The 2010 Winter Olympics are now past the half-way point. UBC has a handful of experts ready to provide analysis on topics including:
- Transit – How well have people responded to the call to take public transit?
- Security – Can we glean any lessons so far on security?
- Games memories – What will our long-term memories of the Games be?
- Social issues – Have the Games been successful in raising important social issues?
Success of Public Transit
“I have been touring the region during the games so far and have a good idea of what is happening. Mostly, it is very positive.”
Lawrence Frank, Bombardier Chair in Sustainable Transportation
604.822.5387, 604.738.1588; ldfrank@interchange.ubc.ca
Security Lessons So Far
“With the games past the half way point, none of the worst case (low probability but high consequence) scenarios have materialized. The lack of major security incidents has been highlighted by the attention paid to
relatively minor incidents.
“While it is too early to assess any security lessons learned or best practices from the 2010 Games, the importance of civil liberties, the right to protest, and flexible responses to both lawful activism and criminal activity have been highlighted by various events in the first week.
“To treat these issues and those who lawfully champion them only as potential security threats for the duration of the Games, and then ignore them afterward, would be a lost opportunity for Vancouver and the Lower Mainland to build an Olympic legacy beyond the facilities and the memories.”
Allen Sens, Political Science
604.822.6127; asens@politics@ubc.ca
Top Games Memories at the Midway Point
“The breaking of the drought of Olympic Gold medals on home soil with Alex Bilodeau…The vibrant atmosphere of downtown. Rarely, probably not since Expo 86 (24 years ago), has the city experienced such an open party atmosphere. The very high levels of collective social engagement plus very high levels of positive emotional affect plus novelty of the atypical atmosphere make the experience of being a part of the festivities of the downtown area highly memorable. ”
David Anderson, Faculty of Education, expert in long-term memories of mega-events
604.822.2086; andersdm@interchange.ubc.ca
Profile of Important Social Issues
“The Vancouver Winter Olympics have raised the visibility of poverty and homelessness in Canada.Yet, the likelihood of a comprehensively re-built social safety net as an Olympic legacy remains remote. Fiscal restraint and social spending cutbacks are already being introduced and will become the order of the day when the British Columbia and federal governments announce their post-Olympic springtime budgets.”
Graham Riches, School of Social Work
604.738.9644, 604.822.0782, graham.riches@ubc.ca
Visit UBC’s Online 2010 Media Centre — www.ubc.ca/2010media — to connect with UBC 2010 experts, story ideas and students from your country.
Contact:
Randy Schmidt
604.828.0787
UBC Public Affairs
B.C. International Media Centre
(BCMC) at Robson Square
Tel: 604.822.6397
Email: 2010.media@ubc.ca
Website: www.ubc.ca/2010media
Twitter: @UBCnews