LiveCity Vancouver 2010 Public Live Sites

LiveCity for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games is the name for the public celebration sites that will be hosted around downtown Vancouver. Back in March cutbacks were announced but today the City revealed that it’s all about the party.

LiveCity Vancouver includes two dynamic celebration sites in downtown Vancouver that will be open to the public for family fun, entertainment, activities and more – all free of charge – during the 2010 Winter Games. The heart of LiveCity will be two sites – at David Lam Park and Georgia Street, respectively – connected by animated pedestrian thoroughfares through Vancouver’s Yaletown district.

Come to LiveCity Vancouver during the 2010 Winter Games and experience:
– High-quality, secure, family-friendly environment that showcases the arts, culture, entertainment and Olympic sponsors

– Schedules and content built around Games-time events

– Events that are open, accessible and free of charge

– Planned on-screen programming on large LED screens showing Olympic and Paralympic events and track the progress of Canadian athletes

– Live programming featuring the very best local, national and international performing artists, as well as special appearances by past and present Olympians, Paralympians and other special guests
Source: City of Vancouver

There will be two sites, LiveCity Yaletown and LiveCity Downtown. LiveCity Yaletown will close at the end of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, while LiveCity Downtown will be open during both the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

David Lam Park – Photo credit: dbarefoot on Flickr

LiveCity Yaletown will have a capacity of about 10,000 and be alcohol-free while LiveCity Downtown will be able to accommodate around 3,000 and serve alcohol. Bands slated to entertain at the live sites include Wilco, Alexisonfire, Sam Roberts Band, Malajube and Blue Rodeo.

I’m glad to see that these free, public events are being planned and you can also check out satellite events in other cities in Metro Vancouver including a wide array of activities at Surrey‘s Holland Park during the Games.

Update February 11, 2010
I was in the LiveCity venue this morning before it officially opened to the public this evening for the Torch Relay in Vancouver: