Position at the paper: Reporter and lifestyle sections editor
Years at the North Shore News: 2005-2017
Current position: Public affairs officer BC Ministry of Education communication
There had been a lot of anxiety in the months leading up to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and sadly that filtered into our newsroom. Warm weather, venue construction delays, and the threat of protests had all those living in the Lower Mainland a little on edge.
Traffic was another concern, but fear not, we were told, specifically those of us commuting to the newsroom from areas off the North Shore. Since the bridges would be impassable due to the influx of Olympic watchers, we could sleep in the paper’s lunchroom or boardroom on cots for the duration of the Games.
While thankfully it didn’t come to that as to everyone’s surprise, traffic had never been lighter than it was during Vancouver 2010, I was reminded of my team’s dedication to meeting publishing deadlines. That same team had never missed an issue, including during the period directly following a devastating 2005 fire that ripped through the NSN’s former Lonsdale home.
During the Games, staff once again rose to the occasion, working around the clock, and producing not only the regular edition of the North Shore News, but an Olympic daily, chronicling the biggest stories of the day. ◆
