My view of the win from Robson Square…a perfect close to an amazing Winter Olympic Games for me.

The amazing team at Molson has done an amazing job in creating a great space for Hockey and Olympic fans to enjoy hockey at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games.

In their partnership with with Canada and the IHF. They have been able to provide a comfortable, safe space for players and their family to have some quality time together nearby the Canada Hockey Place (GM PLace).

Tour the Inside of the Molson Canadian Hockey House.

We at Vancouver Access have had the opportunity to experience the house on a few occasions and I will be watching the Gold medal game and Closing ceremonies at the Molson Canadian Hockey House with new and old friends.

Last Saturday I went to Whitehorse for Yukon day.. (Stories coming soon..) I’ve been slacking off on the final production trying to capture as much of the games as I could in the moment…

Anyway, while in the Yukon I met Ron Flatter, a famed Radio Sport 927 Australia personality…

So when I was unable to go to the Molson Canadian Hockey House for the Canada vs USA game on the 22nd, I called Ron and he immediately accepted to go on my behalf and cover the event.

He created this fun podcast of his interaction with the Molson Canada Hockey House fans.

Listen to Ron’s segment with the Molson Candian Hockey House Fans 2010 02 22 Canada fans suffer at Molson Canadian Hockey House (Copyright Ron Flatter (C) 2010 Sport 927 Australia)

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This past Tuesday I was invited to attend the Coca-Cola Live Positively Awards, held during the 2010 Olympic Games at the BC Media Center in Vancouver.

“Live Positively” represents The Coca-Cola Company‘s philosophical approach to building sustainable communities through initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where it operates. The Live Positively concept grew from the recognition that sustainable growth for The Coca-Cola Company is integrally connected to both its business and its marketing success, as well as its societal role.

The Coca-Cola Company is honouring individuals, families and organizations with the Coca-Cola Live Positively Award during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Each recipient was chosen because of his or her efforts to turn their passion for improving the well-being of Canadians into important changes that have positively impacted their local communities. With a focus on either active living or environmental sustainability, each recipient has a unique and inspirational story to share.

The following were honoured on Tuesday afternoon:

Jennifer Heil & Dominick Gauthier – on behalf of B2ten:

B2ten is a not for profit organization that supports Canadian elite athletes so they may succeed at the highest level of international competition. For more information, visit http://www.b2ten.com/.

Sami Jo Small:

Sami Jo is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the 2009 recipient of the Athletes CAN Leadership Award. Sami Jo is also the co-founder of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League. Her commitment to sport and her involvement in developing the Canadian Women’s Hockey League has helped create a forum for women across the country to participate in our nation’s sport at an elite level.

Canadian Olympic School Project:

The Olympic School Program is the Canadian Olympic Committee’s primary education program aiming to spread the positive message of the Olympic Games to all students between grades 2-12. The organization has been providing teachers with Olympic Games themed resources for over 20 years.

Vancouver residents are welcoming the world by sharing their hometown’s beautiful landscape and resources with an estimated 2.3 million athletes, officials, international visitors, media, and spectators.

The House of Switzerland Canada 2010 will show its appreciation to the City of Vancouver by hosting a charity auction on its website in support of Streetohome, a partnership between the Vancouver Foundation, City of Vancouver and Province of British Columbia, dedicated to providing Vancouverites access to safe, standard, affordable housing.

“As we are guests in Canada and have enjoyed great support from the public, we would like to give something back to the local community,” said Manuel Salchi, Director of the House of Switzerland Canada 2010.

The House of Switzerland Canada 2010 is auctioning off special Swiss products from its Partners and Sponsors including a Flyer electric bike, exclusive Swiss Olympic celebration jackets, brand-new Nespresso coffee machines, Lindt chocolate gift baskets, fondue sets, raclette grills, and various ski and snowboard wear from Zimtstern clothing.

“We are honoured that the House of Switzerland is donating their time and resources to benefit the residents of Vancouver. Their generous commitment to this community demonstrates the Olympic ideals of unity and humanity,” says Barbara Grantham, Acting President of Streetohome Foundation.

Online Charity Auction Details:

WEBSITE:  http://www.houseofswitzerland.org/de/charity-auction.html

OPENING DATE:  February 22, 2010

CLOSING DATE: February 28, 2010, 12:00PM

HOW TO BID:  Email the item number, contact information, and bid amount to info@streetohome.org. Bids will be updated on the website in the morning, afternoon, and evening.  The highest bidders will be contacted by phone at the end of the auction, February 28th.

