Vancouver community leader, advocate & politician
By Marc Weber, The Province
Major League Soccer chatter ramps up again today as the league announces cities and ownership groups vying for two expansions in 2011.
The Whitecaps are joined by groups representing Montreal, Ottawa, Portland, St. Louis and potentially four more American cities.
Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini, who gave serious thought to a separate Vancouver bid, was not expected to be in the mix.
League champions hope to join North America’s top circuit
By Ian Walker, Vancouver Sun
With the statue of the city’s founding father as a backdrop, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC gathered as a team for one final time on Tuesday as Vancouver city council saluted the United Soccer Leagues First Division champions.
Players, coaches, management and staff were joined outside city hall by Mayor Sam Sullivan and other dignitaries for a ceremonial raising of the Whitecaps’ flag before moving indoors where the team was officially recognized for its second championship in three years and first on home soil since 1992. Vancouver defeated the Puerto Rico Islanders
2-1 on Sunday in the USL-1 championship game at Swangard Stadium.
by Jeff Lee, Vancouver Sun
Mayor Sam Sullivan is heading to Lausanne, Switzerland, for the first meeting of Olympic host cities in what is expected to be his last international trip as Vancouver’s mayor.
The Lausanne Summit is being attended by officials from former and current host cities, as well as those wishing to bid on Olympic Games.
Sullivan said he’ll use the summit to push for better organization of Paralympic Games, which he believes haven’t earned enough attention. “This is the first time Olympic cities have come together to discuss the impacts the Games have on them. I intend to use this to stress the need for higher focus on the Paralympics.”
Vancouver’s outgoing mayor Sam Sullivan was in New York to shore up support for his city’s bid for a new Major League Soccer franchise on Tuesday.
Two new franchises are set to be awarded in 2011. The Vancouver Whitecaps, in partnership with Canadian NBA star Steve Nash are backing a bid for Vancouver to be one of them.
“We have a multicultural city and many, many people come from countries where they have a really strong soccer culture,” said Sullivan, who met with MLS commissioner Don Garber and president Mark Abbott.
Will talk with league boss in New York
by Marc Weber, The Province
Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan has some 2010 business to attend to, but he’s talking a little 2011 on the way.
En route to a meeting of Olympic city mayors in Switzerland, Sullivan is stopping off in New York today, in part to sit down with Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber.
The Vancouver Whitecaps are one of eight cities in the running for the 17th and 18th MLS franchises, to begin play in 2011. The deadline for application is next week and the league is expected to announce the successful candidate cities in late November or early 2009.
On Tuesday I announced that the City of Vancouver and Bombardier Transportation will provide a modern streetcar demonstration service to Vancouver residents and visitors during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
The Downtown Streetcar 2010 Demonstration Project is a state-of-the-art, accessible and sustainable transportation project that will connect Granville Island to the Canada Line Olympic Village Station during 60 days of celebration between January 21 and March 21, 2010.
The City of Vancouver has also received permission from the International Olympic Committee and VANOC to name the streetcar service The Olympic Line – Vancouver’s 2010 Streetcar for the duration of the 2010 demonstration project.
By Christina Montgomery, Vancouver Province
Lighting will play a big role in the public art displays that will transform Vancouver’s main streets during the 2010 Olympics.
And artists will have to move fast to take advantage of the $5.9 million available for what is likely to be the biggest art show in the city’s history.
Following city council’s vote Tuesday afternoon, the race was on to get proposals submitted and approved for works that are expected to be installed by late next year.
All of the works and installations will be paid for the the city.