City Council Approves Bylaw Amendments For '10 Vancouver Games

The Vancouver City Council Thursday by a 9-2 vote passed a "large package of bylaw amendments intended to help or promote" the '10 Vancouver Games, according to Jeff Lee of the VANCOUVER SUN. Councilors "removed wording that could have allowed police or city staff to take away signs on city streets that include the 'promotion of an idea.'" The section of the sign bylaw had been "meant to restrict unauthorized commercial advertising on city streets," but councilors agreed that it "could also be interpreted in a more sinister way to affect political free speech." The council Thursday also "assured free-newspaper vendors it won't ban distribution within Olympic zones." However, amid fears of a "repeat of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics bombing in a public assembly area," the council "agreed with police that all newspaper boxes should be removed from within 100 metres of all sporting venues, the Vancouver Convention Centre and the Westin Bayshore Hotel," the official IOC hotel (VANCOUVER SUN, 7/24). VANOC Dir of Operations Communications Lizette Parsons-Bell said, "Overall, we believe that these temporary changes will help create a safe, welcoming and festive atmosphere for spectators, visitors and athletes alike. We respect everyone's right to free speech. VANOC's efforts are focused on reducing ambush marketing and protecting the $1[B] investment that sponsors have made towards the success and legacy of the Games" (Vancouver PROVINCE, 7/24).

FEDS WITH BENEFITS: In Vancouver, Bruce Constantineau reports the Canadian federal government "will trumpet the benefits" of the '10 Games during a "five-month multimedia advertising campaign to begin this fall." A notice of proposed procurement issued Thursday indicated that the broadcast, Internet and social media campaign "will begin around the launch of the Olympic Torch Relay on Oct. 30." The government said that the campaign's "primary objective is to use the 2010 Games as a 'national and international context of pride and excellence and athletes as role models to encourage Canadians of all ages to get active and adopt a healthier (lifestyle).'" The notice "invites advertising suppliers to bid for a contract to provide strategic planning, management and development of the campaign." The contract "will expire on March 31, 2010" (VANCOUVER SUN, 7/24).

ACROSS THE POND: LOCOG has appointed Ticketmaster as the Official Ticketing Services Provider for the '12 London Olympics, and the company also will become a Tier 3 sponsor for the Games. Tickets for the '12 Olympic and Paralympic Games will go on sale in '11 and until then, Ticketmaster will work with LOCOG on its ongoing ticketing strategy and planning before assisting in the set-up and running of the ticket sales process (LOCOG).