Canadian Pride runs through the streets of downtown Vancouver

As we enter the final day of the 2010 Olympic games in Vancouver, it seems that this venture of ours has transformed the city into an amazing gallery of patriotism.

Thanks to the arrival of 82 very diverse nations in Vancouver, we have seen influxes of tourists as well as locals in the downtown area resulting in humongous crowds that we’ve rarely seen before. The riots of the 1994 Stanley Cup final loss of the Vancouver Canucks to the New York Rangers is the first that comes to mind to compare,  and really, how could it ever be topped? Well, as fellow “Vancouverites” and I have witness in the past two weeks, when the Olympics come to town anything is possible.

Rather than going on a violent rampage around the streets of downtown Vancouver, people instead are embracing the games and spreading their support for their countries in any way they can.

On Friday following Canada’s 3-2 victory against Slovakia in the men’s hockey semi-finals, people once again took to the streets in excitement that I can only describe as contagious. Spontaneous outbursts of chants varying from ‘O’ Canada to “We Want Gold!” to “No Way USA!” became the new anthem for Canadians everywhere, and despite the packed crowd of people the celebration was, in great contrast to ’94,  quite peaceful.  

So amidst all the various setbacks such as the death of the Georgian luger, weather woes, and ice problems, it appears as though the spirit of the Olympics is being kept alive through the people themselves.