Family and Friends:
Homestay Host Information

Host Family Information

To support our athletes, Speed Skating Canada is looking for BC residents who are willing to share their homes with the families and friends of our skating team, which include both short track skaters (events to take place at the Pacific Coliseum) and long track skaters (events to take place at the Richmond Oval).

Finding and securing accommodation during the Games for our athletes' key supporters can be a very stressful and distracting task for athletes and coaches. Alleviating this stress by helping them find accommodation allows athletes and coaches to stay focused on their goal of winning gold at the 2010 Games.

What is expected of a host family?

• Home is available to host family between February 12 - 28th
• Host applicants must be over the age of 21
• Provide a private sleeping room
• Use of towels and access to a bathroom with a shower or bathtub
• Provide breakfast and/or access to the kitchen
• Access to washer and dryer
• Arrange to pick up guests at the airport or at Speed Skating Canada House
• Provide directions to the Oval and/or Vancouver's Pacific coliseum and information regarding local transportation
• Check with your insurance agent regarding adequate insurance

Who is eligible for the Home Stay Program?

Each Speed Skating team member may submit to Speed Skating Canada a list of up to four supporters who they would like to have supporting them at the Olympic Games. These will usually be family members or a significant other but there may be a few exceptions which must be approved by Speed Skating Canada. There may be a few cases where we are trying to house six family members in one or more homes.

Speed Skating Canada's Team includes support staff which encompasses coaches, medical staff, technicians, etc.

What's next?

If you are interested in billeting friends and family of our Speed Skating and Short Track Speed Skating Teams, download and complete the program application form and return it along with a copy of the signed waiver by email to ymoncion@speedskating.ca.

• Application Form
• Host waiver

Also submit one to four pictures of your accommodation. A volunteer committee in both White Rock and Richmond will review your information and contact you once your home has been posted on a website for the guests of Canadian athletes and support staff to preview.

Guest families will be contacting potential hosts directly. Short track skaters will be qualifying in August 2009 and Long Track skaters in January. Due to the late date of the long track Olympic qualifying event, it is possible that you will not be contacted until after January 2nd, 2010.

When you have been contacted by a guest and have decided to house them during the Olympics, please confirm the names of each of your guests with the White Rock and/or Richmond volunteer committees immediately. We will confirm that they are guests who have been screened by Speed Skating Canada. We will then remove your home from the website.

On behalf of Speed Skating Canada, the City of Richmond and the City of White Rock, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in our Host Family program, as well as to acknowledge the importance of your involvement to the success of our Canadian teams.