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City Guide - Vancouver - Sport | ||
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Sport The BC Lions (tel: (604) 589 7627; web site: www.bclions.com) of the Canadian Football League play at BC Place stadium. General Motors Place is home to the Vancouver Grizzlies (tel: (604) 899 4667 or (888) 672 2229; web site: www.grizzlies.com) of the National Basketball Association and the Vancouver Canucks (tel: (604) 899 4625 or (888) 672 2229; web site: www.canucks.com) of the National Hockey League. The city and area also host the Molson Indy car race, PGA golf tournaments and World Cup downhill skiing, but Vancouverites are much more interested in participating in sports than watching them. Opportunities abound with wilderness right on the city's doorstep. Kayaks can be hired on English Bay, there are mountain bike trails near the University of British Columbia and on Seymour Mountain, hikers relish the Grouse Grind, and rollerbladers can be found everywhere. Scuba diving, paragliding and rock climbing are options for the adventurous. In the winter, snowboarders and downhill and cross-country skiers head for the slopes - there are easy runs on Seymour, Grouse and Cypress mountains, visible from the city; and it is possible to get a lot of runs in at world-class Whistler on a day trip. Golf: Vancouver has some spectacular links, with stunning views of the ocean or mountains. General information is available from two web sites (www.golfvancouver.com and www.bcgolfguide.com). Furry Creek Golf and Country Club has an 18-hole par-72 course, overlooking Howe Sound, just off the Sea to Sky Highway north of the city (tel: (604) 922 9576 or (888) 922 9462; web site: www.furrycreek.com). Green fees vary (C$50-95), depending on time of day and how far it is into the March-October season. A 35-minute drive south of Vancouver is the Morgan Creek Golf Course at 3500 Morgan Creek Way (tel: (604) 531 4653 or (800) 513 6555; web site: www.morgancreekgolf.com). Green fees vary by day and season (C$55-85). West Coast Golf Shuttle (tel: (604) 878 6800 or (888) 599 6800; web site: www.golf-shuttle.com) provides transportation to all of the above courses, with all-inclusive packages starting at C$89. Skiing: Some of the best skiing in the world is available at Whistler-Blackcomb (tel: (604) 932 2394 or (800) 944 7853; web site: www.tourismwhistler.com), only two hours' north of Vancouver and accessible by scheduled coach and rail services, chartered air or by road. Lift tickets start at C$59 per day (minimum three-day ticket over the Christmas holiday period). Swimming: The best spots for swimming in the summertime in Vancouver are free - Jericho Beach, Kitsilano Beach (there is a salt-water pool here, as well, for a fee) and, for those who dare to bare, Wreck Beach at the base of the bluffs near the University of British Columbia. There is a popular pool at Second Beach in Stanley Park, although it can become over-run with children. For serious lap swimmers, the Aquatic Centre, 1050 Beach Avenue, below the Burrard Bridge (tel: (604) 665 3424; web site: www.parks.vancouver.bc.ca), is the city's best choice. Tennis: The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation (web site: www.parks.vancouver.bc.ca) maintains 178 first-come first-served tennis courts within the city limits, including ten at Kitsilano Beach and 15 at Stanley Park. A further six courts at Stanley Park are available by reservation (tel: (604) 605 8224). |