Canada will have its own little corner in Torino, Italy this February with the construction of B.C. Canada House, a log house that will showcase B.C. business, tourism and cultural opportunities during the 2006 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Future host cities always have a presence at Olympic events, including a presentation during the closing ceremonies.
The contract to build the house has been awarded to Sitka Log Homes, which designs and builds custom log homes in 100 Mile House. The house will be shipped log by log to Torino for reassembly, and will be open to the public from January to March.
Keeping with the Olympics’ sustainability theme, the lodgepole pine trees used to build the house were all killed by the pine beetle infestation that has hit B.C.’s forests.
The landscaping for B.C. Canada House will also include imported B.C. granite and coniferous trees.
Managed by the B.C. Olympic Secretariat, the province has committed up to $4 million for B.C. Canada House.
"Everyone at Sitka is honoured to be involved in such a great project," said John Johnson, the owner and operator of Sitka Log Homes. "We’re looking forward to showcasing a uniquely B.C. home and uniquely B.C. culture to the world."
Businesses that are interested in becoming involved with the project can register with the 2010 Commerce Centre at www.2010commercecentre.com . Once registered businesses will receive notices regarding upcoming economic opportunities.
