How much taxpayers' money was spent on the floating Olympic rings in Coal Harbour?

It's a government secret. On Dec. 11, 2009, 24 hours filed a Freedom of Information request for the contract, work order, invoice and receipt for the display on a Seaspan barge off Stanley Park.

Seventeen pages were released March 1, the day after the Olympics closed, but 10 of those pages were censored in their entirety because the B.C. 2010 Winter Games Secretariat thought disclosure would harm law enforcement, financial interests of a public body and public safety.

The documents do show the Secretariat received a temporary marine event permit from Transport Canada on Oct. 21, 2009. Transport Canada did not order an environmental assessment, but required the barge and piles be removed by Oct. 22, 2010.

The 44-foot by 96-foot aluminum, bio-diesel powered-LED rings were installed for the 100-day countdown to the 2010 Winter Olympics on Nov. 4, 2009.

Bob Mackin reports for 24 Hours Vancouver.