Home » News » Winter Olympics & FCRCC

 

This is a compilation of various items relating to the upcoming Winter Olympics, with respect to how they will impact FCRCC.

The info & links here are up to date (I think!) as of Sunday Jan 24th; anything important which gets changed, or is new, will get date-tagged.

On the water

  • the East end of False Creek, starting just before the Cambie Bridge, is closed off ... for the next 2 months.

There is now a floating barrier - consisting of several very large tubular dock fenders (a metre plus in diameter & several long!), which are very black too (so hard to see at night!) - which is strung between the South & North shores & across those two large orange buoys that have been in place for a month or so.  The barrier is just to the West of the Bridge.  It will be up until the end of March.

Supposedly, the portion of the barrier between the orange buoys can/will be opened, to allow "approved" vessels, such as the Dinner Cruise boats moored at the B.C. Pavilion dock, to pass thru.  But not us ...

That means all FCRCC boats should stay well clear of the barrier!  Also, the 5 Km TT loop will have to change to a "2 loops" route ... turning around twice somewhere near Monk's (exact route to be advised once someone does a GPS survey run?)

Update (Feb 6): several paddlers report having been warned by VPD &/or security officers in patrol boats near the bridge not to approach the barrier any closer than the last pair of new buoys - Red on the South, Green on the North (see below) - before the barrier, about 100 metres in front of it.  So please turn back before those buoys.

You should also expect to see VPD, CCG & other VISU security-task boats on regular patrol in the Creek, from English Bay right up to the barrier. Please stay out of the main channel (i.e., the area between the new buoys), so you're out of their way. And give them a friendly wave & a thumbs-up when they go by you ... they're carrying a huge amount responsibility, for all our sakes!

  • There's a new set of Red/Green Lateral buoys all along the main navigation channel of the Creek.  At a guess, they've been put down in order to mark the "main channel" for visiting vessels who are not familiar with the Creek.

That means all FCRCC boats should keep to the South of the Red buoys, and to the North of the Green.  Also, when you cross over from side to side, please do so "straight across".

  • The squatter boats that were anchoured in the NE corner at the far end of the Creek near Science World have been moved to the area along the South shore between the Cambie Bridge & Monk's.  There's several groups of rafted boats, plus many singletons. 

You should keep a good lookout for the FC Ferries, when you are in amongst all those boats - and especailly when paddling near the rafts.  The Ferry pilots may not see you very easily, if you are passing close to those rafts/boats while they are manoeuvering to/from their docks.

Update (Feb 6): there's a lot fewer boats anchoured along the Monk's-Cambie shore than 2 weeks ago.

  • More info from Transport Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard & the City of Vancouver:
    • Marine Security plan (East end of the Creek & elsewhere): this TC page (& the pdf file mentioned at the top) & this Van page & this pdf
    • Notices to Shipping (the most recent Cambie Bridge barrier item is P-0137(2010) FALSE CREEK, dated 22 Jan, & there's others before that): this CCG page (you might have to go thru an "I agree ..." page to get to see this one)
    • Lateral Buoys: this TC page

Granville Island

  • The False Creek CC will be the "home" for La Francophonie, during the 2 main weeks of the Olympics.  All the CC's own regular adult programming is cancelled (see this page) during that period ... but the change rooms & gym are still open for regular use, and our own programs/practices/etc. carry on uninterrupted.

Feb 5: all the FCRCC signs & info outside our office have been removed, in the makeover of the CC into Place de la Francophonie.  But our office is still open, regular hours, and will be so for the duration.

Feb 10: a useful information flyer on Place de la Francophonie, courtesy of the FCCC.  Check out the Club Adrénaline menu ... real Poutine, Beef Bourguignon, Pork Pies, Quiche, Brioche Pudding with Maple Syrup ... oh my, so much for the goal to lose a few Kgs before doing that next TT!!

No effect on us ... though you should expect lots of crowds inside & outside the CC, so allow a bit more time to change/shower, rig boats, and so on.

  • Parking, & even access by car, to GI beyond Old Bridge Street (the one right after the GI Brewery - see map) will be verboten, during the main Olympics.  According to a CMHC spokesperson:

"Cartwright Street east of Old Bridge Street will be “traffic-calmed” and restricted to authorized vehicles only being allowed to enter; authorized vehicles will include hotel guests, delivery vehicles, buses, Sea Village residents, performers and crew.  All other vehicles will use Old Bridge Street.

The Emily Carr parkade will remain available, including the spaces normally reserved for faculty and staff.

All parking will be FREE between 10 PM and 10 M for a maximum of two hours.  Between 10 AM and 10 PM, paid parking will be available for a maximum of two hours, for a flat rate of $6.00.  All available parking will be designated paid parking during this period."

See the GI Info page.

Feb 5: new "Pay Parking, 2 Hours Max." signs are up everywhere (covering over the "3 hour" signs).

Feb 9 - from CMHC, this updated info:

Pay parking everywhere on Granville Island is now in effect (although there is a still a lack of machines from which to purchase tickets, in a few areas).

From 10 AM to 10 PM in those areas accessible to vehicles on the West side of GI, a ticket must be purchased - $6 for 2 hours - to park in any available spots.  (Feb 10: FCCC staff say pay parking is only enforced up to 7 PM, in the area around the CC)

The maximum allowable daily time to park on the Island is 2 hours; it is not renewable.

The area East of Old Bridge will be blocked off (to all but specially-authorized vehicles) as of early morning, Friday February 12th.

This all will last until the end of the Winter Olympics, February 28th.

Take a good look around for new signs & meters, before you leave your car anywhere ... better yet, bus in or bike or walk ... and allow lots of extra time!!

Burrard

  • No effect (other than it'll no doubt take longer to get there by car ... and parking may or may not be iffy!)
  • Jan 25: be aware that the Planetarium parking lot will become a pay lot, starting Feb 1st.  This is not directly because of the Olympics, rather a staff recommendation which was approved by City Council last year.  Note: it is not known if the Archives & Music Academy lots will also become pay lots.

Miscellaneous

  • The Bombardier CityTrain is now up & running (& free!), between GI & the Cambie Bridge.
  • Translink has banned bicycles on the Expo & Canada Lines, for the duration - also, the bike-storage lockers at some stations have been sealed.
  • A City of Vancouver page with a whole lotta' useful info & links is here.

 

Stay tuned for more info (if & when).  And if anyone has a correction, or some more info that I should add, please send a note to communications@fcrcc.com