A tailor building that opened in 1904 is being outfitted to host independent media and bloggers during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
W2 Culture and Media House in the Perel Building at 112 West Hastings Street will be the Olympic city's third media centre.
Canada Place's five sails and the new western expansion will hold 10,000 International Olympic Committee-approved media passholders. University of B.C.'s Robson Square campus will host the B.C. government-run, non-accredited media centre.
W2 is charging reporters $25 a day, which includes wifi and coffee, said Irwin Oostindie, executive director of the non-profit W2 Community Media Arts Centre
"It's not being sponsored by VANOC or VANOC brand sponsors," Oostindie said. "It's incumbent on the journalists who want to participate in a community-based media centre to respect our financial constraints and know they're participating in a project that has legacy for the neighbourhood."
He said there will be workspace for 150 people, plus video editing suites. Olympic-related non-governmental organizations are being encouraged to hold news conferences in the building.
Oostindie also plans to use space at the heritage Woodward's building across the street where streaming videos and social media messages from the public will be projected on windows.
