BC forests and range minister Rich Coleman said the roof would showcase BC wood products to a worldwide audience.
Arched trusses and rafters, together with a curvature in surface panels, will give the roof a rippled appearance. The BC government says the roof will be the first of its kind in the world to be built exclusively from wood.
“With BC wood and BC innovation we can do almost anything and the Olympics are the perfect opportunity to show off that creativity and ingenuity,” said Mr Coleman.
About 1 million board feet of primarily pine beetle lumber will cover the 6.5-acre roof area, with an additional 19,000 sheets of plywood forming the surface. Forestry Innovation Investment Ltd is contributing C$1.5m towards engineering and design.
The 33,000m2 Oval is scheduled to open in summer 2008, with a 400m track and seating for 8,000 people.
