ROOF COMPLETION MARKS MAJOR MILESTONE FOR RICHMOND OVAL

RICHMOND – Premier Gordon Campbell, Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie and other dignitaries marked a construction milestone for a major Olympic venue today as the final section of the Richmond Oval’s massive 6.5-acre roof was lifted into place.

“Today marks an important step forward as B.C. prepares to play host to the world in 2010,” said Premier Campbell. “Like the B.C.-Canada Pavilion at the upcoming 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing, the Richmond Oval and its unique roof constructed primarily of pine beetle-killed timber will showcase the ingenuity and innovation of B.C.’s wood products industry to an international audience.”

Premier Campbell, Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Olympic Secretariat James Moore, VANOC CEO John Furlong and other special guests joined Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie and Richmond City Council in signing the final roof section before it was lifted into place. Over the past week, more than 8,000 Richmond residents, project workers and City staff also made their mark on Olympic history by adding their signatures to the final roof section.

“This is an important milestone in the completion of the Oval,” said Brodie. “The spectacular wood roof will be one of the Oval’s most remarkable features and will help make it the premier venue for the 2010 Games, as well as an international showcase for sustainable building practices and B.C. wood. The Oval will also be a tremendous legacy for our community as a centre of excellence for sports and wellness beginning when it opens this fall.”

With the roof substantially complete, the Oval is now approximately 60 per cent complete and remains on target for construction completion this fall.

The Government of Canada and Province of B.C. have each contributed $30 million to the Oval through the $580 million capital budget for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. In addition, the Government of Canada and Province of B.C. funded the Games Operating Trust, which will provide significant ongoing funding toward the operating costs of the Oval.

“Today’s placement of the final roof section of the Richmond Oval marks an important step as we drive forward to the 2010 Winter Games,” said Moore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics and MP for Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam, speaking on behalf of the Honourable David Emerson, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics. “In 2010, the Richmond Oval will be the venue for exciting speed-skating competitions and, hopefully, for many medal-winning performances by our athletes. It will also serve as a legacy of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and will be an enduring asset for Canadian athletes and the community.”

The Oval’s massive roof includes 15 B.C.-manufactured glulam beams that are nearly 100 metres in length. The beams are linked by “wood wave” roof sections constructed from one million board feet of pine beetle-killed wood, primarily milled in Williams Lake The one-of-a-kind “wood wave” design was developed in B.C. and features arched trusses and rafters, and a curvature in the surface panels that will give the roof a rippled appearance. The Oval is the first building in the world to include a roof of this exportable new design, which is built exclusively from wood and will use more than one million board feet of pine beetle-killed wood from B.C. forests.

“The Richmond Oval will soon provide a spectacular stage for the world’s finest athletes and excited spectators to experience the thrill of competition,” said Furlong. “Some of Canada’s greatest medal potential comes from speed skaters who will compete in this venue. Today we witnessed the final section of the roof being raised just as we hope to witness the Canadian flag in 2010 raised high above Canada’s athletes standing on the podium.”

“Our entire community is proud of the contribution they’ve made to this project, which is a great example of how hosting the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games benefits our entire province and country,” said Mayor Scott Nelson of Williams Lake, where the pine beetle wood used in the roof was milled. “The extensive use of pine beetle wood in the Oval’s roof will be a critically vital tool in promoting the use of this wood as a viable product and helping communities like ours cope with the economic impact of the pine beetle epidemic.”

Forestry Innovation Investment Ltd. is contributing $1.5 million towards the engineering and design of the roof in order to support and promote the use of B.C. wood.

The 33,000-square-metre Oval is scheduled to open in the fall of 2008. In addition to being the home of speed skating competitions during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the Oval will become an international centre of excellence for sports and wellness, special events and other activities.

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Media contact:	Dale Steeves Communications Director Office of the Premier 250 387-6605	Ted Townsend Senior Manager, Corporate Communications City of Richmond 604 516-9585

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