Whistler Athletes Village
Cheakamus Crossing - Whistler Olympic/ Paralympic Athlete Village...
The Site
The Athlete Village is comprised of five main components: residential zone know as Cheakamus Crossing of which SLA is integrally involved, the international zone, the transport mall, a main catering facility, and operations support area.
The full area will cover 30 hectares (75 acres) and be approximately 1 million square feet in size, half of that allocated to housing. It is to be developed first to serve as the Whistler Athlete Village for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and then will become a permanent, mixed-use neighbourhood designed to support Whistler's goal of housing 75% of its employees within the community.
The Challenge
To create a sustainable neighbourhood for full-time Whistler residents, as envisioned in Whistler 2020, the resort community's vision and comprehensive sustainability plan. The Development Corporation Board of Directors has committed to registering the 2010 Whistler Athlete Village and Legacy Neighbourhood with LEED ND (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - for Neighbourhood Development). The Cheakamus Legacy Neighbourhood has special significance for Whistler's future. The neighbourhood will be a showcase of sustainable design and development practices, receiving world-wide recognition and standing as testimony to the resort community's commitment to sustainability.
The Design
Each development has been integrated with the objectives of a walkable neighbourhood with a series of greenways and trail systems which connect throughout the entire site. Parkettes and adventure play grounds provide open space amenities within larger sites.
Native plantings revegetate the sites and open lawn areas using highly drought tolerant and low maintenance 'Ecolawn' seed mix provide open space for the plethora of young children that are expected to reside there. Rain gardens and bioswales provide storm water performance as well as areas for education and ornamental interest.
Sustainable Design
The village will be built to green building standards, using smart growth principles, and with a goal of meeting LEEDS Neighbour Development standards.
Guided by the Smart Growth Network's ten principles of smart growth and the Charter for New Urbanism it will include compact design, proximity to transit, mixed use, mixed housing type, and pedestrian and bicycle friendly design.
The landscape design specifically incorporates:
- Planters fed by roofs roof rain leaders
- Rain gardens located throughout the neighbourhoods
- Infiltration trenches and bioswales along roadways wit: 1.5 Ha of roads not source controlled - diverted to North Wetland and infiltration pond
- A series of mini - parks and green trail corridors connecting the neighbourhoods
- Planting palette comprised of native plants which are highly drought tolerant and provide habitat and regeneration to large areas of excavation
- Ecolawn replaces traditional sodded grass areas
