Vancouver 2010 Winter Paralympics Family Friendly

The Globe and Mail reports it's the first time a city has erected a countdown clock, and the first time flags for both the Olympics and Paralympics are flying side by side at a city hall.

The Paralympics this year has more sponsors, and events will be televised nationally in Canada - 27 hours in English and 30 hours in French.

The illuminated five Olympic rings will be replaced by the official Agitos symbol of the Paralympic Games - three curved slashes of red, blue and green encircling a centre-point symbolizing motion.

Many of the attractions of the Olympic Games will re reopened. Visitors to the Canada Mint, which drew around 110,000 people during the Olympics, will have a chance to hold the athletes' medals. Mint employees will offer a behind-the-scenes look at how the medals are made.

Although most pavilions from countries around the world are gone, the door will remain open at the B.C. pavilion.

Free outdoor concerts will be offered every night at Robson Square with mostly local performers, and a big screen will televise Paralympic competitions.

Spectators going to competitions won't be required to go through airport-style security screening as they did during the Olympics, but tight security procedures will be followed for the Opening Ceremony at B.C. Place and the Closing Ceremony in Whistler.

Tickets to the Opening Ceremony range in price from $30 to $175 and the event reportedly is more focused on families and the community. The Olympic flame will be brought in to B.C. Place to light the Paralympic cauldron and at the same moment cauldrons will be lit at the waterfront Jack Poole Plaza and in Whistler.

As during the Olympics, the plaza in Whistler will hold nightly medal award ceremonies, followed by performances.