Downtown Vancouver Updates - Page 64

officedweller · #**1261** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 12:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

BC Housing, new development: 215 W 2nd Avenue @ Cook St.

And here is the site:

That's the Bazaar & Novelty site!

Delirium · #**1262** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 12:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlousa

Onto some news, The GE Ice Plaza (Robson sq ice rink) has hired a architectual firm they will be using Clive Grout Architects Ltd. Arthur Erickson is listed as a consulated on the project. The Budget is set at $1.6Million. It will consist of a 10,000sqft conversion of Robson Sq back into an ice rink. Work will start Jun/08 and finish before the end of the year.

10,000sqft is much bigger then the old rink was, hopefully the rink is that large.

thanks for the info. do you know if there's any provision to change the street lights around the square? the current ones are so dated.
i also hope they get rid of those steel pagoda looking things with the red flashing lights (centre of picture). never quite understood them..

too bad they cut down 18 mature trees around the square.. any ideas why?

source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dustinq/sets/72157604116669009/

some guy on flickr posted a bunch of pics of the "Robson Square Tree Massacre" http://www.flickr.com/photos/dustinq/sets/72157604116669009/

mr.x · #**1263** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 1:14 AM**

^ damn hippies....as if the 100 billion other trees in the province weren't enough.

I believe they cut those trees down so to make repairs on the office space below. It also conveniently fits in with the new roof.

Jacques · #**1264** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 1:18 AM**

the threes had to be cut down due to seeping water through the roof the the underground complex, that is what was said before, but I doubt the public was informed, one day they came and cut them off so they could proceed with the reno

entheosfog · #**1265** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 1:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

That's the Bazaar & Novelty site!

Noooo! Where will I get all my costumes and novelty paraphernalia when I'm in Vancouver?

East Van · #**1266** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 1:54 AM**

The paving stones had become a tripping hazard just like the ones on the south side of that picture.

mr.x · #**1267** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 9:21 AM**

The park board has voted to remove a seven-storey sculpture that was placed in Harbour Green Park in 2005.

Device to Root out Evil, a sculpture of an aluminum church driven into the ground by its steeple, drew mostly negative comment last year when the board contemplated making permanent what was originally an 18-month installation.

Many people argued that it blocked sight lines down Bute Street of the water and mountains; others were offended by what they called its anti-religious nature.

Both votes took place before a capacity crowd that jeered both decisions.

Michella Frosch, chairwoman of the group that brought the Device to Vancouver in 2005 as part of the Biennale outdoor sculpture festival, warned the board that the "important" and "significant" work might be lost to another city if it was voted out of Coal Harbour.

Eleanor Hadley, a West End resident and regular critic of board policy, branded the work "obscene" and "a mockery of our religion and faith."

The board voted to have the sculpture removed within 60 days but asked staff to try to find another site in the city to house it.

Pretty soon, we'll have to knock down all of downtown because it blocked the sightlines of the mountains.

osirisboy · #**1268** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 2:25 PM**

thats so stupid, just looking at the pic above you can clearly see mountains, this doesnt block anything. but if it were a large tree blocking "sightlines" that would be ok, 🞵🞵🞵 is wrong with people. and is it really 7 stories tall?

mr.x · #**1269** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 4:48 PM**

^ it's more like three stories tall.

jlousa · #**1270** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 4:57 PM**

It's acuatally 7.5M in height.

Anyways more details on the GE ice rink.

3.3 PROGRAMME / DETAILED SCOPE OF WORK
• Demolition of entire lower plaza area including existing ice rink, paving, and landscape planters (excluding stairs at north and south ends of the Lower Plaza)
• Membrane remediation of entire Lower Plaza and replacement of paving system
• Provision of proper membrane edge conditions to facilitate future remediation of other areas bounding the scope of this work and to ensure no adverse impact to the performance of the waterproofing and envelope
remediation completed as part of this work (i.e. account for potential impact of drainage from areas not completed as part of this work e.g. north and south stairs/stramps)
• Design and installation of new expanded ice rink surface complete with new concrete slab for ice surface and all associated refrigeration piping and new refrigeration plant.
• Demolition of existing ceiling and replacement with new ceiling system and new lighting
• All necessary service provisions to support new ice rink refrigeration plant, new lighting services, and new plaza amenities.
• Renovations as necessary to make existing washrooms accessible to public while maintaining security for building tenants
• Provision of storage space and services for ice surface maintenance equipment
• Service provisions for tenant provided coffee kiosk
• Design and fabrication of moveable skate rental / shoe storage kiosks
• Replacement of dark glass / glazing system in existing roof domes and in perimeter of plaza opening (excluding the four major stair tower planters) and associated membrane remediation
• Modifications or additions to the existing roof domes to provide adequate coverage and protection of the expanded ice rink surface
• New graphics / signage at Robson Street level including existing Robson Street access stairs to Lower Plaza
• Design and installation of existing Lower Plaza Level structural renovations and additions that would be required to support the future installation of escalators to the Robson Square Street level.