WINNING BIDS:  Winning bidders must pick up their items at the House of Switzerland Canada 2010 in Vancouver located at 1696 Duranleau Street, Granville Island, Vancouver, BC on March 1, 2010 between 5:00PM – 10:00PM.  Only credit card and cash accepted. No home delivery option.

About Streetohome Foundation

Streetohome Foundation is a community organization working to ensure that all citizens of Vancouver have access to safe, decent, affordable housing. They bring together business, government and community leaders to build resources and develop lasting solutions to homelessness. Everyone has a role to play. Find out how you can be part of the solution at www.streetohome.org.

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I’ve been quite fortunate in getting tickets to Olympic events here at the Vancouver 2010 Games! I’ve been lucky enough to acquire tickets to several events, all at face value. Events I’ve seen include speed skating at the Olympic Oval, men’s hockey at Canada Hockey Place, and women’s hockey at Thunderbird Stadium at UBC. I’ve also been to a Victory Ceremony and to the Molson Canadian Hockey House twice to watch hockey games there.

The best part about all of these opportunities for me is that I am able to take  photos of once in a lifetime events in our beautiful city!

Here are some of those images to give you a taste of my 2010 Olympics experiences:

Speed Skating:

On February 13th, after winning tickets in the Holland Heineken House ticket lottery for Dutch citizens, I went to my first speed skating event. It was unbelievable! The energy in the Richmond Oval was electrifying! And the fact that Holland’s Sven Kramer won Gold, made it that much better!

Gold Medalist, Sven Kramer of the Netherlands.

Victory Ceremony:

The first gold medal for Canada was awarded to Alex Bilodeau on February 15th. I was at the medal ceremony to see it happen!

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Molson Canadian Hockey House:

On February 15th, Tom Cochrane played at the Molson Canadian Hockey House. Guests to his stage included Tyler Stewart of the Barenaked Ladies, and Donald Sutherland. It was an amazing show and the House was full of energy and excitement! A super fun time! If you have a chance to watch a game at the Molson Canadian Hockey House, take it! Included in the FanZone ticket is entrance, food, and non-alcoholic beverages. Beer is $7.50 tax and tip included.

Men’s Hockey:

I was at the USA vs Norway game on February 18th. We had seats right behind the photographers’ pit and I was able to sneak into the photographers area for about 20 minutes in the second period! It was amazing to be so close to the action and having the players bang up against the glass right in front of me! Here are some of the shots from that game.

Women’s Hockey:

On February 22nd, the Swiss played the Russians in Women’s Hockey at Thunderbird Stadium out at UBC. After a well-matched game, a few injuries, overtime and a shootout, the Swiss were victorious, winning 4th place in the 2010 Olympic standings! Congratulations Switzerland!

Believe it or not, there are still tickets available for upcoming events! We are into the final week of the Games and your final chances to see some awesome Olympic athletes in action! Try your luck for tickets at the Vancouver 2010 Fan to Fan site, Craigslist, or even right outside the venues from people trying to simply sell extra tickets at face value because they are unable to attend the event. It doesn’t always have to be pricey!A 10 Day

The BC Media Centre hosts a lot of press conferences. One highlight of many of them is long time Vancouver favorite, Nardwuar the Human Serviette asking questions of various people on stage.

First he asked Governor Arnold Swartzenegger about his previous vinyl efforts:

then today, he asked Canadian Ice Dance Gold Medalists Scott Moir & Tessa Virture about Scott’s previous aspirations of becoming a SWAT team leader:

(make sure you watch til the end to hear Tessa finish Nardwuar’s famous jingle)

He even stopped in when the Stanley Cup was here to find his great uncle’s name who won the cup with Chicago in 1961:

Thanks for being awesome, Nardwuar!

(this post originally appeared on 2010.johnbiehler.com)

Amazing first week at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games. Here’s some of the Highlights of my first week at 2010 Olympics…

Watching the Olympic flame Downtown… Hours before the Opening Ceremony. It was amazing to see the flame change hands as it was zig zagging through the streets of our host city on its last day (Day 106 of a 40,000 Kms).

