Olympic 2010 Accommodations and Housing Crisis
Whistler accommodations for the 2010 Olympics seemingly becoming tapped with the flood of Olympic organizers, reports, and media booking the Whistler hotels and other accommodations in Whistler, BC, Canada, Vancouver now must come up with est. $1 billion worth of housing and support in time for 2010 Olympics.
As many Vancouverites are becoming more and more concerned with the Olympic spending on facilities and the games, and lack of support for our low income residents, inner-city residents and the homeless, Vancouver will need a tactical plan to help their own peolpe.
According to the 24 recommendations made by the Vancouver Olympics’ housing round table, obtained by The Vancouver Sun and due to be released next week, the city requires in its three inner city neighbourhoods of the Downtown Eastside, downtown south and Mount Pleasant:
- 3,000 housing units, 80 per cent of them to be new construction, for low-income residents.
- 250 housing units for temporary Games workers, to be converted to social housing afterwards.
- 300 shelter beds for young people likely to flock to the city during Games.
What will be interesting to see is if any of these homes will be built in Whistler and Squamish, and what percentage of these homes, or accommodations for the Olympics will be turned into homes once the Olympics have come and gone.
The city of Whistler already appears to be struggling to keep up with the demand for Whistler lodging for the Olympics (2010 Whistler accommodations), and with the impact of visitors and tourists from around the globe, where will they stay? My call is a large majority will be stuck with renting accommodations in Squamish, and in the city of Vancouver. Only those lucky ones who can get a owner-direct accommodation in Whistler will get the opportunity of a lifetime to experience the full experience of the 2010 Olympics.
