paralympic family fun
Filed Under Events, Places | March 5, 2010
The post-Olympic letdown has hit but don’t be glum, the fun isn’t over quite yet. From the 12th to the 21st of March Vancouver and Whistler are hosting the 2010 Paralympic Games. And with them returns a lot of the local fun (and hopefully shorter line ups) than last time round. Plus tickets are a lot more reasonable if you’d like to catch some events. So without further ado, and in the same vein as our article on Olympic Family Fun, here’s our listing of Paralymic Family Fun.
And just a note – we’re still hunting down info as it’s not all available yet, so check back often as we’ll be updating this as we go.
Helpful Links
Torch Relay
One Off & Cultural Olympiad Events
Ongoing Events: Houses, Pavilions and More
Helpful Links
- The site citycaucus.com compiled the most useful list of free events around town during the Games and we’re not surprised that they’ve got another one for the Paralympics: www.citycaucus.com
- Getting around and road closure info. There’s Paralympic info here too: www.vancouver2010.com
- Here’s a list of all the public art that was commissioned just of the Olympics, though it will live on long after the Games. See what’s arty in your neighbourhood and then set out on an art scavenger hunt with your kids: olympichostcity.vancouver.ca
- If getting around town becomes an issue the translink site has lots of helpful info and links: www.translink.ca
Torch Relay
The Paralympic Torch Relay won’t last quite as long but you can still catch a glimpse of the torch at community celebrations in Esquimalt and Victoria on the 6th, Squamish on the 7th, Whistler on the 8th, Lytton and Hope on the 9th, Vancouver and Maple Ridge on the 10th and UBC on the 11th. It all ends with a 24 Hour Relay that starts at Robson Square on the 11th and ends at noon on the 12th.
One Off & Cultural Olympiad Events
Kits Community Centre Community Happenings Festival
Saturday, March 6th, 2 – 6 pm, Kits Community Centre, 2690 Larch Street, Vancouver
Featuring family-friendly activities like arts & crafts, games, sports and cultural performances, these festivals are all about highlighting our commitment to sport, culture and sustainability: vancouver.ca
Killarney Community Centre Community Happenings Festival
Sunday, March 21st, 2 – 6 pm, Killarney Community Centre, 6260 Killarney Street, Vancouver
Just at the March 6th event, this festival features family-friendly activities like arts & crafts, games, sports and cultural performances, these festivals are all about highlighting our commitment to sport, culture and sustainability: vancouver.ca
Water’s Edge
Friday, March 19th, 8 pm – 10 pm, Saturday, March 20th, 10 am – 10 pm & Sunday, March 21st, 10 am – 5 pm, Evergreen Cultural Centre, 1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam
Jazz musician Brad Turner, the Elektra Women’s Choir, musica intima and the all-Canadian guitar jam join together to create Water’s Edge, a family-friendly festival of music and hands-on activities like a drum circle, lantern parade and singer-songwriter showcase the concludes the Cultural Olympiad 2010. Children under 10 are free when accompanied by an adult: www.vancouver2010.com
Ongoing Events: Houses, Pavilions and More
British Columbia Pavilion
Friday, March 12th – Sunday, March 21st, 10 am – 5 pm, 4th Floor, Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver
We didn’t suspect this venue to be as appealing to kids as it was, but they love the interactive displays the 4D movie and more. Plus you can combine it with a trip to the Art Gallery, which will be free from the 12th to the 21st, just as it was during the Games: www.yougottabehere.com
BC Hydro PowerSmart Village
Monday, March 1st – Sunday, March 21st, 10 am – 6 pm, 333 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver
The PowerSmart Village is still open and will be so right through the Paralympics. Originally the sustainable dance floor – your best bet for fun with kids – wasn’t going to stick around after February 28th but it’s proven so popular that they’ve arranged to keep it.They also have a Kids Zone inside their lobby with themed storybooks, puzzles, worksheets and activities plus they can draw on the Expression Wall with electricity: www.powersmartvillage.com
Canada’s Northern House
ongoing to April 17th, 10 am – 5 pm, 602 West Hastings Street, Vancouver
We weren’t sure whether to include Canada’s Northern House or not as we’ve gotten mixed reviews as to it’s family-friendliness. However a few emails from enthusiastic readers convinced us that it was worthy of inclusion. Kids can build their own inuksuit from northern rocks and have their photos taken with a human-sized inuksuk. Plus thanks to the magic of a green screen you can have a video made of you featuring classic northern backdrops: www.canadasnorth.ca
The Canada Pavilion 2010
March 12 – 14 & March 18 – 21, 1 pm – 9 pm , LiveCity Downtown, between Hamilton and Georgia on Beatty Street, Vancouver
As mentioned above we definitely think this is a must-visit with kids. We’re on the hunt for specific info events they’ll be hosting and this is definitely the spot to have your photo taken with a torch or a bobsled. There are interactive and sport displays that active kids will enjoy too: canada2010.gc.ca
LiveCity Downtown
March 12 – 14 & March 18 – 21, 1 pm – 9 pm, between Hamilton and Georgia on Beatty Street, Vancouver
We must admit LiveCity Downtown didn’t make our list for the Olympics as it didn’t have any kid-friendly programming and it did have huge line ups but what it also has is the Canada Pavilion where you can have your picture taken with a torch and a bobsleigh and check out skates and skis and snowboards from the “olden days” and compare them to modern equipment. It also has CentrePlace Manitoba which won’t hold your kids’ interest for long but is worth a quick boo: livecityvancouver.ca
Olympic Cauldron
Jack Poole Plaza, Coal Harbour, Vancouver
The Cauldron’s flame will be lit again for the Paralympics at the end of the Torch Relay and the cauldron itself will remain as a memento of the games. This may be your chance to get close enough for a good photo op or to take advantage of the viewing platform. We highly recommend combining your visit to the Cauldron with a trip to Mink Chocolates.
