2010 Winter Games Legacies

The 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games have come and gone but the spirit and energy live on in Whistler. Exciting legacies like Whistler Olympic Park and Sliding Centre, as well as monuments like the Olympic Rings or Inukshuk are scattered through Whistler for tours, photos and a chance to experience the passion.

Whistler Sliding Centre

The Whistler Sliding Centre, site of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games bobsleigh, luge and skeleton competition, is located on the lushly forested southeast slope of Blackcomb Mountain, only minutes from Whistler Village. With a 152-metre vertical drop (the greatest of any track in the world) and 16 corners, it is widely acknowledged as the fastest, most technical sliding track in the world.

Winter visitors can tick passenger bobsleigh or public skeleton rides off their bucket lists in the public sessions, and in summer, public guests can experience the thrill of bobsleigh in sleds equipped with wheels. Check out Olympic Experiences to find the tour that’s right for you. Year-round, Olympic Sightseeing is available free of charge through a self-guided interpretive tour.

The 2010 Olympic Winter Games legacy venue is also home to the BC Sliding Development Centre, and offers programming for all skill levels in bobsleigh, skeleton and luge. It is a National Training Centre and training venue for athletes from all over the world. The venue hosts sliding races from grassroots to elite level, and highlights of the 2018/2019 season were the Viessmann Luge World Cup and the BMW IBSF Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Championships.

The Whistler Sliding Centre is a non-profit organization and all proceeds from public programs go directly towards growing sport and supporting bobsleigh, skeleton and luge athletes. www.whistlerslidingcentre.com

Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Park

Surrounded by towering peaks, glacial lakes and pristine forest, Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Park will take your breath away. Located 18 km (11 miles) south of Whistler in the beautiful Callaghan Valley, the park is the first Olympic Nordic venue to include all three traditional Nordic sport stadiums on one site: cross-country, ski jumping and biathlon.

In the winter, public visitors can try cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, biathlon, tobogganing and more. Guided Snowshoe Tours let visitors experience the serene trails through old-growth forests, up to viewpoints and along Olympic monuments. Beginner and advanced cross-country ski lessons, biathlon instruction and youth programs and camps are available. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games legacy venue is also a popular sightseeing spot, with Olympic landmarks and interpretive signage about the park’s sports and athletes. The full-service Day Lodge has a fully licensed café as well as a retail and rental shop. Learn more about activities at Whistler Olympic Park: www.whistlerolympicpark.com

Whistler Athletes' Centre

Located south of Whistler Village in the Cheakamus Crossing neighbourhood, the Whistler Athletes' Centre was part of the Olympic Village which housed over 3,500 Olympians, Paralympians and officials during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Today, the centre provides accommodation and training facilities available exclusively to high performance and development sport groups, sport associations and clubs looking to stay and train in the Whistler region. The Olympic legacy venue is an important contributor to Whistler’s continuous success of growing athletes for the world stage. It is open year-round to athletes and groups from all sports, providing affordable short and longterm accommodation and access to training.

In addition, the Whistler Adaptive Sport Program (WASP), a non-for-profit society that provides year-round, recreational programs for people of all ages and disabilities, with offices and accessible fitness/ training facilities is located within the Athletes' Centre.

Whistler Olympic Plaza

The Whistler Olympic Plaza served as the Whistler Medals Plaza during the Games, and is a lanscaped public space ideal for picnics, outdoor concerts and performances. The outdoor space includes a children's playground, terraced seating, public art, information plaques, the Olympic Legacy Cauldron and the well-photographed Olympic rings and Paralympic Agitos monuments that resided along Whistler's Village Stroll during the Games. Whistler Olympic Plaza is a key social gathering place for Whistler and a way to remember how the community welcomed the world in February and March 2010.

Sea to Sky Highway Improvement

Prior to be being awarded the Games, it was identified that the scenic Sea to Sky Highway that links Vancouver with Whistler was in need of major upgrades, due to the continued growth of the resort and residential communities along the corridor. The $600 million improvement project included widening and straightening the highway, improving safety and travel times. Regarded as one of the most beautiful highways in the world, the Sea to Sky Highway takes visitors on a breathtaking two-hour journey of ocean and mountain vistas. The road hugs the dramatic Pacific coastline past rushing waterfalls and mountainous islands, then winds through lush, forested canyons on a gradual climb into the spectacular Coast Mountains of British Columbia.

Lost Lake Passivhaus

Known as a Passive House because of its unique design which essentially allows it to heat, cool and ventilate itself, this facility was purpose-built for the 2010 Winter Games. The house served as the Austrian Olympic Committee headquarters and daily broadcast studio for the Austrian Public Broadcaster ORF.

Nestled at the entrance of Lost Lake Park, The Lost Lake Passivhaus is a seasonal day-lodge where you can rent bikes, cross-country skis, and snowshoes to enjoy the trails. It’s also a great place to pick up a coffee while you check out the heritage photos on the walls and temporary art shows that occasionally exhibit on the upper floor.