All work must be completed by Feb 12, 2009 and the budget for the total work is $8Million +/- 25%.

Hed Kandi · #**1271** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 5:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlousa

It's acuatally 7.5M in height.

Anyways more details on the GE ice rink.

3.3 PROGRAMME / DETAILED SCOPE OF WORK
• Demolition of entire lower plaza area including existing ice rink, paving, and landscape planters (excluding stairs at north and south ends of the Lower Plaza)
• Membrane remediation of entire Lower Plaza and replacement of paving system
• Provision of proper membrane edge conditions to facilitate future remediation of other areas bounding the scope of this work and to ensure no adverse impact to the performance of the waterproofing and envelope
remediation completed as part of this work (i.e. account for potential impact of drainage from areas not completed as part of this work e.g. north and south stairs/stramps)
• Design and installation of new expanded ice rink surface complete with new concrete slab for ice surface and all associated refrigeration piping and new refrigeration plant.
• Demolition of existing ceiling and replacement with new ceiling system and new lighting
• All necessary service provisions to support new ice rink refrigeration plant, new lighting services, and new plaza amenities.
• Renovations as necessary to make existing washrooms accessible to public while maintaining security for building tenants
• Provision of storage space and services for ice surface maintenance equipment
• Service provisions for tenant provided coffee kiosk
• Design and fabrication of moveable skate rental / shoe storage kiosks
• Replacement of dark glass / glazing system in existing roof domes and in perimeter of plaza opening (excluding the four major stair tower planters) and associated membrane remediation
• Modifications or additions to the existing roof domes to provide adequate coverage and protection of the expanded ice rink surface
• New graphics / signage at Robson Street level including existing Robson Street access stairs to Lower Plaza
• Design and installation of existing Lower Plaza Level structural renovations and additions that would be required to support the future installation of escalators to the Robson Square Street level.

All work must be completed by Feb 12, 2009 and the budget for the total work is $8Million +/- 25%.

Intersting. Thanks~

flight_from_kamakura · #**1272** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 5:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.x2

The park board has voted to remove a seven-storey sculpture that was placed in Harbour Green Park in 2005.

wow, so a few cranks complain and it's done. hmm, interesting, interesting. note to self: new summer project to entail indexing of ugly public art/street furniture in vancouver; elaboration of thin and absurd excuses to justify wasting parks board/council time with my opinions; and relentless email campaign calling for removal and/or replacement of said public art/street furniture.

crab sculpture, i have you in my sights! know that your remaining days are few! no longer shall you offend my animist religious sensibilities!

no but seriously, this happens every_single_time the npa gets back in there (which is a lot). no fun city? yeah, because it's a (k)no(w) nothing city government. yeesh.

Yume-sama · #**1273** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 5:24 PM**

I think it's a silly sculpture, but it's also a shame to lose it. It's very unique...

Delirium · #**1274** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 5:44 PM**

thanks for the additional robson square info guys!

deasine · #**1275** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 7:39 PM**

They should move the upside-down church somewhere else then... it's so nice.

And thanks for the info for Robson Square.

officedweller · #**1276** Posted **Apr 1, 2008, 10:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlousa

All work must be completed by Feb 12, 2009 and the budget for the total work is $8Million +/- 25%.

Hmm... it has taken them a couple of years if I recall correctly to remediate the membrane for the upper areas of the complex (removing all of the concrete including the "stramps" and repouring concrete for them. Less than a year to do the bottom (which includes at least one set of "stramps" seems too optimistic.

SpongeG · #**1277** Posted **Apr 2, 2008, 12:03 AM**

the park board also voted te get rid of the hollow tree in stanley park

rather than spend $200,000 to support it from falling after - aftermath of the wind storm... - they will just lie it down now or something

Yume-sama · #**1278** Posted **Apr 2, 2008, 5:54 AM**

It's too bad they couldn't save the hollow tree. It's a neat attraction, but $200,000 is definitely a lot to spend to keep it.

mr.x · #**1279** Posted **Apr 2, 2008, 6:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

It's too bad they couldn't save the hollow tree. It's a neat attraction, but $200,000 is definitely a lot to spend to keep it.

Well, it'll still be there....they're gonna lie it flat, so that people can walk through it....you'll be like a giant walking through the Grand Canyon.

Yume-sama · #**1280** Posted **Apr 2, 2008, 6:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.x2

Well, it'll still be there....they're gonna lie it flat, so that people can walk through it....you'll be like a giant walking through the Grand Canyon.

It'll be dark and scary, especially when the homeless pop out at you.

Glad they're keeping it in some form, though.