令人期待已久的列治文奧林匹克橢圓競速滑冰場(The Richmond Olympic Oval, or the Richmond Oval ，簡稱ROO)，終於在2008年12月12日正式對外開放，還記得去年8月自台灣回溫哥華後，騎自行車常經過該滑冰場的工地，(請參閱敝人愉2007/09/09與2008/05/10的文章)，我可以說是親眼見她一天天從荒地到打地基；從紮樑到組合，一步步架構出來，真的非常高興看到她今天的成果。
以下是ROO的介紹：(原文取自維基百科全書)，我照原文翻成中文，翻譯如有誤，請以英文版為準！
The Richmond Olympic Oval, or the Richmond Oval is[1] a facility in Richmond , British Columbia , Canada . It will be the venue of the speed skating events of the 2010 Winter Olympics. The cost of the project is currently estimated at $178 million.
列治文奧林匹克橢圓競速滑冰場，位於加拿大的英屬哥倫比亞省(卑詩省) 列治文市，是2010年冬季奧林匹克運動會競速滑冰項目的主要場地，其工程經費截至目前，已經估算約為1億7800萬加幣，(約50億台幣) 。
It has been built on a site beside the Fraser River , a few blocks away from Lansdowne Station on the Canada Line. From the air, the roof takes the stylized native shape of a heron's wing, a tribute to the Salish First Nation and the large wading bird that cohabited the riverbank at first European contact 230 years ago. It covers 33,000 m² of space, including a 20,000 m² main floor that includes a 400 m refrigerated track. It can accommodate 8,000 spectators.
ROO場館坐落於菲莎河畔，距離配合2010冬奧而即將興建完工的捷運線–加拿大線(Canada Line)十分接近。從空中鳥瞰場館屋頂，呈現原住民傳統繪圖之蒼鷺圖形，以紀念230年前歐洲的探險者，在此河畔與居住於此的Salish族及蒼鷺的第一次接觸。
場館總含面積約3萬3千平方公尺(約1萬坪)，其中主館部份約2萬平方公尺(約6千坪)；主館內包括400公尺 標準競速滑冰道，可容那8,000名觀眾。
A distinctive feature of the Richmond Oval is its unique "wood wave" roof. This roof, which is one of the longest clear spans in North America , includes one million board feet of B.C. pine-beetle kill wood linked together in undulating sections to create a beautifully rippled effect. These one of a kind wood panels were designed by structural engineers Fast + Epp and constructed at the design build firm Structure Craft Builders Inc. in Delta, B.C. The remainder of the building structure was designed by structural engineers Glotman.Simpson Consulting Engineers. Some items of interest included the design for a flat ice surface and the architectural piers used to support the roof structure.
ROO場館最大特色是獨一無二採用木浪紋組製屋頂，這是目前北美最大的拱形跨架式建築物之一。由將近1百萬片卑詩省(B.C.省)特產松木片，呈波浪式排列拼成，該工程由位於三角洲市(Delta)一間建設公司承攬
The principal and lead project architect is Bob Johnston of Cannon Design, who was involved in the design of both the Calgary and Salt Lake City tracks.
而ROO場館主要整體統籌設計是由設計師Bob Johnston所屬公司負責，該公司亦曾負責1988年加拿大亞伯達省舉辦的卡加利冬運(1988 Calgary Winter Olympic) 及2002年美國猶他州鹽湖城冬運(2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic)的建設。
After the Olympics, the oval will be converted to a multi-use sport facility that will include two Olympic-sized ice rinks, up to eight hardwood ball-sport courts, a gymnasium, a 200 m track and a rubberized turf area. The speed-skating oval will be covered with removable flooring and could still be used for competition.
預計2010冬奧結束後，ROO場館將轉型為多用途運動館，其中包括2組奧運式滑冰道、8組硬木地板球場、體操場地、200公尺跑道及塑膠草皮鋪面。至於奧運期間的主要項目競速滑冰跑道，冬奧結束後將轉變為活動式地面，以因應各項競賽。
After site preparation eventually on November 17th 2006 the construction of the oval began. [3] The Richmond Oval has officially opened on December 12, 2008.
回顧ROO場館；她於2006年11月17日動工，歷時約2年，於2008年12月12日正式對外開放。
ROO場館離家只3分鐘車程，今天我帶家人去參觀，真是大開眼界，照了幾張照片，給位先睹為快！
OLYMPICS - RICHMOND OVAL FOOTAGE
