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Richmond Olympic Oval (Richmond, British Columbia)

Canada / British Columbia / Vancouver / Richmond, British Columbia / River Road, 6111
 olympic venue, indoor ice rink

The Richmond Olympic Oval is a speed skating facility in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. It is the venue of the speed skating events of the 2010 Winter Olympics and is the location of the official Olympic Anti-Doping Lab. The total cost of the building was C$178,000,000. Construction began on November 17, 2006 and ended before the building's opening on December 12, 2008.

The Oval is built on a site beside the Fraser River a few blocks from the Lansdowne Station on the Canada Line. It is a 33,750 sq m (363,280 sq ft) facility including a 20,000 sq m (215,280 sq ft) main floor that includes a 400m rubberised track. It can accommodate 8,000 spectators. It is a LEED Silver Certified structure. A distinctive feature of the Oval it its unique wood wave roof, which is one of the longest clear spans in North America. the roof includes 1,000,000 board feet of B.C. pine beetle kill wood linked together in undulating sections to create a beautifully rippled effect. The wood panels were designed by Fast & Epp and were constructed at Structure Craft Buildings, Inc. Outside the oval, there is a pond that is filled with water collected from rainwater falling on the building's roof that will serve as a gathering space and water supply for irrigating surrounding landscapes, and for flushing toilets. A fountain designed as part of the public art programme, which will include pieces designed by Susan Point, will re-oxygenate the pond. All hardwood trees that were cut during site preparation were salvaged and are currently stored, awaiting milling for building re-use in the panelling, flooring, furnishings or additional landscaping features. The remainder of the building structure was designed by Glotman Simpson Consulting Engineers. The principal and lead architect is Bob Johnston of Cannon Design.

Among the events the Richmond Oval plans to host besides speed skating at the 2010 Olympics are the 2008 and 2009 Canadian Single Distance Championships, the 2009 ISU World Single Distance Championships, and the 2010 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships.

After the Olympics, The Oval will be converted to a multi-use sport facility that will include two Olympic-sized ice rinks, up to eight hardwood ball-sport courts, a gymnasium, a 200 m track, a rubberized turf area, and a high performance centre for elite athletes. The speed-skating oval is covered with removable flooring and could still be used for competition.

www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&cp=49.174719~-123.15...
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Coordinates:   49°10'28"N   123°9'5"W

Comments

  • Abby Jensen (guest)
    Almost and exact copy of Richmond olympic Oval on Wikipedia!
This article was last modified 12 years ago