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VANOC still on the hunt for accommodation

Temporary housing, tents and cruise ships considered if accommodation providers don't step up

Olympic officials are still looking for accommodation in Whistler for thousands of essential workers and hundreds in the media.

They are now being forced to consider constructing temporary housing, using campsites up and down the corridor, and resurrecting the idea of using cruise ships in Squamish to meet their needs.

And in the last month they have worked with Whistler to introduce a new bylaw, which received first and second reading this week at council, to allow residents to rent out their homes to Olympic workers as long as it does not displace local employees.

Olympic organizers say they are surprised that they still have not finalized all the accommodation since, in total, they need less than 50 per cent of what Whistler says it has to offer.

“…Out of 10,000 bedrooms we have only secured 3,000 so where are the rest?” asked the straight talking Jacqui Murdoch, vice president of accommodations and services for the Vancouver Organizing committee for the 2010 Games (VANOC).

“We have worked very closely with Tourism Whistler and the (Resort Municipality of Whistler) and now we know that some people are holding out for a better price. We know that some people are holding out for a longer commitment, they are looking for two to three months (but) we really don’t have any clients left that are looking for extended stays.”

Murdoch said VANOC would not be offering more money as that would not be fair to those who have already signed deals and offered huge support for the Games. And, she said, many of the Olympic client groups already think Whistler is too expensive.

“Some have chosen to accommodate more people in Vancouver than Whistler because of that (price),” said Murdoch who also worries that faced with a challenge in accommodation some media may choose not to come to the resort at all.

VANOC must secure all the media accommodation by February.

In total VANOC needs 4,326 bedrooms in Whistler. Nine hundred and six of those are for the 2,500 to 3,000 essential workers and volunteers. Currently they need 411 bedrooms for the media.

“We are at a point where in the next couple of weeks we are going to have to make some commitment (to temporary solutions),” said Murdoch, adding that many acceptable solutions exist.

“But we would much rather, instead of putting money into temporary solutions with companies that don’t come from around here… be putting it into rentals.”

The new temporary commercial use permit (TCUP) bylaw, which also governs any out of the ordinary use for commercial property, is seen by the municipality as a positive way to get the media and the workers into lodgings for the Games.

“Ultimately for Whistler it is in our best interests to have key groups, including media, in Whistler,” said Michele Comeau Thompson, the RMOW’s manager of communications.

“It seems like every week or two we hear about a group which has decided to have their main base down in Vancouver instead of Whistler when their absolute first choice would have been… Whistler. They are being forced to make that decision to be in Vancouver and Whistler becomes the satellite. Ultimately that is the reason we are considering this legislation from the accommodation standpoint.

“Not only will that impact their experience it will also impact their ability to cover the Games in Whistler.”

The RMOW will be having a public information session on the bylaw before it comes up for third reading at council. It is likely it will come before council again at the Dec.15 meeting. If it is on the agenda for Dec. 15 there will be a public hearing as part of the process that night.

Under the bylaw:

• Homeowners must apply to the RMOW for the permit with a client secured. This is not a matching service. The process of matching homes to needs is under construction.

• The program is only for homeowners renting houses to essential Olympic attendees such as workers, volunteers, unaccredited media and so on. Permits will not be granted to rent to spectators or tourists.

• Any tenants concerned about facing eviction due to the new bylaw are asked to contact the RMOW and their information will become part of a tenant registry. Every time a permit comes in it will be checked against the tenant registry to make sure no one is being evicted.

• A tenant can volunteer to leave so a homeowner may rent but a letter must be supplied to that effect as part of the permit application.

• A homeowner must provide a signed declaration that they are not displacing a worker.

“The main goal of having a really stringent process is to avoid any potential of displacing Whistler workforce,” said Comeau Thompson

“This does not allow someone who is not zoned for nightly rental to rent out to tourists or spectators on a nightly basis. This is specifically for workforce.”

Both Comeau Thompson and Murdoch are hopeful that some accommodation will come through under the bylaw.

And that, along with the Olympic Homestay program and the generosity that Whistler residents are known for in opening their homes to volunteers, will make the experience for essential workers positive.

“It is really important that… they go away from Whistler and say, ‘wasn’t that fantastic and I want to come back,’” said Murdoch.

“They become the way to communicate to everyone and I think that is really important.

“We are very appreciative of the people who have come to the table already and of the support we have been given but we don’t want to ruin it by not getting it right at the end.

“Come to the party with VANOC and list your property with a tourism body, just make a decision and help the community and provide the best solution for the Games.”