A few hours later Wayne Gretzky will be the last torch barer, completing the journey riding in the back of a pickup, in the rain, to light the Cauldron…

Visiting the various hospitality houses:

• Holland Heineken House – The Holland is located at the Richmond OZone – (Minoru Park) and is within walking distance of the Richmon Oval, the long track speed skating venue. I had the opportunity to go there a few nights this week; I saw and met Sven when we celebrate him breaking the OR and winning a Gold Medal – Speed Skating, Men 5000m.  The music and Dj are great entertainment, the beer flow freely @ $4.50 for a 8 once glass, it falls in line with other Olympic prices. Overall I would say, a great venue to enjoy an evening. Note that the House is Close to “NON Dutch Passport Holder” on days when Holland wins a Gold Medal. Expect Long line up…
• Irish House - I was at their opening night, and as much as the space is fun, I didn’t find my space here. It feels like an extension of the Doolin’s Irish Pub, a large tent venue with comfortable seating, decent sounds and average cover bands. The beer is on the expensive side <$8, the entrance fee uncalled for! Seriously… The Irish House has received many noise complaints since it is open late. Expect long line up.
• German House. Great food, tasty beers, friendly Germans and a good spot to watch a game or just hang with friends. You can buy tasty sausages and other German grilled food. Expect Long line up…
• Sochi World – If you like the Olympics and are a fan, I would strongly recommend doing the trip to the Rusky World. Science World has been converted into a demo centre for the next Winter Games in Russia. The Second floor feature the sponsors, a great place to watch hockey, and an Info Centre for the Upcoming Olympic University. Expect very long line up. A must see IMO.
• Atlantic House - Possibly  one of the best place to spend an afternoon while learning about eastern Canada and enjoying tasty food, great beers,Screech (NF Rum). I hung out with friends and found the venue (Backstage Lounge on Granville Island) to be a great reflection of Atlantic Canada. Line up was not that bad on the day we visited the house.
• Switzerland House – I had the pleasure to go to their opening night and for the Canada vs Switzerland Man Hockey game. The food is tasty as you would expect; you can choose between Fondue, Sausage, cold cut plate and various other dishes. The bar is a good venue to enjoy a game. Expect a line up.
• La Maison Du Quebec - I went to La Maison Du Quebec on Quebec day and enjoyed a tall beer, some great music in a large open venue. I would say that overall this is a great location to enjoy a band, taste great bieres Quebecoise and spend a great evening. Line up varies, but they tend to move fast.
• HBC – Pin Trading Center – No Olympics would be complete without trading a few pins. Coca Cola and HBC have partnered up and there is a Pin trading centre at the downtown HBC olympic store. They have daily events, and you can find pro and amateur pin traders networking there throughout the day. A must see spot for anyone interested in Pin Trading or anyone who would like to know more about this unofficial Olympic sport.
• Molson Canadian Hockey House - Molson have been extremely generous to us and granted us access to the venue before the public opening and for a few games. Overall this is by far the best place to watch a hockey game. The fan zone passes are not cheap but if you factor in that this is a all day pass, which include food and “in and out” privilege and the bar serves more than just Molson Canadian. Although why would you want to drink anything else? No Lineup, lots of space, the entertainment is not conducted by your traditional PG 13 host Overall a must do experience for any Hockey Fan
• Club Bud – Burton Event – One of the most exclusive party of the 2010 games, the Club Bud party series will feature 5 different night co-sponsored with another outfit. This week Club Bud (Ustream channel for the red carpet) was hosting the Burton and NHL parties. I attended the Burton party. We got to share space with Karl Lewis, the USA Snowboarding team, talented snowboard artists and various Celebrities.. By Invitation only

Exploring the CODE

• CODE 1 – We attended the Opening Night and enjoyed the various instalations. See our posts on CODE 1 for more information.

• CODE 2 – Located at Emily Carr University on Vancouver Island, code two has a few instalation worth seeing. I would recommend taking the time to listen or watch all the media loops..Worth the time, no line up, and a fun thing to do while on Granville Island.

• Code 3 – Located on the lower level of the Downtown Vancouver Public Library – CODE 3 has a fun interactive air canon that shoot up airplane message with beacon light. A fun thing to do with the kids. Expect a line up but fun and creative.

