It must be said right away that for those who made the effort and spent time in Vancouver, BC Canada during the XXI Winter Olympics Games you will never forget it and you will look back fondly at that once in a lifetime experience. When Canada was on the world stage and under scrutiny from the world media we came through with flying colours. The Vancouver Olympics may have opened with an uneasy and somber tone, but once the games had begun, the party and celebration in Vancouver never really stopped.

The level of comradery and unabashed patriotism for this country and the athletes that represented us was unbelievable. A city that wasn't sure what to expect at the onset of these Olympic Games, and maybe even showed some indifference and apprehension towards the Games, sure got on board with support for everyone involved. We all by now have heard about the “O Canada” national anthems that were spontaneously sung in the streets, at venues, on the trains or busses and in the pubs. It was the spectators and fans that carried these Games, supporting not only our own athletes but also all those who participated.

At the end of each major medal win or hockey game crowds poured out into the streets to celebrate with high-fives, hugging and back slapping –all among complete strangers. That kind of friendly open celebration will be one of the highlights for most people who were a part of it. People from all parts of the world became part of the Canadian culture during these games it seemed, with Americans, Aussies, British and more cheering on the home team along with their own teams. Canadians, for their part, cheered their lungs out for their athletes, but when Canadians were not part of the event they cheered on whomever else was performing with enthusiasm. My favourite example of this was at the Switzerland vs Belarus men’s ice hockey game and the chants of "Go Swiss!" would alternate back and forth with "Bel A Rous!" across the arena even though there was only a small contingent of fans for each of those countries. Despite fears that this laid-back country couldn't possibly follow Beijing’s spectacular 2008 Olympics, Canada managed to stage a solid and successful Games that showcased its stunning host city, its fantastic athletes, its strong national pride and the ability to have one heck of a party.

As the reality of regular life comes back and the Olympics and the spectacular sporting display and scenes of nationwide unity moves further and further into the past, I realize that this event will have a lasting legacy in this country and especially out on the West Coast. As the Olympics started, tragedy had struck the games with the untimely death of Nodar Kumaritashvili from Georgia on the day of the opening ceremony at the luge track in Whistler. Going into the opening ceremonies the luge event was in doubt of even going ahead and there was a very somber atmosphere. Then the mechanical failure of the Olympic cauldron arm not going up as the world watched brought all the Negative Nancies who had protested the games out in force to say the whole event would be a failure. As a small group of rioters smashed windows in protest on the first real day of sport for the games, it was hard not to feel embarrassed for Canada and to wonder what might happen next.

The world media immediately chimed in to point out the problems that had occurred, with the BBC on day 2 posing the question: "will this be the worst Winter Olympics ever?" Well that was day 2.  Now, over two weeks later, as the cheers echoed from Victoria BC to St. John's Newfoundland, after Canada's dramatic gold-medal win Sunday afternoon over the U.S. in men's hockey, it now seems ridiculous to look back at those negative first steps and think the games could have failed. Even when Canada was winning very little the first week of the Games, a contagious energy and pride was already present in Vancouver and Whistler with bars and restaurants packed from opening to close regardless of what sport was on TV.

People from Vancouver and Canadians in general united together to throw one monster party with some of the best displays of sport in history. Ironically, the BBC reporter who had been first to pose his negative questions and point fingers has changed his tune. He now has asked the question of "was this the best Winter Olympics ever?" My answer is YES, although it is pretty apparent that I am slightly biased. The Beijing Olympics were widely considered to be a great success by international television audiences, however those who experienced the games in person complained about the lack of atmosphere. Not so in Vancouver, as IOC president Jacques Rogge said, the people of Vancouver had "embraced the Olympic Games like no other city in the world before".

It was often said, prior to the start of the Games, that Canada’s lasting impression of these Olympics would be shaped largely by the success or failure of the men’s ice hockey team. That kind of arrogant and short sighted view seemed to fade into the background as the athletes from all countries started competition and wowed us with their performances. As medals started to be won for Canada many of them came in events such as skeleton and ice dancing, sports that Europeans long have dominated. The Americans successfully dominated the Alpine events as well which showed how important the Winter Olympics have become to North America.

One of the best things about these Olympics was that unlike many recent Games, Vancouver's included very little talk of performance-enhancing substances. Only two athletes, hockey players from Russia and Slovakia, were tainted, and their cases involved minor infractions. There had been seven violations each at the previous two Winter Games in Salt Lake City and Turin. Although testing for new substances that are undetectable will not finish until 2018 it was great to let athletic performances do the talking rather than cheats.

It’s one thing for someone as excited as I continue to be days after the Games have finished to proclaim how great they are, it’s another thing entirely when the numbers prove their immense popularity. The 2010 Winter Olympics delivered the five most-watched television events in Canadian history, topped by the 16.6 million Canadians who saw the entire Canada-U. S. men's gold medal hockey game. About 26.5 million Canadians watched at least part of that game and 22 million viewers, two-thirds of the Canadian population, were watching when Sidney Crosby scored in overtime to capture Canada's 14th gold medal of the Games. CTV-Rogers said 30.5 million Canadians, 91 per cent of the population, watched at least some part of the consortium's Games coverage on the final day of the Olympics. NBC reported that 27.6 million people watched the final hockey game, the most people to watch a hockey game in 30 years and more people than the same final at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.

With so much pressure from the host nation on the men’s ice hockey team it was a big relief and moment of pure joy for people of this country when Sidney Crosby scored in over time. That goal, now known as the Golden Goal, secured a record setting 14th Gold Medal for Canada and unleashed celebrations by nearly every citizen of this country on Sunday February 28th 2010.  Even with all the amazing accomplishments by all our athletes in these Games, that goal meant so much that it will be recalled as a “where were you when…” kind of event. The Winter Olympic Games staged in Vancouver are now officially over and officially a massive success. There were so many great performances by athletes from around this globe that will live on for a long time. A big thanks and mention to the army of volunteers that made this event possible is in order and finally to the Canadians and other spectators from around the world. There will be memories and moments that everyone will remember of these games that will hopefully live on forever.