Fourteen million dollars will get Whistler a green space to hold the medal ceremonies during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and an enhanced playground and amphitheatre seating after the Games are over.
And $34 million will get Whistler the same space with a circular outdoor ice rink with a centrally supported roof structure that proponents are describing as iconic architecture, in the same vein as the Sydney Opera House or the glass pyramid at the Louvre.
While members of the Lot 1/9 Task Force would like to see the more expensive option developed for 2010, they acknowledge that they’re working within a tight time frame.
“The time to raise the ($20 million) funding expires in March, 2008,” said municipal planner Mike Kirkegaard, who is a member of the task force. “After that they can’t build it in time for the Games, and we will go back to the basic plan which would include cutting down the trees, landscaping the site, the public art, and a temporary stage for the medal ceremony.
“Until then we’re on a fundraising campaign.”
The Task Force will bring its recommendations to council in November for the basic medals plaza, which the municipality has already budgeted $14.2 million to build. They will also ask for the municipality’s co-operation in raising the additional $20 million required for the ice rink and roof.
Kirkegaard said that taxpayers would not be on the hook for that additional funding, which was the prime concern brought forward by the more than 140 people who attended the open house on Oct. 18. If they cannot find an outside source of funding by March, the rink and roof will be off the table until after 2010.
There could also be up to three buildings on the site after 2010, each with 25,000 square feet of space dedicated to community uses. Possible uses suggested include an art gallery, an art market, a culinary school, the museum and the centre for sustainability. The buildings are expected to be built by other nations for the Olympics and left in Whistler after the Games.
Some of the potential funding sources for the rink and roof include the federal and provincial governments, Olympic and Paralympic corporate sponsors and B.C. industry groups. For example, it has been suggested that the B.C. forest industry might provide some funding for the unique $18 million roof structure as an opportunity to show off woodwork in the support trusses and alternative uses of pine beetle-killed wood.
The rink is expected to cost $2 million, and will be slightly larger in area than an NHL hockey rink.
The roof is considered necessary for the arena because of rain and snow, and the design put forward will keep all precipitation off the ice, and funnel it back into the centre supporting posts.
“If it doesn’t happen we’ll still have the site with the lawn, a huge play area, the water features, the steps,” said Kirkegaard. “But the idea of having a site for outdoor skating, that can be used in the summer for plays and concerts, has been discussed for 30 years.
“We challenged the design team to come up with something special, and they’ve done that. VANOC (Vancouver Organizing Committee) thinks it’s an incredible opportunity for the Games… in terms of the experience and what the world would see.”
According to Kirkegaard, public comments from the open house have been mostly positive — both for the basic medal plaza, and for the plaza with the ice rink and roof structure.
“The majority said that this is exciting, that they like what they see and are very supportive of moving forward,” said Kirkegaard. “From a staff perspective, we feel that the community is supportive of the direction we’ve pursued, and they like the plan.”
The comments were also divided on using municipal tax money for the project, with some comments against and others for if the municipality is unable to find outside funding in time to start the project.
Councillor Bob Lorriman was also on the task force and is optimistic that Whistler will be able to raise the money for the rink and roof if it is broken into components. For example, the roof and supporting poles will cost about $8 million to build, including the cost of wood and glass. The concrete foundation and site servicing will cost another $10 million.
“After the Games we’re probably going to be on our own if we want to build this,” he said. “Before the Games, because of the attention we’re getting, and because this is a unique structure that’s going to stand out, we have the opportunity to talk to funding partners and see who else might be available to help fund this thing.
“Nobody has written us a cheque yet, but nobody has said ‘no’ either…and we’re going to leave no stoned unturned. We’re not crazy. We are bold and we are definitely reaching, but it’s also running through our minds that this is something that’s credible. We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t think it was possible.”
The Lot 1/9 task force has been meeting for several years to come up with a plan for the forested area in the North Village, adjacent to the Whistler Health Care Centre. The initial plan was to build a 5,000 seat arena that could host Paralympic sledge hockey games. That plan was rejected when the price tag reached $35 to $40 million.
The budget for the medals plaza is $14.2 million. That includes a $5 million federal grant, $4.2 million from VANOC and $5 million of municipal money from the hotel tax.
Only $8.1 million will be spent before the Games, removing the trees, preparing the site, providing infrastructure, doing some landscaping and installing a utility building. After the Games the remaining money will be spent to add terraces, steps, the lawn, new equipment at an extended playground, a water feature and a public art project.
It will still be possible to build an outdoor rink on the site after 2010, as well as to relocate the three large buildings.
According to Mayor Ken Melamed, the final design was based on feedback from the community at previous open houses.
“The is the culmination of what has been a protracted process, to figure out what the legacy will be on this last remaining site to build on in the village,” he said. “The community has been involved from the beginning with a desire to create a lasting legacy, a gathering place for locals and visitors during and after the Games. No mountain host community has ever been able to present medals in their little towns to Olympic athletes, which is just one of the reasons the task forced aimed higher.”
After the presentation the community had a few questions about the longevity of the wooden roof structure, as well as the cost of maintenance to the municipality. According to the architects, the roof could last well over 50 years with proper maintenance, and maintenance would be concentrated on the centre poles that support the roof tresses through a series of cables. Those poles would need to be waterproofed every few years.
Stephen Vogler asked whether the wood from the existing forest can be used on site. According to Lorriman it’s a possibility, but the goal is to get the forest industry involved and take advantage of grants available to builders that use pine beetle wood.
Brian Bucholz wanted to know if there was a chance the municipality would change its mind and decide to fund the rink and roof using tax dollars. According to Lorriman it would be unlikely for the municipality to go ahead with the project without outside funding. “That doesn’t mean it’s dead. If the municipality may decide to go ahead with this five, 10, 15 years down the road,” said Lorriman. In that event, he said cheaper roof designs would be considered.
The iconic roof
According to the designers, Bing Thom Architects and Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg, the roof and medal plaza was designed to be highly visible and unique, given that an estimated three billion people will see it during the Winter Games.
It also had to be practical, keeping snow and rain off the ice, and tough enough to withstand snowloads of up to 10 feet.
Off-centre in the feature there will be a circle of tall poles, 80 or 90 feet, that are linked with cables. More cables will support dozens of wood trusses that grow out of the base of the circle at slightly different angles. Angled pieces of glass will be placed between the trusses.
During daylight the trusses and glass will create patterns on the ice like tree branches, and at night the glass can be lit up.
No walls or support beams are being used, to complete the feeling of being outside.
The decision was made to put the central structure off to one side of the circular rink to give people the sensation of skating in and out of a forest when they pass through the narrower part of the feature.
Steps and terraces will be built around the rink for spectators, and for audience members when the rink is used to host shows and cultural events.
