1.Empire Stadium was built, which later brought us a CFL franchise in the form of the BC Lions. Ok, maybe I’m the only one that cares about this today, but the success of this franchise probably helped bring us the Canucks, and the success (financially anyway) of that franchise means Vancouver has two professional ice rinks, which was a large part of the 2010 Olympic bid success. Not to mention the building of BC Place, which was largely for Expo 86 (whose biggest tenant is the Lions), which will host to the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and various goings-on during the games.
2.Empire Stadium is now gone but is actually being ‘brought back to life’ in the form of Empire Fields for the coming CFL season will the aforementioned BC Place undergoes a roof replacement (which probably should have been done already but, well, whatever) and will host the 2011 Grey Cup. These field will stay in place after the Lions (and new Whitecaps) move back to BC Place.
3Some tid bits about the stadium:
a.Empire Stadium was the first artificial playing surface in Canada, and the use of turf has changed the nature of professional sports in countless ways – the biggest factor being the quality of the game the quality of play, especially through the winter months. Games were no longer mired down by mud and wet which made them more competitive and attractive to larger audiences (big $$$). It also meant they could play more games (many different teams) on a single surface (again big $$$).
i.You’ll notice more and more local governments are installing turf pitches – this is the reason. More time on the pitch because they don’t have to shut down for rain/snow, means more rental revenues, and less maintenance.
b.The first international field hockey game every played on turf was played at Empire Stadium (mostly interesting to me)!
c.My dad saw the Beatles and CCR there (again, just me)
4.The BE Games and the Miracle Mile mentioned in this story had a huge and very lasting impact on sport – all sports. The winner of the race, Roger Bannister, was one of the first athletes of the modern era to employ a team of scientists as part of his training for the event. He was part of a team of athletes in Britain who trained together and he turned out to the best of the lot. His team broke down the physiology and the whole science behind performance with such success, they set the stage for what we all see and take for granted in elite and professional sports. His team and his ultimate success created the industry of sport science that drives the world of sport today.

go upstairs and check out the amazing b.c. binnings mural. the mural depicts all the commodities from british columbia and was (miraculously) selvaged from demolition when the shoppers went in.

Go to the top of the parking garage at Cambie and Pender and consider the naked ladies on the Sun Tower.

Walk the seawall towards Siwash rock and then go for lunch at the snack bar at Third Beach.