Wednesday, July 8: AMS Council started off with UBC Olympic and Paralympic Secretariat Michelle Aucoin’s presentation and Q&A on the Olympics and how they would impact UBC. Tensions were high at the beginning as there were many students, including fraternity members and quite a few students at large. Aucoin herself came with associate Kristen Harvey, RCMP officers, Campus Security, and Manon Chouinard of the Integrated Security Unit (ISU) to answer subsequent questions.

Key Dates:

VANOC will be taking possession of the Lord and Buck fields on campus in July—four months earlier than expected—to begin preparations for building a center of operations next to the Olympic venue. The fields will have to be paved so as to support a certain amount of weight, which, Harvey said, needs to be done when the fields are dry. The fields will be returned to UBC at the end of the Paralympic Games in March for restoration.

December 13, 2009: the start of the exclusive use period of the Thunderbird Winter Sports Centre.

February 4, 2010: the beginning of training for the Olympic Games.

February 11: the Olympic Torch Relay passes through UBC in day 105 of the relay.

February 13-21: the Olympic Games at UBC, with over 80 countries and 5,500 athletes and officials. Men’s and women’s ice hockey. Students get a two week reading break during the Games.

February 25: transition to the Paralympic Games begins.

March 12 to 21: the Paralympic Games at UBC, with over 40 countries and 1,350 athletes and officials. Men’s and women’s ice sledge hockey.

April 30: Thunderbird Centre is returned to UBC.

Roads and Transportation:

There will be eight different graduated road closures during this time. Wesbrook Mall will be closed, and alternate parking will be available for some residents in the Thunderbird Parkade. Residents will have access to Acadia Park, although detours are expected. Osbourne will remain accessible.  Chouinard guarenteed total access for grad students to their respective research facilities.

Translink has promised more buses and alternate routes, but those details will become available in the fall.

Security:

The Integrated Security Unit (ISU), will be in charge of security in and around the Olympic venues. The ISU will be comprised of officers from all over Canada, the Vancouver Police Department, RCMP, and Transit police. Chouinard stressed that “public safety and emergency preparedness” was of paramount importance.

The University RCMP detachment and Campus Security will remain active as usual during the Games.