Olympic organizers warn against use of 2010 on highway banners
John French
Chief Staff Writer
The organizing committee of the 2010 Olympics has poured cold water on a new highway banner initiative in development for Squamish.
The banner campaign follows a 2002 program that saw "Heart of 2010" banners hanging along Hwy. 99 and in the key commercial areas around Squamish. The Squamish Chamber of Commerce headed up the first program and is leading the new campaign.
But a letter from Dave Cobb, Senior Vice-President of Revenue, Marketing and Communications with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), to Chamber President Gord Prescott suggests that Squamish should not use the tagline "Heart of 2010".
Cobb's letter, dated Oct. 4, was a response to a letter Prescott wrote to VANOC regarding the banner initiative in Squamish.
"If VANOC is to be successful, and it will be a success enjoyed by all British Columbia residents, and Canadians, the association with '2010' must be strictly controlled," Cobb wrote.
VANOC is currently developing a plan for non-commercial use of trademarked names, phrases, logos and designs related to the 2010 Winter Games.
Trademarked Olympic brands currently include the number 2010, as well as phrases such as "The Sea to Sky Games", among others.
According to Cobb, the plan is anticipated to be completed by the end of this year. Once it is completed, Cobb noted that the International Olympic Committee has to approve that plan.
"Until such time as this plan is approved, VANOC cannot approve the use of any Official Marks or association with the 2010 Winter Games," Cobb wrote. "We note that the proposed banner program would be sponsored by local businesses. It is appreciated that banner programs are an enhancement to the community and creative funding is appreciated by the taxpayers; however, should a banner program be allowed in the future no company names could be associated with the program, nor could the banners be hung in association with businesses. This will help us prevent conflicts with official sponsors of the 2010 Games."
The letter was made public when it was published as part of the agenda package for the meeting of the Squamish Olympic Coordinating Committee (SOCC) scheduled for Oct. 21.
That committee is made up of Mayor Ian Sutherland, Owen Carney and Greg Gardner and the committee gets advisory support from Karen Hodson, the Chamber Manager; Lee Malleau, the local Economic Development Officer and Bruce Goldsworthy, Squamish's Director of Special Projects.
Chamber of Commerce President Gord Prescott said the banner project is going ahead with a new tagline: "Heart of 2010" is being replaced with "Heart of Sea to Sky".
Prescott noted that local sponsors of the banner program will still have their names attached to the banners.
"The intent of the Squamish Olympic Coordinating Committee from the very beginning when it was formed was to work with the Vancouver organizing committee, and the bid corporation before that, was to work with them," Prescott said.
Sutherland echoed Prescott's thoughts on the issue. He believes it is best to work with VANOC.
A total of 120 banners have been sold to date.
