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LANGLEY TOWNSHIP CHOSEN TO WELCOME 2010 OLYMPIC TORCH
Olympic fever will be burning brightly in the Township of Langley, as residents have a chance to welcome the Olympic Flame in person.
The Township has been chosen as one of the Celebration Communities that will host the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay as it makes its way across the country en route to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
On February 8, 2010, the Torch will touch on the communities of Aldergrove, Fort Langley, and Walnut Grove, and be officially welcomed during a Community Celebration. The two-hour Celebration will feature entertainment, interactive displays, and an official program that will commemorate the arrival of the historic, sacred symbol of peace, brotherhood, and friendship, to the Township.
The Township of Langley is one of only 200 communities across Canada to be selected as a Celebration Community.
We wanted to be a part of this exciting opportunity and worked hard to give local residents the once-in-a-lifetime chance to be part of the Olympic experience, and to see the Olympic Flame first hand, said Jason Winslade, the Township of Langley's General Manager, Administration. We are thrilled that the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay organizing committee has chosen us to be a Celebration Community.
The national 2010 Olympic Torch Relay route was announced on November 21 during a press conference in West Vancouver. The Flame will embark on its 106-day Canadian journey on October 30, 2009 and will arrive in Vancouver for the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Games on February 12, 2010.
The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay route will be the longest domestic Torch Relay in Olympic history, stretching over 45,000 kilometres throughout Canada.
Residents will be given the chance to apply for an opportunity to carry the Olympic Flame, as the Relay's presenting partners - Coca-Cola and RBC are looking for participation by Canadians who have committed to live a healthier lifestyle, or are inspired to create a stronger country by volunteering or making sustainable choices.
There will be several opportunities to apply for torchbearer spots by visiting icoke.ca and rbc.com/carrythetorch. The 2010 Olympic Torch Relay route is available at vancouver2010.com.
OLYMPIC EXCITEMENT HAS COME TO LANGLEY
Strong ticket sales, and the heightened promotion of British Columbia has resulted in 2010 visitors confirming their travel plans and selecting Langley as their place to stay when attending the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The local accommodation sector is now experiencing the opportunities and preparing to welcome visitor's who will choose to stay outside of Vancouver, Whistler or Richmond.
We have had exciting conversations with some of our local properties who have either confirmed reservations or serious inquiries to availability and room rates during the Games, comments Deborah Kulchiski, Executive Director of Tourism Langley. There is no question that communities in the Fraser Valley will see a significant impact on their local economies.
Langley's strategic location, convenient access to the province's interior, the US border crossings, airport accessibility, and the Vancouver, Richmond, Whistler areas' makes it a logical home base for visitors to the area.
The Langley Spirit of BC has had increasing interest in the games, says Committee Chair, David Esworthy. Several Langley residents have asked about the possibility of participating in the Home Stay Program which will help provide additional accommodation for the more than 1,000 volunteers from across the country and around the world that will be in our area to support in the Games. We encourage anyone who wishes to be a part of this excitement to visit the 2010 website to find out how they can be part of this amazing opportunity.
Langley Spirit of BC is a registered non-profit society. Supported by 2010 Legacies Now and the Province of BC, Spirit of BC is a province-wide initiative that promotes community innovation, pride and excellence, and involves British Columbians in the opportunities arising from the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
"The Government of Canada has contributed funding to this initiative."
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