The Richmond Olympic Oval will serve as the long track speed skating venue for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games

The sexiest Olympic venue at the 2010 Winter Games!

The Richmond Olympic Oval is a multi-purpose sports facility along the banks of the Fraser River in British Columbia. It is located a few kilometres south of Vancouver on Canada’s west coast, minutes from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) which is across the river on Sea Island.

Although built specifically for the Games, the facility is open to the public for sports activities and spectator events.

One of the most striking architectural aspects of the building is the arching, laminated wooden joists that hold up the roof. The roof itself contains salvaged wood that was damaged by a recent pine-beetle infestation in British Columbia forests. It’s one of the largest timber roofs in the world and covers an open interior space of about 100 by 200 metres (2 hectares, or about 5 acres). It took my breath away. Here are some technical descriptions of the building. Canadians familiar with drafty hockey arenas are going to say “Wow, looks expensive.”

The Oval is also a training and competition centre for many Paralympic sports, including wheelchair basketball. When I was there I got to play some “pickup” ball on one of the courts inside the actual skating oval. No wonder so many able-bodied people play this sport as well, it’s the most fun you are ever going to have sitting in a chair. Check out the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Association website for information about joining a league.

Grand entrance way to the Richmond Olympic Oval

The Flying Beaver restaurant

If you’re in the area, drop in at The Flying Beaver for a burger. It’s a restaurant on stilts across the Fraser River from the Oval (map). It’s famous for good casual West Coast seafood, live music, great views and a place where floatplane pilots hang out between jobs.

Aberdeen Center drummer

If you like dim sum and want to experience authentic Asian culture, Fisherman’s Terrace restaurant in the brand new Aberdeen Center on Cambie Road in Richmond is a good bet. The shopping mall itself is a state-of-the-art multicultural experience where you can buy a Lamborghini along with your ginseng and cream puffs.

Commercial fishing and tourism exist side-by-side in Steveston Village.

In February, 2009, I visited Steveston, a historic fishing village in the southwest corner of Lulu Island, British Columbia. It’s not far from the Vancouver International Airport and the city of Vancouver. The village looks out on the south arm of the Fraser River delta. Steveston was founded in the 1880s and became a thriving centre for commercial fishing and canning. At its height there were 15 canneries along the shore packaging millions of pounds of salmon, herring and other species. Hard working fishermen were known to frequent the many hotels and saloons, as well as the occasional bawdy house. Apparently there was some gambling activity and opium consumption as well.

I stopped at Pajo’s Fish & Chips, a popular floating restaurant down among the wharves. It’s a casual place where great seafood comes in a paper cone and seating is on wooden picnic tables. Steveston is still a major fishing port and if your timing is right, fresh and frozen fish can be purchased off the boats. Much work has been done to promote tourism here. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery is a National Historic site right near Pajo’s. I took a bus tour from my hotel in Richmond and a local guide showed us the cannery and some sites along the coast.

Steveston marina in February – home to Canada's largest commercial fishing fleet, comprised of seiners, gillnetters, trawlers and other vessels.

The City of Richmond occupies the north part of Lulu Island closer to Vancouver. Here’s a map. Richmond is accessible from Vancouver on the new SkyTrain, so is the airport (YVR), and the Olympic Oval, but not Steveston.

North arm of the Fraser River from Lulu Island (Richmond) looking towards Vancouver

Check the Steveston Village Community website for more on local attractions and the latest news. Steveston is worth visiting if you are in this part of Canada. Here are some more directions on how to get here.