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No Olympic youth hostels planned for Whistler

The organizing committee for the 2010 Games does not believe hundreds of young people are going to flock to Whistler next February, unlike Vancouver.

The organizing committee for the 2010 Games does not believe hundreds of young people are going to flock to Whistler next February, unlike Vancouver.

This week, Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee (VANOC) representatives announced they will erect at least one low-cost, temporary hostel in Vancouver between November 2009 and March 2010 to house the large number of transients that usually flood host cities during the Olympics. But nothing is proposed for the Sea to Sky corridor.

"We have not seen the same phenomena happen in the mountain venues around the Winter Games, and at this point, we don't anticipate that need in Whistler," said Maureen Douglas, director of operations communications for VANOC.

"We have had conversations with Whistler Community Services for them to anticipate any concerns they may have, but they are also confident right now that it is not really an issue that will arise here."

VANOC officials plan to start housing 100 people a night in Vancouver by mid-November, and 400 people a night in February. Hostel guests will be charged a modest fee in exchange for basic accommodation and shower facilities.