any hints for parking or at the Olympics ?

Meanman · Post by **Meanman** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 10:43 pm

The wife and I want to check out the Olympic village tomorrow (sunday 21 feb). We live in Maple Ridge and want to drive in as close as possible. Does anyone know of where there is parking close (inside scoop) or does anyone have any tips for getting downtown? Our option is to drive to either Metrotown or Brentwood and take the "crazy train" from there, but I was actually hoping to avoid that as I hate transit. A friend said he managed to park at Granville island but I don't want to drive all the way there to be turned away.

fexlboi · Post by **fexlboi** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:20 pm

Meanman wrote:A friend said he managed to park at Granville island but I don't want to drive all the way there to be turned away.

Driving to Granville Island would probably take you the whole day anyway

At least today. It was absolute madness around downtown.

flyfishn · Post by **flyfishn** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:44 pm

Friends told me they went to G.I. last Saturday and had no issues. Said there was lots of parking there.
What we did was park on Penticton just next to the Nanaimo Sky train and went that way. If you park on Penticton about 3 blocks down from the sky train, there is parking.

jrman · Post by **jrman** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 12:00 am

Wow....bit of a crapshoot to be sure. I have a company parking pass at the parkade under Future Shop on corner of Robson & Granville (yes, one of the few that a delica high roof can fit into!!!!!). But the family and I thought we would be smart and park down near Lonsdale Quay...first shock was the $10/hour max $100 per day "event pricing" in effect - price gouging parking rate at the building next to the ICBC building (adjacent to the seabus round about), 2nd issue (but no surprise) was the 1.5 hour lineup for the seabus. So, figured we'd try driving. Well, crossing lions gate bridge was no problem....took a little longer than usual to get to the parkade once we were downtown..but hey - the parkade was totally empty. I also noted a parkade on Howe charging $5 all day!!!!

So, find your way to head North on Seymour - look for signs on seymour street on the West side between Robson & Georgia saying "Future Shop / Winners" just prior to Georgia street....enter the alley and you'll find your way to an empty parking lot....bizarre....

jessef · Post by **jessef** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 12:19 am

flyfishn wrote:Friends told me they went to G.I. last Saturday and had no issues. Said there was lots of parking there.

We live in kits and walked down to granville island that saturday.

It was a zoo. Cars were not moving and people were roaming like crammed cattle.

I had a good time but Maryna didn't like the lack of elbow room.

You can find parking close to the Olympic village area.

Go down Cambie and there's parking at Canadian Tire/BestBuy, etc... hourly.

loki · Post by **loki** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 1:18 am

don't drive, we just walked on to the ferry in swartz bay and bused it to the skytrain then down town the all day bus bas is available in the gift store on the ferry and it took 45 minutes to get from the ferry to downtown. getting home was about the same, fewer hassles and cheaper to boot.

Post by **FalcoColumbarius** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 9:40 am

Alternatively, you could park in North Van and take the Seabus. That might be a pleasant gateway into the Olympic city.

Falco.

Meanman · Post by **Meanman** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 5:11 pm

We ended up driving down. Found a small lot on Keefer off of main cost us $7.50 for 5 hours. A beautiful day to take in the chaos!!

dfnder · Post by **dfnder** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 11:56 pm

My X and I took the kids downtown to experience some of energy of the Olympics, I think we arived in the downtown about 2pm. I suggested we try pacific centre (took her car as I had driven enough already today). We turned onto Howe street off of Georgia and the sign to the parking said "Lot Full" drove in anyway and found a parking spot in 30 secs. Walked around and enjoyed the performers and the atmosphere and then left to get food on the N.S. The rate per hour was pretty good I think maybe $3 per. I good time for sure!

mararmeisto · Post by **mararmeisto** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 8:40 am

I thought VANOC's "greening" of the Olympics was to make transit more... what was the word? AVAILABLE. Obviously this wasn't the case, and now I know why the critics are so disappointed with the performance. We saw the same thing in Calgary in '88, although there weren't as many road closures.

My dad was telling me this weekend how people visiting Vancouver, even back in the '60s, would ask, "How do you drive AROUND Vancouver? I want to get at <whatever location> from the other side." You realize the city's located on the coast, right? That's the ocean on the one side? I mean, there's a railway track running all the way up to Whistler, and what did we do? We upgraded the highway! Not that it didn't need it, but was anything done to those tracks? I suspect not.

This is why I never thought Vancouver was a good choice for hosting the Olympics: access.

loki · Post by **loki** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 8:55 am

mararmeisto wrote:I thought VANOC's "greening" of the Olympics was to make transit more... what was the word? AVAILABLE. Obviously this wasn't the case, and now I know why the critics are so disappointed with the performance. We saw the same thing in Calgary in '88, although there weren't as many road closures.

My dad was telling me this weekend how people visiting Vancouver, even back in the '60s, would ask, "How do you drive AROUND Vancouver? I want to get at <whatever location> from the other side." You realize the city's located on the coast, right? That's the ocean on the one side? I mean, there's a railway track running all the way up to Whistler, and what did we do? We upgraded the highway! Not that it didn't need it, but was anything done to those tracks? I suspect not.

This is why I never thought Vancouver was a good choice for hosting the Olympics: access.

Well like I had said we took public transit and it was very available, took us 45 min or less to get from the ferry to downtown and the same to get back to the ferry. I was glad not to have my van and to have to fight in traffic or look for/pay for a parking spot.

dah_hunter · Post by **dah_hunter** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 9:00 am

I was Down town all day sunday..

Drove in from Langley, Parked in Metro Town, caught the Skytrain.. it was busy but not to bad..

Enjoyed all the sites, then took the seabus, went and checked out the Tall ship..

came back during the Pathetic Hockey game..

it was a good day.

fexlboi · Post by **fexlboi** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:20 pm

mararmeisto wrote:...but was anything done to those tracks? I suspect not.

Yes they did! Over-paved parts of the tracks

Having not a proper train system to Whistler is the worst decision the Government made in terms of infrastructure.

DelicaMark · Post by **DelicaMark** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 2:36 pm

I was there all weekend and the public transit was quite full but understandable for the 1000's of people down there. You can definitely drive downtown and park in any number of places for regular prices.

We had a great time and I really hope all of the people that are bagging on the Olympics in Vancouver just quiet down. So many people giving there opinions based on something someone said or something they heard reported by the media and not based on their own experiences.

-Mark

Jaz · Post by **Jaz** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 2:56 pm

Driving downtown is nowhere near as alarming as they're making it out to be. Just keep away from BC place/GM Place/Eastern Yaletown and Granville St and Robson St and you'll be all good.

I live on Richards between Yaletown and Granville and haven't had a problem getting to my garage yet.

Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club