As the Host Mountain Resort for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Whistler will welcome the world and fulfill a longtime community dream.
Whistler's Games roots date back to the late 60s when a group of Vancouver businessmen led by Franz Wilhelmson opened Whistler Mountain for skiing in the 1960s. They did so with the hopes of hosting the Olympic Games. Nearly 50 years later, that dream has become a reality.
In 2010, Whistler will be home to the Nordic, sliding and alpine sports as well as extensive Games-time entertainment. During the Games, the Whistler Medals Plaza will take centre stage, where for the first time ever more than half of the Olympic medals in 2010 will be awarded at a mountain host venue and 62 of 64 2010 Paralympic Winter Games medal events will be awarded.
Whistler has an extraordinary opportunity to showcase to the world all that our community has to offer:
For Whistler, the benefits of 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will last a lifetime. Whistler residents and visitors will be left with more than 20 tangible legacies such as Olympic-quality sports facilities, the Whistler Medals Plaza, the Cheakamus Crossing neighbourhood and much more. In fact the Games are a catalyst to take Whistler toward our community vision to become the premier resort community as we move toward sustainability.
The excitement is building in Whistler and we are ready to host the world.
The story of Whistler is about place, people and an Olympic dream. Whistler is a special place nestled among the snow-capped Coast Mountains, surrounding by natural beauty and defined by forests, mountains, rivers and lakes. Only 120 kilometres north of one of Canada's largest urban areas - Vancouver - and 40 kilometres inland from the Pacific Ocean, Whistler provides a West Coast mountain experience with snowy winters and moderate temperatures.
First Nations people inhabited the land surrounding Whistler for thousands of years, hunting and gathering to support their nomadic lifestyles. The valley itself was an isolated wilderness, frequented by the Lil'wat Nation from the Mount Currie area and the Squamish Nation. Their history is beautifully told at the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre and the Whistler Museum.
In 1877, a trail was completed, linking the Pemberton Valley to the Pacific coast, drawing prospectors and trappers. One trapper, John Millar, enticed Myrtle and Alex Philip to the north shore of Alta Lake. There they built the successful Rainbow Lodge, which became the most popular honeymoon spot west of Jasper by the 1940s. The tiny community of Alta Lake was lively and sociable throughout the mid-century and defined the early years of Whistler as a community and resort.
In the mid 60s a road from Squamish to Whistler was built. In February 1966, Whistler Mountain - named after the whistling marmots that live among the mountains - opened for skiing and with a dream to bring the Olympic Games to the area.
The Resort Municipality of Whistler officially came into being on September 6, 1975. The Municipality, with the input of local residents and the provincial government, developed the innovative plan for Whistler Village and its pedestrian core that has since been imitated the world over.
Some consider Whistler a small mountain community with an international feel. A place where one can hike and ride rugged trails by day and experience fine cuisine and clubs by night. A place where people from all ages and backgrounds - with a common sense of adventure - brush shoulders on the mountains and in the village.
Whistler is home to around 10,000 permanent residents, 2,500 seasonal residents and 9,000 second home owners. It hosts upwards of two million visitors annually and expects to have a daily population of around 50,000 during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
In 2010, the people of Whistler will gather with people from around the world to celebrate the Games and share in a once in a lifetime experience in this special place.
Find out about enhanced Games time bus schedules, Sea to Sky checkpoint, Route Changes and Local Vehicle Permits.
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