February 12, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Whistler, Attractions
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One of the goals of the 2010 Olympic Games was to be the greenest / most environmentally games ever. Since I have an interest in the environment and sustainability I did a bit of research. I’ve listed a few of the interesting facts I found below:
Richmond Oval’s roof: The enormous (approximately 200m by 100m) roof at the Richmond Oval was made from wood that had been killed by pine beetles. At one time, the wood was thought unusable.
Sliding Centre: If you were wondering why the track at the sliding centre is painted white, it isn’t to look like snow, it’s to minimize the amount heat absorbed.
Medals: Even the gold, silver and bronze medals have an environmental aspect to them. 2.8 million tones of metals from electronics that were headed for a land-fill were used in making the medals.
Making the most of the rain: It’s no secret that Vancouver gets its fair share of rain. May of the new venues will collect rainwater and reuse it for flushing water efficient toilets, heating and even making ice at skating venues.
Whistler Olympic Park: The majority of wood waste generated from the construction of the Whistler Olympic Park was reused to build temporary structures, or to revegetate the area.
February 11, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Car / Truck / Motorcycle
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They are adorable, they are everywhere you turn, my kids love them, but what the heck are those things? This is the question that is sometimes asked about the Olympic mascots. Out of curiosity (and so I could answer my daughter’s questions) I did a bit of research and found out the following about the mascots and some other BC creatures:
The Mascots:
Miga: a young sea bear (part killer whale, part Kermode bear), who surfs the waves of Tofino in the summer and snowboards Vancouver’s local mountains in the winter.
Sumi: a spirit who lives in the mountains of BC and comes from many different backgrounds (representing the diverse backgrounds of Canadians).
Quatchi: a young hockey loving Sasquatch who comes from the mysterious mountains of Canada.
MukMuk: not an official mascot, but more of a sidekick. Mukmuk is a Vancouver Island marmot that lives in the mountains of Vancouver Island, and is pictured above.
Other Mythical (Non-Mascot) BC Creatures:
Sasquatch (also known as Bigfoot): This creature has allegedly been spotted from the Fraser Valley up to Prince George. While there have been Sasquatch reports all over the world, over half of the reported sightings have happened in BC.
Ogopogo: A lake monster that lies in the Lake Okanagan. Depending on who you ask, it’s part snake, goat and/or horse. Reports have varied on its actual size (from 5m to 25m). There is an average of six Ogopogo sightings a year of this monster.
The Griz: A man with shoulders six feet wide who wears a grizzly bear coat and hat and lives in the mountains near Fernie Alpine Resort. He shoots a giant musket into clouds so powder snow drops from the clouds and covers the resort. In February of each year the town of Fernie hold a festival in his honour.