Road and dyke closures, streets full of buses and volunteers, full hotels and a heavy police presence are all things to expect when the 2010 Games comes to Richmond.

An Olympic information meeting staged last night at city hall offered the public a rare glimpse of the detailed planning going into the Winter Olympics.

It attracted about 100 people—representatives from non-profit groups, area businesses, sports and arts groups and the curious, along with officials from the RCMP, TransLink, the city and the Vancouver Organizing Committee.

"This is a massive event to put on, so we’re saying it’s business as unusual," said Jamie Levchuk, of Vanoc’s community relations department.

During the Games, the oval will come alive when the workforce arrives at 8 a.m. each day. Skating competitions will begin at 10 a.m. and should wrap up by 4 p.m. Deliveries to the venue would carry on through the night.

For ticket-holders, a limited area around the oval will be accessible near the spectator entry facing the dyke. The rest of the grounds will be off-limits—including the oval's parkade.

"There will be no spectator parking at any of the Olympic venues," said Levchuk.

Besides getting spectators to the oval, Vanoc must co-ordinate transportation for throngs of volunteers—25,000 for the entire Games—and media, whose numbers should total 10,000.

Levchuk said Vanoc is counting on some schools and businesses to shut down during the Games, or take public transit or carpool. Vanoc hopes its effort to get vehicles off the road will be a lasting legacy.

“Hopefully we can get a shift from the single occupancy vehicles," said Levchuk.

Vanoc is pledging to keep the public informed about all transportation issues, including how long it will take for a spectator to get inside the oval. Security screening will be similar to that of the airport, and the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit promises to be out in force.

The unit comprises RCMP, Canadian Forces and police departments from venue cities. Cpl. Manon Chouinard said security planning for Games venues has been underway since 2003, and is akin to planning for 17 Superbowls.

"There’s quite a lot of people attending these games," she told the crowd. “It’s a huge event, and it’s going to be safe, and it’s going to be a lot of fun."

Richmond has particular challenges, she said, because security must be provided from the air, the land—and the water.

"We have subject matter experts working with us from other agencies that have been doing this for years and years."

Around the oval, expect road and dyke closures, said Chouinard, who pledged to keep the impact on local residents and business owners to a minimum.

"The Olympics is about sports and culture, not security," she said. “We also want to ensure that you feel comfortable that there’s the Olympics around here."

The Olympics won't interfere with day-to-day policing in Richmond, Chouinard said, as officers aren't permitted to take leaves of absence during the Games.

“We’ve got a lot of people working on this,” she said. “They are committed to not affecting your baseline of policing in Richmond.”

Meanwhile, the city is also ramping up its planning for the Games. A "soft" opening of the oval is still expected by this fall. The concrete for the track has been poured—complete with lucky loonies in the foundation—and recruiting for oval staff is underway.

"We can’t wait to get you in the building," said city spokesperson Ted Townsend. "When you get inside you’re really going to be blown away."

The city is continuing to implement its $10-million 2010 strategic operational plan, which includes the O-Zone celebration site and an information and volunteer centre.

"If you go to Calgary, 20 years later, the volunteer base that they created there for the Games in 1988 is still an active and vital force,” said Townsend. "We want to create that same type of legacy right here in Richmond."

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2010 Games in Richmond

2008

August: First ice made in oval

September: Speed skaters test ice

October: Tickets go on sale on Oct. 3 for all events, including 12 medal events at oval

November: "Soft" opening of oval, boasting four hardwood courts, fitness studios, first phase of legacy fitness centre, indoor rowing tank

December: Canadian Speed Skating Championships

2009

February: Winter Festival/One-year Olympic countdown

March: World Speed Skating Championships

May to July: Second Game Plan info session

September to November: Third Game Plan info session

December: Vanoc takes occupancy of oval Dec. 1

2010

Early: Olympic Torch Relay will likely arrive in Richmond

February: Olympic speed skating training begins Feb. 4

February: Olympic competition from Feb. 13 to 27.

March: Vanoc returns venue to city; post-Games conversion begins