On-line guide offers Olympic visitors alternative to Vanoc’s “corporate, sanitized view”

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      Olympic visitors to Vancouver who want an alternative to the usual travel tours now have a Web-based guide for their explorations.

      The Google Maps-based Vancouver [de]Tour Guide 2010 is up and running, and it provides a whole whack of information from history to art and culture, and the impacts of the Winter Games.

      It even points to the locations of planned anti-Olympic protests.

      Artist Althea Thauberger is one of the artists behind the mapping project. In an interview with the Straight, Thauberger said, “The overwhelming image of Vancouver that’s being promoted by Vanoc is a corporate, sanitized view.”

      The group responsible for the guide is also inviting residents to post historical, political, and social information on the interactive map.

      One example of the historical info contained on the site is the pepper spraying of protesting UBC students during the 1997 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

      The creators of the site also hope that similar mapping projects will be done in future Olympic host cities.

      Comments

      13 Comments

      PoCo Travis

      Feb 10, 2010 at 8:51am

      I was hoping that this site would provide some fun ideas and events that weren't on the olympic sponsorship advertising guide. Instead I found a bunch of pouting and misery. This isn't a guide it's just a bunch of un-happy human beings boo-hooing and snot blowing because they don't get paid to complain about how aweful their insignificant lives really are.

      Rina Liddle

      Feb 10, 2010 at 10:04am

      This is the most excellent project, I encourage everyone to participate!

      Rina Liddle

      Feb 10, 2010 at 10:24am

      I don't believe there is any boohooing in this bunch. I find it refreshing that there are groups interested in maintaining the fact that Vancouver, and Canada as a whole, is, well, not a whole. The Olympics and Vanoc have done their best to present images, or rather, an image, of a homogeneous national subjectivity. With the tourism industry's constant erasure of significant historical sites and facts, so much of the complexity of this city is lost and the political will to recognize and provide solutions for uncomfortable situations is also lost, or at least glossed over superficially. I would like to conclude that many of these people within this project I know personally, and I have also contributed sites of interest, so indeed, I am biased. But they are very thoughtful, articulate and most importantly invested in their city. Critique is the highest form of optimism because it requires people that are actually working toward a better situation for the City, one where dissent is understood as a necessary aspect of democracy and is well respected.

      fan22

      Feb 10, 2010 at 10:52am

      Why would visitors to Vancouver care about the pepper spraying of protesters?

      Why would visitors to the Olympics care about any of the city's problems? They are here to enjoy the games and the atmosphere around the games.

      Why not point out the spot of every murder? Why not point of the spot of every MVA?

      Alan McConchie

      Feb 10, 2010 at 11:34am

      Kits Girl:
      Hmm, the only hotel the Wall Street Journal recommends is the Pan Pacific with "nightly rates from US$2,725 to $11,930, plus tax" according to the article. Not exactly the kind of non-Vanoc Olympic guide that most people are looking for.

      Rob Brownie

      Feb 10, 2010 at 12:16pm

      Fan22: It seems to me that you are underestimating the wide spread concern that many visitors are expressing about the Winter Olympics. Denial of basic human rights and excessive pollution were huge issues surrounding the Beijing Olympics- two items that were discussed heavily by media, athletes and observers alike. A perverse amount of money spent on security and no clear solution for homelessness are two aspects of these Games which this project is bringing to light. Think of the map as a forum for discussion, not unlike the comment column in the Straight.

      fan22

      Feb 10, 2010 at 12:32pm

      When in Disneyland do you stay after dark to see the rats? Smell the garbage?

      Think about your next vacation and think about what you want to see and do. If you are going to Seattle are you going to want to go to all the rundown areas? Are you going cry foul when all the city brochures point to the Space Needle, Pikes, etc, etc ???

      What is wrong with you people?

      Van City

      Feb 10, 2010 at 3:02pm

      Check out this link for videos on ongoing Olympic events put on by the people of Vancouver!

      <object width="300" height="251"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VfeacKk4APA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VfeacKk4APA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="300" height="251"></embed></object>
      __________________________________________________
      SNAP2010 is Vancouver’s Olympic story. It is a behind the scenes look at the Games through the eyes of the people of Vancouver and their elected leaders. Take a look and you will see that — for Vancouver — the Olympics are about a lot more than sports. Check back daily for your ticket to the exclusive City of Vancouver Olympic Games experience.

      Rose Glass

      Feb 10, 2010 at 3:42pm

      I would love to meet you fan22... you must believe in television. Please stay tuned to this station after the bills come in. Imagine this picture: your taxes are raised, jobs are lost and services are cut to pay for your big snow cone in the sky.