Olympic and Paralympic Village

Located six kilometres south of Whistler Village, and within Whistler municipal boundaries, Cheakamus Crossing will be home to more than 3,500 Olympic and Paralympic athletes and officials during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

What may have been a temporary athlete village, post Games will be home to more than 800 residents and the Athletes Centre will play an important in role in Whistler's sport hosting capacity for generations to come.

The Past

Decades ago, Whistler residents and businesses recognized that our community's long-term success, as a vibrant resort community, needed to retain a stable, resident workforce: people and families that lived, worked and played in Whistler. That's why, through the Whistler2020 Comprehensive Sustainability Plan, the community recognized affordable housing as a key priority area. Cheakamus Crossing goes a long way in realizing that priority and maintaining our goal of having more than 75 per cent of our workforce living right here in Whistler.

In 2003, Whistler residents were asked: "Where do you think the Village and new Whistler neighbourhood should be located?" Following extensive engagement and community dialogue, Whistlerites chose the current site.   It was chosen because it was within Whistler, close to existing trails and other facilities, accessible by transit and because of its beautiful views.

Today

The village is adjacent to an established network of walking, hiking and mountain biking trails. It also backs on to the Cheakamus River and is close to both Cheakamus and Logger's Lakes. With million-dollar views of Black Tusk, Whistler peak, Mount Fee and surrounding ranges, approximately 90 per cent of the homes in Cheakamus Crossing will be restricted to, and occupied by, Whistler's workforce. 97 per cent of units have already been sold and future home-owners are making plans to move in after the Games. The village features 20 townhomes and approximately 30 fully accessible condos which have been designed for use during the Paralympics, and to be home to locals with accessibility needs post-Games. These units (about 20% of the total) include universal design features for access and user-ability.

During the Olympic and Paralympic Games athletes and officials will be ideally located near the sport venues, broadcast and press centres and Whistler Medals Plaza. The beauty of the setting and quality of the facilities promises to make it an extraordinary experience for athletes from around the world.

The Future

After the Games, this neighbourhood will be home to a vibrant mix of residents, hostel visitors and athletes.   A model for sustainable living, the village is one of only 20 Canadian developments designated as a pilot project for LEED-ND (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design - Neighbourhood Development) LEED-ND currently sets the highest standards in green neighbourhood design. For example, Whistler's Waste Water Treatment Plant provides space and water heating for the entire Cheakamus village; thereby, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 90 to 95 per cent when compared to traditional methods.

The Whistler Housing Authority will operate the rental apartments, as well as the resale of resident-restricted units. Cheakamus Crossing, as well as the new Rainbow development, will add to the current inventory of more than 4,200 resident- restricted beds. The housing helps support the community by allowing workforce to live close to work and ultimately supports business success and stability.

The Whistler Athletes Centre with its lodge and townhome accommodation and high performance centre will become the epicentre of athlete training and development in Whistler. Along with the new Whistler Olympic Park and The Whistler Sliding Centre venues, the facilities will build the capacity of sport in the region, the province and the country.

Organizations such as the Whistler Gymnastics Club and the Whistler Adaptive Sport Program will be permanently located in the centre post-Games. It is anticipated that some sport programming will be offered to the general public. After the handover from VANOC in 2010, the facilities will be operated by Whistler 2010 Sport Legacies, as will the Nordic and sliding venues.

Partnership

The development of Whistler's newest neighbourhood has been managed by the municipality's wholly owned subsidiary, Whistler 2020 Development Corporation and made possible by the support of the Province of British Columbia, the Government of Canada, and VANOC.   The project goals are the provision of housing and cost recovery.