Olympic Line Streetcar
January 21st – March 21st, 7 days a week, 18 hours a day, Granville Island to Cambie Street, Vancouver
There’s just something very fun about riding the (free!) streetcar. It makes us wish the tracks extended farther and the cars weren’t going home to Belgium afterwards, but here’s hoping this is the future of transportation in Vancouver. It’s our new favourite way of accessing Granville Island making the journey as much fun as the destination: www2.bombardier.com
Robson Square Signature Celebration Site
March 8th – 21st, Noon – 9 pm, Robson Square, Vancouver
We’re still waiting for details on just what sort of programming will be happening at Robson Square during the Paralympics, let’s hope the mascots are back with their ice dancing, but we do know the free skating, zipline, entertainment and concerts will all continue. As soon as we have more info we’ll let you know. And alas, we just learned that the mascots won’t be back for their thrice daily ice shows.: yougottabehere.ca
The Royal Canadian Mint Pavilion
March 12th – 21st, Monday – Thursday, 10 am – 9 pm, Friday & Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm & Sunday Noon – 5 pm,Vancouver Public Library, Main Bran, 350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver
After having 110,00o during the Games the Mint is back for the Paralympics. It’s relocated to the library and will include the Vancouver 2010 athlete medals display, daily coinexchanges, their boutique and more. Alas, no million-dollar gold coin but hopefully the line ups will be a little more doable with kids and if they’re not, you can turn your excursion into a trip to the library itself: www.mint.ca
Whistler Live!
Friday, March 12th - Sunday, March 21st, 11:30 am – 11 pm, Whistler Village
Whistler Live will be back for the Paralympic Games starting with the Opening Ceremony, finishing with the Closing Ceremony and featuring live music, street performances and more during the Games. Their full line up will be coming soon: www.whistler2010.com
Experience Winter at the UBC Botanical Garden
Friday, March 12th – Sunday, March 21st, 11 am – Noon, UBC Botanical Garden, 6804 SW Marine Drive, Vancouver
The Botanical Garden is offering a Paralympic alternative with free daily drop-in tours of the garden during the Games. They’ve also got a winter scavenger hunt that’ll have your whole family on the hunt for stop signs featuring interesting winter plants and cards to collect that you can redeem for a winter activity sheet and prizes from their gift shop: www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org
The Village Scavenger Hunt – Trek to Mont Blanc
March 6th – 14th, Noon – 4 pm, Burnaby Village Museum, 6501 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby
The Trek to Mont Blanc focuses on the trivia of the first Winter Olympics held in 1924 in Chamonix, France. Find out in what sport Canada won a gold medal. Who debuted in competitive figure skating. The odd sports that were part of the games back then and more. Plus the Ice Cream Parlour is open and you can enjoy unlimited rides on their fully restored vintage carousel: www.burnaby.ca
And if you just get can’t enough the City of Vancouver is selling about 3,000 Vancouver 2010 Winter Games street banners in support of UNICEF Canada to aid Haiti. The banners start at $150 and here’s how you can get your hands on one: www.shopunicef.ca/streetbanners.
And we wanted to remind you to always call or visit the website for event info before you head out just in case any changes have been made since we posted it. And of course, have fun!
One Response to “paralympic family fun”
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Let us know what you think or share your great finds with us so we can share them with other Vancouver mothers!
So annoyed that the houses don’t open till the 12th. When a lot of schools are away on spring break THIS week.
Gah.