Concerns about the impact of the 2010 Winter Olympics on local communities in B.C. are surfacing after Olympic organizers told residents in Richmond, B.C. to prepare for increased traffic in their neighbourhoods during the Games.

During a meeting with local residents on Wednesday, Vancouver Olympic Committee (VANOC) officials said there would be no public parking at the city's Olympic speed skating Oval in Richmond during the games.

Spectators heading to the Oval for speed skating events may have to park their cars in residential areas if they refuse to take public transit, Olympic security officials said.

VANOC has organized a series of meetings with residents in Metro Vancouver and Whistler to inform them about security, parking and road closures that will be required during the Games.

The sessions aim to provide a forum for residents and operators of businesses to ask questions about the likely impact on their lives.

For some it will be considerable.

In downtown Vancouver, the Hastings North Business Improvement Association (HNBIA) is concerned about the lack of information around Olympic events.

President of the association Patricia Barnes say it is likely Hastings Street will become an official 2010 transportation route with designated lanes for Olympic and security vehicles.

"We are not sure yet what that means around traffic ... or our on-street parking ... or where exactly the traffic lanes will be," said Patricia Barnes of the HNBIA.

"We've heard rumours about two centre lanes, and no on-street parking, and our businesses are all small businesses and they depend on parking."

Hastings Street small business owner Audrey Nishi, who runs a store called Master Frames, says there are many questions without any answers regarding the affect of the games in the area.

"If there's no parking, people can't get in and out," she said. "If it's February, and the weather's not very good, people aren't going to be out walking around, and there's no parking, then the business will definitely be affected."

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Mike Killeen