Updated participants: Advisory: Important Information on the arrival of the
Vancouver 2010 Olympic Flame, October 30

    
    Media site walk through October 29
    October 30 Olympic Flame airport arrival and arrival ceremony
    Filing room details
    Feed service details
    Media materials and background information details
    

VANCOUVER , Oct. 29 /CNW/ - As dawn breaks on Friday, October 30 , a Canadian Forces Polaris aircraft will return from Greece with the Olympic Flame and a Canadian delegation on board. The Olympic Flame will touch down on Canadian soil at the Victoria International Airport before it lights the community celebration cauldron at an arrival ceremony on the grounds of the British Columbia Parliament Buildings.

Please note: All media interested in covering Day 1 events of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay must register with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). See specific details below. Media passes are mandatory for access to all media zones, and applies to ALL media, including those that pre-registered in the summer to cover the torch relay.

It is critical for media planning to cover this event to participate in, or be aware of, all of the events listed below either in person in Victoria, BC, or by conference call.

    
    No. 1 Site Walk Through and Briefing for Flame Arrival Event: Thursday,
    October 29

        What:

        An onsite technical walk through of the October 30 Olympic Flame
        arrival ceremony and community celebrations.

        Where:

        Grounds of the British Columbia Parliament Buildings
        Near the corner of Government and Belleville streets
        Victoria, BC

        Time:

        9:00 pm (Pacific Time)

        Participating:
        VANOC media relations representatives
        Victoria and area community task force representatives

    No. 2 Airport Arrival of the Olympic Flame: Friday, October 30

        What:

        A Canadian Forces CC-150 Polaris (Airbus A-310) aircraft will land on
        Canadian soil carrying a delegation of prominent Canadians and the
        Olympic Flame in a miner's lantern.

        Time: (All times approximate)

        7:15 am (Pacific Time): Touchdown
        8:00 am: Taxi onto airport apron and Olympic Flame exits
        8:05 am: Short statements by delegation
        8:30 am: Olympic Flame convoy departs for downtown Victoria, BC

        Where:

        Department of National Defence Hangar/443 Maritime Helicopter
        Squadron
        Located on west side of Victoria International Airport
        1593 Kittyhawk Rd.
        North Saanich, BC

        Media Registration:

        Media registration is required to attend the airport arrival. A media
        registration tent will be set up at the main gate to the hangar and
        open at 6:00 am. Media must show photo ID and press credentials to
        gain access. No registrations will be accepted after 6:45 am.
        Satellite trucks must arrive between 5:00 am and 6:00 am. Any
        satellite trucks arriving after 6:00 am will not be given access to
        the event.

        Who:

        Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada
        Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport), Government of Canada
        The Honourable Steven Point, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
        Gordon Campbell, premier of British Columbia
        Colin Hansen, deputy premier of British Columbia
        Mary McNeil, Minister of State (Olympics), Government of British
         Columbia
        Gregor Robertson, mayor of Vancouver
        Ken Melamed, mayor of Whistler
        John Furlong, VANOC CEO
        Chief Bruce Underwood, Pauquachin First Nation
        Chief Ivan Morris, Tsartlip First Nation
        Chief Allan Claxton, Tsawout First Nation
        Chief Vern Jack, Tseycum First Nation
        Rear Admiral Tyrone Pile, Commander of Maritime Forces Pacific,
         Department of National Defence
        Nikolas (Nikos) Koumettis, president, Coca-Cola Canada
        Graham MacLachlan, regional president, RBC, British Columbia

        Note: Important information on media positions will be made available
        at the technical briefing noted above.

    No. 3 Victoria Parliament Buildings Arrival Ceremony: October 30

        What:

        The beginning of the 106-day, 45,000-kilometre Vancouver 2010 Olympic
        Torch Relay.

        Time: (All times approximate)

        9:20 am (Pacific Time): Olympic Flame travels across harbour
        9:35 am: Flame arrives at wharf near Government and Belleville
         streets
        10:10 am: Community cauldron is lit
        10:40 am: First torchbearer departs (identity secret until that
         moment)

        Where:

        Starting in Victoria's Inner Harbour
        Celebration on the grounds of the British Columbia Parliament
         Buildings
        Near corner of Government and Belleville streets
        Victoria, British Columbia

        Media Registration:

        All media must register with VANOC. To register and pick up a media
        pass for the arrival ceremony and all subsequent Day 1 events,
        members of the media must show photo ID and press credentials on
        October 29 from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm at the Fairmont Empress Hotel
        (Buckingham room) located at 721 Government St. in Victoria, BC.
        Registration will also be available on October 30 starting at 7:00 am
        at the media tent at the corner of Government and Belleville streets.

        Who:
        Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada
        Gary Lunn, Minister for State (Sport), Government of Canada
        Gordon Campbell, premier of British Columbia
        Gregor Robertson, mayor of Vancouver
        Ken Melamed, mayor of Whistler
        Dean Fortin, mayor of Victoria
        John Furlong, VANOC CEO
        Chief Robert Sam, Songhees First Nation
        Chief Andy Thomas, Esquimalt First Nation
        Nikolas (Nikos) Koumettis, president, Coca-Cola Canada
        Graham MacLachlan, regional president, RBC, British Columbia
        First Canadian torchbearers

        Note: important information on media positions will be made available
        at the technical briefing noted above.

    No. 4 Media Filing Room: October 30

        A media room with high-speed internet will be available in Victoria,
        BC, to assist media in filing their stories on October 30. The room
        at the Victoria Conference Centre will operate from 7:00 am to
        10:00 pm (Pacific Time) and is located at 720 Douglas St.

    No. 5 Feed Service

        Broadcasters interested in accessing the feed service should contact:
        Tom Hildebrandt, 416-384-5830, [email protected].

    No. 6 Media Materials and background information available online

        Daily media highlights, images, broadcast quality video and editorial
        content for each day of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay are
        provided to media on FLAME, the torch relay digital asset management
        system. To register for FLAME, visit www.vancouver2010.com/flame,
        click `Visit FLAME' and then `Register now.'

        Detailed maps of relay route for Days 1 - 4 are available on the
        interactive map at www.vancouver2010.com/torchrelay. Maps for
        following days will be rolled out as the relay makes its way across
        Canada.
    

For further information: Media Contacts: Airport Arrival: Chris Shauf, Torch Relay Media Relations, [phone], [email protected]; Legislature & Relay: Torch Relay Media Relations, [phone], 1-888-403-1483, [email protected]; Coca-Cola: Jennifer Koster, [phone], [email protected]; RBC: Jackie Braden, RBC Torch Media Relations, [phone], [email protected]; Government of Canada, Perry Boldt, [phone], [email protected]