John’s CODE Pictures &   KK’s CODE Pictures

Attending Sporting events

• Speed Skating – Attending an event where you get to witness an Olympic Record is something memorable. I really enjoyed the Richmond Oval. A bit out of the way, but a great legacy venue for after the Olympics.
• Hockey Game – USA vs NOR – The US team won in this amazing game. We scored great seats in the first round of tickets allocation and this was a great game to check out.

Nightly Victory Ceremonies and Themed Days

• Quebec Day – Alex’s Golden Moment - Music and Quebec Talent followed by the Victory Celebration for Canada’s 1st Gold on Canadian soil in 3 Olympics.. Overall I would say that at >$30 the nightly Victory Ceremonies are a good value for the family. Sadly the scalpers are selling tickets at criminal rates..
• PEI Day – Sean White get’s the Gold – Unfortunately we arrived late for the first part entertainment. But we witness Shaun White receiving his Gold Medal. Hedley was the headliner that night.

TNMH and other Events

• Hanging at the BCMC – The Robson Square Media Centre has become a central basecamp for us over the past week; it is a great venue to meet other media outlets, reporters and celebrities. This week we got to meet Canada’s Golden Boy; Alex Bilodeau, Ex-Terminator now Governor Arnold Swartzenergger, taste wine from various regions. Hug the Stanley Cup and get great support to create content for this blog…

• TNMH – Alternative Media Group founded to serve a missing need. Photowalk to the Olympic Cauldron – We held a #TNMH photowalk from the German House to Robson Square via the Olympic Cauldron;  we had a bit more than a dozen photographer come to the ad-hoc event and we where lucky to have a great sunny day for us to explore the Streets of Vancouver.

• Zip Line over Robson Square – By far the most fun I had in my first week, riding Zip Trek’s Zip Line over Robson Square was the highlight free activity of the 2010 Winter Game.

Zip Trek over Robert Square with @mariskar

Final notes; Despite the terrible rain on the opening ceremony night, we had amazing weather this week. I have never seen so many happy people people in vancouver> the streets a.re filled with helping volunteers and fans from over 90 nations.

No fun city? Not anymore, the police and security force has done a great job with crowd control in face of the massive all night street parties.

Overall it was an amazing first week at the 2010 Winter Games.

Bonus: Check out the great 3D view of the venues..

Yesterday was my first day at the Olympics and it was amazing!  Vancouver is a beautiful host city and the BC Tourism Board http://www.hellobc.com has done an excellent job promoting the city and its gorgeous scenery.

The day started out with a photo walk around downtown taking pictures of the Olympic flame, then down to Robson Square to see the Chinese gold and silver medal pairs figure skating champions do brief performances.  Then we went to the British Columbia Media Center! And watched some snowboard half pipe and hockey on TV.

Late afternoon I headed to the Pacific Coliseum as I was fortunate enough to wrangle a ticket to the Short Track Speed Skating.  At Wednesday’s Short Track was Women’s 500M quarterfinal, semifinal, and final—yes, we did get to see the final, including flower ceremony.  In the end China won gold, and the home team, Canada won silver!  It was also Men’s 1000M and Men’s 5000M semifinal relay.  In the relay 4 teams compete at once, each with 4 guys on the ice so you can imagine it was quite crowded.  But due to a disqualification, the final will be even more crowded: 5 teams, 4 guys each!  That would be very exciting to see.

It was a fantastic day to be there as new Olympic Records were constantly being set and broken.  What you learn when watching Short Track, is its not over till its over!  You may think you’re out of the qualifying and then 2 skaters knock each other out and suddenly you’re in second place!  Even though these are fairly short distances and people are going at super high speeds, the leader of the pack can change in a heartbeat.  Fight till the end, the race doesn’t end til you cross the finish line!

If you have the opportunity, I recommend short track for the excitement and the crowd’s enthusiasm.  And if you’re Canadian, don’t forget a cowbell to cheer on the home team!

Going to this event by myself, I found the other fans to be extremely friendly and helpful. During the event, I sat near some very friendly Canadians and had a great time exploring the public transportation system with some guys from Toronto. Vancouver was clearly planning ahead for this event: although the line for the 10 Bus to go downtown was a 1/4 mile long, the city had buses coming right after each other to pick us up so I don’t think I waited more than 20minutes before I got on the bus.  Very well done, Vancouver!

Inspiring event! Great day! Awesome Olympics! Wonderful host city!
Guest Post Written by: Toffler Niemuth
Twitter: @tofflerann