Sea to Sky artists colour Whistler’s Village Stroll during the Athlete’s Parade and the Whistler Live! Encore party

The 2010 Paralympic Winter Games are coming to a close today and the final party is right here in Whistler.

Whistler streets are set to come alive with a Paralympic Winter Games Closing Ceremony Parade starting at 6:45 p.m. Expect to see high-energy kids, colourful street performers, fire spinners, First Nations dancers and playful animators ramble down Whistler’s Village Stroll to DJ Mat the Alien’s funky beat.

The parade will lead over 1,000 Paralympic athletes and officials to Whistler Medals Plaza for the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games Closing Ceremony.

After the parade, stick around Village Square and Village Common to watch CTV’s broadcast of the Closing Ceremony on Whistler Live! screens – get one foot in the stadium even if you don’t have a ticket.

The Closing Ceremony will celebrate more than 500 Paralympic athletes from 44 countries and their achievements of athletic excellence over the past 10 days.

Whistler’s Ali Milner will sing O Canada – the inspiration for the Games motto “With Glowing Hearts” – as a basketball-court size Canadian flag is unfurled above the athletes’ heads. She will be joined by 185 voices from the Sea to Sky Chorus, while on-screen and live on Whistler Mountain 125 skiers of all ages and abilities will ski a torch parade down the slopes bearing bright red flares to honour Canada as Paralympic host country.

The Paralympic Flag will also be lowered and passed on to Sochi 2014.

After the Clsoing Ceremony it’s time to dance with a Whistler Live! Encore event at Village Square. Legendary DJs Mat the Alien and Vinyl Ritchie and Go Go dancers will keep the beats pumping along with highlights from the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

For more information check out the calendar on whistler2010.com.

Des artistes du Sea-to-Sky mettront de la couleur au Village Stroll

Dès 18 h 45 le dimanche 21 mars, des jeunes enthousiastes, de colorés artistes de la rue, des acrobates jouant avec le feu, des danseurs autochtones et des animateurs espiègles se baladeront dans les rues du

Village Stroll de Whistler au son des rythmes funky du DJ Mat the Alien. Ce défilé retentissant précédera plus d’un millier d’athlètes et équipiers paralympiques, alors que tout ce monde se rendra à la Place des médailles pour les cérémonies de clôture des Jeux paralympiques d’hiver de 2010.

Grâce à l’apport financier du programme Capitales culturelles du Canada et sous la direction artistique de Chili Thom, de Whistler, des artistes du corridor Sea-to-Sky ont pu unir leurs talents et leur inspiration pour le point culminant des Jeux d’hiver de 2010.

Massez-vous aux abords des rues du Village Stroll dès 18 h 15 pour célébrer les prodigieuses réussites des athlètes. Restez sur place pour assister à la diffusion des cérémonies de clôture sur le réseau CTV, alors que l’émission sera projetée sur les écrans de Whistler Live!.

Et la fête continue après la clôture officielle des Jeux d’hiver de 2010. Rendez-vous au Village Square pour le Whistler Live! Encore où les célébrations et la danse seront à l’honneur. Les DJs légendaires Mat the Alien et Vinyl Ritchie, ainsi que la troupe de danse Whistler A Go Go donneront le ton à la séance en style libre du rappeur MC SUPERNATURAL, qui soulignera des faits saillants des Olympiques et des Paralympiques d’hiver de 2010 à Whistler. Une autre soirée mémorable qui fera durer la magie et qui marquera de belle façon la dernière journée des Jeux d’hiver de 2010.

When Chelsey Walker, director of the Whistler Adaptive Sports Program (WASP) carried the Paralympic Flame through Whistler, she had tears in her eyes because the legacy of the Paralympic Games hit home.

“To be involved in a community legacy is a powerful thing,” Walker said.

As the director of WASP, a local non-profit disabled sport organization, Walker helps keep disabled sport at the forefront in the minds of Whistler residents.

Raised in Whistler, Walker grew up as an alpine racer in the Whistler Mountain Ski Club. Sport was in her blood. After graduating from university, Walker pursued a number of sport-related jobs such as heli-ski guide, sailing instructor and mountain bike guide.

“When the job with WASP came up, it piqued my interest,” Walker said.

Walker’s grandfather is visually impaired and Walker served as his ski guide for many years so WASP was a good fit. Since then Walker has hit the ground running. WASP now offers year-round sport opportunities to people of all ages and disabilities.

With the Paralympic Winter Games taking place at home, the spotlight is on the community. Walker said Whistler has risen to the challenge.

“People have become enamored with what is happening with Paralympic sport in our community, which speaks so well of the work done,” Walker said.

Post-Games, Walker and her team will continue to keep disabled sport in the minds of Whistler residents.

“There are already conversations moving forward about more events such as future competitions and events such as World Cups,” Walker said.
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A look back on the 2010 Winter Games by Kim VanLochem

With the closing of the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, Whistler has a lot to celebrate. So let the party begin.

It’s fitting that the final party of the 2010 Winter Games is taking place in Whistler Medals Plaza. It’s time to celebrate more than 500 Paralympic athletes from 44 countries and their achievements of athletic excellence over the past 10 days.

The entire 70-minute event will be broadcast nationally on CTV, showcasing the amazing athletes of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games to the rest of Canada.

We welcomed the world and history unfolded in our backyard.

The momentum of the Olympics carried into the Paralympics with sold-out tickets and standing room only. The Sea to Sky makes a rowdy crowd of spectators.

In the last 10 days we saw a Canadian medal rush beating five gold medals won in 2006. So far, Canada has 14 medals (seven gold, four silver and three bronze) and the Games aren’t over yet. This follows an outstanding Olympic medals showing for Canada.

Mayor Ken Melamed has said the Games have been a “defining moment for Whistler.” The years of planning to host the Games were well worth it.

By all accounts the 2010 Winter Games were a success, but the true success can’t be judged on the results of the last two months. It’s the impression Whistler created in those two months. And Whistler, you made an impression.

As Whistler’s Ali Milner sings ‘O Canada’ at the Closing Ceremony tonight and the Soul Function dancers perform as 9,000 fireworks go off in Whistler, the community will celebrate.
Along with the organizers, volunteers, athletes friends, families and spectators of the 2010 Winter Games - Whistler you have a lot to be proud of.