Vancouver Olympics Events at UBC

2010 Winter Olympic events are spread around Vancouver, and not just downtown in the big stadiums and at Whistler.

For example, here are some 2010 Winter Olympic Venues in Vancouver:

* Speed skating is located out in Richmond.

* Figure skating and short track is at the Pacific Coliseum (on the edge of Burnaby).

* Freestyle skiing and snowboarding is on Cypress.

* Curling is at Riley Park in the center of Vancouver city.

* The hockey games are at GM Place on the edge of the north side of False Creek downtown

* Awards ceremonies and other such hoopla are being held next door at BC Place.

* Women's hockey and two men's hockey playoff events are being held at Thunderbird Arena at UBC.

I'll focus on the last one for now because I live right by UBC.

The University of British Columbia is located on the point of Vancouver, looking out over the Strait of Georgia toward Vancouver Island, so there is only one direction to go when leaving: east. This is sure to be interesting when Olympic events let out and 6,800 people converge on the bus loop at once trying to get back into town. (See the attached photo of UBC from the air.)

Taking Buses to Thunderbird

If coming from downtown, the best possible bus is the #44 Express, which runs down Burrard St. However it is known as the "business bus" as it only runs during business hours, during the week. So this bus will be useless for the significant proportion of games that are held in the evening. See a schedule here (PDF).

As for evening games, or if the #44 is full (it will be; it's full during rush hour on regular days) then the next best bet is taking the #22 Macdonald, also on Burrard. Transfer either at 4th Avenue to the #84 Express or a few blocks later at Broadway (9th Avenue) to the #99 UBC B-Line express bus. All buses end their routes at the same loop.

If coming from across town, the #25 King Edward bus is probably the best. It's not an express, but it is a gas-powered bus so is faster than the trolley buses (dubbed "slug buses" by Vancouverites for a reason). Olympic organizers are trying to put people on the #41 and #49, 41st and 49th Avenue respectively, but I am telling you from experience that these buses are impossibly slow. They stop at every single stop, there is a lot of red lights and traffic in that part of town, and are frequented by slow-moving senior citizens. Imagine sitting at each stop for what seems like an eternity while someone with a cane or other walking aid clambers on, only to get off a few short stops later. Repeat. Try to not lose mind.

The #25 King Edward bus is used by students, business people and others generally in a hurry. At Granville St., the bus almost entirely empties out and a whole new crowd climbs on. This is where anyone coming from the Olympic Oval in Richmond would transfer, by the way, unless they want to walk a mile to the Canada Line Skytrain then transfer at Broadway to the #99 bus. (See the attached map of Vancouver and UBC.)

Around Westbrook Mall

Traffic on Westbrook Mall, around Thunderbird, has already been blocked off for over a week, so only pedestrians and cyclists can use it. I wouldn't suggest taking a taxi unless you are really brave. Buses are being given priority lanes on all major routes starting tomorrow, and have right-of-way over cars when merging. Taxis are going to be stuck in traffic like everyone else.

It's a mild walk, probably about 300 meters, from the bus loop to Thunderbird. Arriving will likely be fun with a sea of people making their way to their mutual venue. People will probably trickle in at different times. The Vancouver Organizing Committee suggests people arrive three hours early, and then there will be stringent security checks. The easiest way to avoid standing in long lines is to keep bags as small as possible. There will be two lines and those with bags will be delayed longer. Scroll down to "Security Screening" here.

Leaving, however, will be challenging. All those people milling around the bus loop waiting for their respective buses is going to be a headache. I estimate it will take a good hour to clear everyone out, even if there are plenty of buses waiting when events finish (which, frankly, would amaze me if Translink was able to organize to that level of precision).

UBC has seen a lot of new building in the past few years, and is also home to an actual forest in Pacific Spirit Regional Park. Those leaving daytime games might want to consider stopping somewhere on campus for food, or walking through the forest to Blanca St. where Vancouver officially starts. People rave about Stanley Park, which to me is heavily trafficked and extremely groomed. Pacific Spirit park is full of trails through towering stands of spruce, fir and even cedar and home to all kinds of wildlife including bird species. Walking through the park at night is not suggested, especially for the uninitiated.