Richmond O Zone Celebration Site Getting Ready to Rock
5 October 2009
When the 2010 Olympic Games officially kick off, the O Zone, conveniently located at the start of the new Canada Line, will host the largest free festival of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. “We’re creating an exciting and unforgettable experience in the O Zone,” says Richmond City Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “It is going to be fun for everyone - and it’s free!” Expected to attract more than 15,000 people per day, the O Zone will host some of Canada’s hottest young bands (Bedouin Soundclash, Tokyo Police Club, Wintersleep and over 50 more acts) from February 12 to 28, 2010.
The O Zone site, bigger than 66 football fields and just a few minutes walk from the Richmond Olympic Oval, will be a giant indoor/outdoor mall that will continuously flow from one attraction to the next. At the heart of the O Zone will be the ultimate entertainment hotspot, the Holland Heineken House, which has become the must-visit destination at the Olympic Games. Festooned in orange, full of fun-loving Dutch sports fans and open to the public, Holland Heineken House will have its own Medal Ceremony Hall/night club capable of hosting 4,000 people nightly, with top Dutch performers and DJs keeping the party going until 2 a.m. nightly.
Visitors can also realistically experience the thrill of Olympic competition with British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s (BCLC’s) virtual and interactive sporting experiences in the BCLC 2010 Winter Games Dome. Or they can watch the real thing on a massive 42-metre Panasonic LED screen, perfect for watching the opening ceremonies and gold medal hockey game with a few thousand of your closest friends.
Ice, lots of ice outdoors, will also be a major feature of the O Zone. There’s outdoor skating on real ice in the Ice Zone as well as the Ice Gate, a mammoth ice art installation by Paintings Below Zero artist Gordon Halloran. Other highlights include international teams of ice carvers who will demonstrate their unique skills in the World Ice Art Exhibition, visits by Olympic athletes, internet cafes and food fairs, licensed lounges, COLD-FX warming tents and special fireworks evenings, presented by BCLC.
Brittany Schussler, one of Canada's top Olympic speed skaters, just saw the unveiling of the new O Zone plan while practicing at the Olympic Oval this morning. “This is spectacular,” says Schussler. “This is going to be the best place to celebrate and get into the Olympic spirit. Best of all, we don’t have to go far, the Oval is going to be right in the middle of it!”
Headline performers and themed nights will celebrate Richmond and Canada’s diverse culture, regions and music. Included are a World Beat night, where festival-goers can BYOD (bring your own drum); a celebration of Chinese New Year; a South Asian night complete with a Bhangra Bash; and a Pan-Northern night featuring First Nations and other performers from north of the Arctic Circle. It all kicks off with an opening night performance by a 3,000-member children’s choir.
A number of key 2010 Olympic Winter Games sponsors have joined with the City of Richmond to stage the O Zone, including BCLC, Coca-Cola, COLD-FX and Panasonic. Tourism Richmond has contributed $2 million to help support the O Zone. One of only a handful of official 2010 Olympic Games celebration sites, the O Zone flows from Richmond City Hall to Minoru Park. An international celebration, it’s primed to be the coolest 2010 Olympic Games destination and there’s no ticket required!
