The Olympic flame will pass through Squamish along its 45,000-km journey across Canada that will spark the 2010 Winter Games, VANOC CEO John Furlong said during a Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park on Monday (Nov. 17).And although the relay's route won't be confirmed until after press time during an announcement this morning (Friday, Nov. 21), Furlong did hint at Squamish's participation."I'm not going to sit here and make any announcements about Squamish's role in the Torch Relay, but Vancouver is there and Whistler is there You probably have it all figured out," he said.The 12,000-person torchbearer selection process is planned to be revealed this morning in West Vancouver. Meanwhile, Furlong also announced executive vice-president of construction Dan Doyle has been appointed Squamish's Olympic representative - a position Doyle himself pursued."One of the things I wanted to ensure was that Squamish became a really important part of our Games and that the people in Squamish had every opportunity at participating and living with the Games. So I asked for that and got that," he said.Doyle refrained from disclosing torch relay details before today's big announcement, but did say local residents will have the opportunity to be involved in the relay. Doyle, who led the development of the Sea to Sky Highway project, said he is looking forward to working with mayor and council in order to ensure Squamish experiences the benefits of being so close to the Olympic action."I just think it would be neat for Squamish to walk out of these Games feeling proud of what they've done to put the Games on," he said, adding that the Callaghan Valley Local Organizing Committee (CALOC) has proven local residents have the desire and dedication needed to hold successful events. Mayor-elect Greg Gardner attended Furlong's presentation and said he was pleased to learn Doyle will be working with the community. "His presence here is symbolic of VANOC's rising awareness of the role that Squamish has to play in these Games," he said."There has been some frustration in our community that many of the initiatives haven't come to fruition. But I don't think there's any benefit in pointing fingers. What we need to do is work closely together and try and maximize the benefit of these Games for Squamish and also this opportunity we have to showcase our country to the world."In his address to about 70 people, Furlong urged local residents to get involved with the Olympics in any way they can, whether it is on site or in their own homes. While VANOC estimates there are about 800 volunteers living in Squamish, Furlong said he wants to see that number double. "Our philosophy is to have a head on every pillow, to have a person in every bed, to ensure that we are the best hosts that we can possibly be. If the community can help us with that it would be a huge advantage to the Games [] You can be the heart and soul in the corridor of the human side of our project."
