RCMP Maritime Security Plans for 2010

By THE CANADIAN PRESS, Wed, April 29, 2009

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Marine security units will patrol waterways associated with the 2010 Olympic Games around the clock and will designate certain areas as restricted to the boating public.

Among the security zones will be Vancouver's False Creek, which houses the Olympic athletes' village, and Burrard Inlet, which features the Games' broadcast centre.

"Our first goal is to protect and safeguard the Games, the Olympic family and the general public," said Sgt. Cameron Miller of the Integrated Security Unit.

"Our second goal is to minimize the impacts of security on residents and businesses."

Miller made the comments at a public forum on marine security during the Games Tuesday night. He stressed to the dozens in attendance that the security plans are constantly changing and that their input is welcome.

Miller said that from January 25 to March 24, False Creek will be secured by a fence under the city's Cambie street bridge. That fence will control vessel traffic.

Miller said the initial security plan called for blocking all marine traffic from entering the eastern section of False Creek, a plan he admitted had to be revised.

"In order to maintain the spirit of the Integrated Security Unit's mandate, and the spirit of our objectives, to help with the business continuity for the charter vessels that operate out of the (area) we came to a compromise," he said.

Vessels moored in the area will be allowed to enter and leave False Creek provided they arrange a security escort.

False Creek will feature exclusion zones, consisting of water closest to the main venues, and controlled access zones, which stretch further out and can be travelled through upon permission from security vessels.

Burrard Inlet and the north arm of the Fraser River, near the Richmond Oval that will be home to Olympic speed skating events, feature similar zones.

Miller said the Oval likely won't require quite the same level of security as False Creek and Burrard Inlet.

"Very few vessels use the waterways to the west (of the Oval). The water's simply too shallow, you've got mud flats and unless you're a very skilled mariner and know the one or two channels, you're going to end up on the putty and grounding your vessel," he said.

The fourth marine area associated with the Games is Howe Sound, which runs alongside the Sea to Sky Highway north to Squamish. Miller said that area will also be patrolled by security officials.

Miller one mariner in the audience that a fuelling station he uses will still be accessible during the Games.

Yoss Leclerc, the Port of Metro Vancouver's harbour master, said he liked what he heard.

Leclerc said the port is not anticipating any sort of economic downturn during the Games as a result of enhanced security measures.

"Based on what we saw, the impact on the commercial vessels will be minimal, almost zero," Leclerc said.