This season it’s all about wheatboard!!! (You'll see.)
We are days away from the biggest snow show on the planet. The Vancouver Olympics are fast approaching and with that HGTV.ca is setting its sights on the most important thing of all - the accommodations. That’s right, you heard it, forget the years of training and lousy cardboard-tasting supplement diets. How is an Olympic champion to win without…some proper rest and a nice little cozy cove to inspire Olympic glory?
In an effort to stand loud and proud at the top of the podium Canada has poured millions into the Own the Podium program -- some of our medal hopefuls have as many as four coaches! Imagine having that many people hover around you every minute of the day, fist pumping and telling you that you’re awesome!!!??
But, what about the beds? Are they soft? Are the rooms soothing, relaxing and inspiring for the mind and body?
The question, my dear readers, we should all be demanding to know is: is the Athletes' Village itself worthy of gold? After all, this is the all-purpose living hub lauded to include all the necessary amenities: shops, post offices, cinemas, cultural centres and restaurants.
To that effect, I begin with ins and outs of the living quarters. In the gallery below you’ll see how athletes wash, how they sleep and how they eat…although the eating part, well, as you’ll find out that’s a whole other story.
To be honest, I definitely expected something phenomenal. However, upon getting a glimpse of the quarters my impression of the interiors wasn’t all that great..I'm thinking of a movie...The Shawshank Redemption?
While containing all the necessities to sustain life -- a roof over one's head, a functioning toilet, running water -- I'm a bit baffled by the wheatboard kitchen. No, it’s not a fancy European-style gastronomic innovation but exactly what it sounds like: a kitchen nailed shut with bare wheatboards. Apparently, athletes are not allowed to eat in their rooms. The Village has common food & drink areas (think high school cafeterias…okay,
think fancy private high school), with menus catering to the five continents.
Maybe I’m being too harsh. After all, every new place seems kind of blah when it’s brand new and totally devoid of that 'lived-in' touch. Maybe all these places need is a bit of TLC.
If I was an Olympian, I would turn the walls into a massive vision board. You know what they say, “winning is 90% mental”. My board would include a photo of the band Survivor (they of the hit “Eye of the Tiger”) and a photo of the full cast of Glee, for that extra edge...
Interesting Facts about the Accommodations
- There are approximately 1,100 residential units. After the games these will be divided as follows:
-730 market condominiums
-120 market rental apartments
-Approximately 250 affordable rental apartments
- Rooms vary is size from 500 square feet to over 3,000 square feet.
- The Paralympic athletes will be hosted in the western half of the Village. These buildings include special features to make them fully accessibility.
- And if you are thinking about purchasing one of these units after the Games are done, don’t worry about having to shell out big bucks for the “winning rooms.” The city has no plans to ID which rooms belonged to gold medal winning athletes.
Text by Filip Terlecki, exterior photos by Elana Safronsky, interior photos courtesy of City of Vancouver.
Gallery
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Anyway, I would love to hear your ideas about how these rooms could be gussied up -- they could certainly use it!
More to come! Stay tuned for our Vancouver and BC Special on Style Sheet and foodnetwork.ca blog, kicking off this Friday and lasting throughout the 2010 Winter Games. We'll profile decor shops, restaurants and other lifestyle gems while the spotlight is on our beautiful west coast!
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