Not only was this an opportunity for Vancouver to host a huge global event but it was a massive opportunity for the city to showcase our multicultural and inclusive identity.

Where would you rank the 2010 winter games alongside other notable years of the Olympics?