When the World Came to Town

A 19 year old nephew from Stettler, Alberta came to visit his uncle in Vancouver, B.C. back in February of this year. It was his first time on an airplane, and the first time out of the province. His ticket was booked a couple months before his arrival, and we were both very excited for these firsts of firsts. His mother and grandparents all needed to know the date of departure so they could get him to Edmonton for his flight. It was Friday the 12th. It didn't really dawn on me until a few hours later........ I knew that date was significant somehow........ what was it?

January came and went, and a collective mix of tension and excitement was growing in the city. Checking out which roads would be closed seemed to be the concern of the day. A police presence was noticeably increasing, especially in the downtown area. There was an eery calm, and certainly none of the hubris one might expect from a city set to open it's doors to the world. Yes, on Friday, February 12th, all eyes were expected to suddenly move to Vancouver, the site for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Well, in the very least, my nephew would be in for a surprise.

Trips to our airport had become increasingly easier since the completion of the over $2 billion Canada Line linking YVR, a nickname for Vancouver's International Airport, and the cities of Richmond and Vancouver. The gleaming new trains and flashy interiors made me proud to show off the modernity of my city to my nephew, and quickly dispersed the memories of 2 years of rat-tat-tat-tat's of drills, humming of construction equipment, and endless street closures and rerouting. Despite its many detractors, the project was considered a success, as ridership far surpassed anyone's expectations since its September opening. By the time the Olympics arrived, all the bugs had been sufficiently worked out, and I could tell my nephew my impressed.

Fuelled by worries of too little snowfall, a tragic death, and an opening ceremonies with glitches and negative press, the Olympic experience was looking underwhelming at best, embarrassing at worst. The city did not know what to expect from all this newfound attention, but as soon as the ceremonies finished, people started congregating on Granville Street. It was to become party central for the rest of the Games, and the Nation's Pride was on display like never before, with random groups of strangers spontaneously singing "Oh Canada" at the drop of a red and white toque.

Monday morning came after a flurry of activity over the weekend. I spared no expense in entertaining my nephew, and was determined to pack as much fun and excitement into our time together. It must have been quite an eye-opening experience being transported from a small town to a big city, much less a big city hosting a large-scale International event. Despite him being half my age, I think we were equally relieved to get home to some much needed rest.