Our feature article in the Winter, 2010 issue of Vancouver Review was a sprawling piece by architecture critic Trevor Boddy that rounded heavily on the sad architectural legacy the 2010 Winter Games would leave us with. One notable exception was the Richmond Oval and its superb engineering achievements as well as its ongoing usefulness to the community. We can’t argue with that, though we’d have preferred they kept the actual oval ice track for public skates. Less appealing are the dominant and numerous security cameras in front of the venue. These still rankle. But inside now, the re-branded ROX “Richmond Oval eXperience” offers an additional bonus; a very enjoyable museum display of (mostly winter) Olympic memorabilia and interactive kiosks. You can also do a simulated bobsled run and, less convincingly, do a virtual ski jump! Oh, and the sandwiches at the café are good!
But what of all that building going on nearby? Well, as with all things Vancouver, it was always about real estate. Five years on from the games and it’s fair to say that a condo building orgy was always on the cards for the area. If you want to see the future, as shaped by our Olympic Legacy (TM), here is a photo series documenting the construction hoardings opposite the Richmond Oval as of April, 2016. Very white, very rich, very louche. “Share the Fantasy” …
