Organizers of the 2010 Olympic Games remain confident that Vancouver’s financially troubled athletes’ village will be completed on time.
CEO John Furlong said Vanoc is not considering changes to the village, but would explore any ideas that came from the city.
“We’ll be willing to sit down with the city and work and help in anyway we can to help them with the Olympic schedule,” said Furlong at an Olympic stamp unveiling in Vancouver yesterday.
“Clearly at the end of the day, we have to have an Olympic Village and the city knows that and is determined to get there. And we believe we will get there.”
Meanwhile, Vancouver’s mayor said he hopes to know sometime this week whether he can expect help from the province to complete the financially troubled Olympic Village.
On Monday, Vancouver’s council requested amending the city’s charter to grant Vancouver borrowing authority without a citywide referendum. The provincial legislature would need to be reconvened to pass the amendment.
“Everyday counts right now,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson yesterday.
“We’re in an urgent negotiation with Fortress. We have the next construction payment that needs to be paid. We’ve got to be sure that we keep the crews working and get the village built on time.”
Robertson said he’d had conversations with Premier Gordon Campbell and NDP Leader Carole James and said both were “working with their respective MLAs to look at options for bringing the house back and considering the legislation.”
