As Whistler and Vancouver prepare for the 2010 Olympics, many residents are becoming increasingly concerned about the impacts of the Games on the environment and the massive debt load that will be undertaken by B.C. residents and taxpayers.

Slippery Slope for the "Greenest" Games Ever!

The destruction of this wetland is just one of the areas that has been lost or compromised with the assistance of the BC government, Big Business, and the Olympics/VANOC. These bodies are putting increasing pressure on local citizens as we near 2010.

Here are a few examples of the "legacies" we've lost:

2010 Articles 2010 OLYMPICS ARCHIVE  A comprehensive list of Olympic-related articles. Nesters Wetlands Whistler municipality recently rezoned a piece of land industrial which goes against their own Official Community Plan (OCP), and they did not include any community consultation on making any modifications to the OCP. Clearing of Lot 1/9 (Village Forest) Over 800 trees were cut in the heart of the village for a "temporary" medals plaza for the 2010 Olympics.  Long term plans are for the site to be used as a public outdoor 'meeting' space. In a town where the village itself already serves the purpose of meeting space, and where forests are valued, more could be done to make the forest itself a wonderful place for locals and tourists to meet without having to clear the entire lot. Highway 99 Construction Construction or Destruction? The amount of trees lost to widen the highway is very significant, but more importantly, several sensitive ecosystems have simply been lost.  Have you noticed the highway being re-aligned right through a wetland?  Other sensitive areas like Eagle Ridge Bluffs have also been compromised. All this destruction for the 2010 Games so we can showcase to the world how "green" we are? If you build more roads, they will come! Callaghan Valley Again thousands of trees lost, lots of sensitive ecosystems compromised. Now that the area has been set aside for development, the pressures on the site will continue to mount. Post 2010 games, there will be added pressure on the development group to ensure the economic viability of operating the venues. An application by local First Nations for another golf course in the Callaghan is just one example of upcoming ecosystem threats. Re-alignment of Downhill Course In preparation for the 2010 Games, the Dave Murray Downhill run in Creekside was re-aligned. Site construction was done beyond what local biologists consider "safe." The new course will likely lead to a build up of sediment in the creeks, which will be detrimental to the surrounding habitat and animals.

Olympic Greenwash

• Greenest Games Ever? How can these games be "green" when everything green has been destroyed? For example, the new Nesters transit station will house the Hydrogen re-fueling station, so Whistler can showcase the Hydrogen Highway during the games (anyone hear of the Hindenberg disaster?) This despite the fact that Hydrogen is years away from being environmentally friendly, since it creates a great deal of carbon in it's creation and is a by-product of burning gasoline (A FOSSIL FUEL).  The hydrogen in question will be trucked from Eastern Canada by train. How sustainable is that? Now we learn that 400 Army personnel will be stationed on the wetlands during the Games.
   
• Municipal Mismanagement: The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) prides itself on its stance on environmental sustainability.  However, they cleared Lot 1/9, voted to support the destruction of the BC Hydro Wetlands, and have not yet implemented their own environmental mapping system despite the fact that it was created many years ago. The RMOW recently cleared another wetland near Spruce Grove with zero public input, and generally continue to ignore their own rules where they decide they don't fit.
  
  Whistler council also voted to give VANOC a tax break on Olympic venues for five years claiming that VANOC was a "philanthropic organization." Yet.... you can't undertake a Freedom of Information on any of the Olympics' financial documents because VANOC is considered a "PRIVATE" company - funded by taxpayers' money.

NO 2010 Organizations:

http://www.no2010victoria.net/

http://www.no2010.org