Canada Place Revitalization

[metroXpress]

Originally Posted by mr.x

3,000,000,000 pennies.

ha, I like that response.

[officedweller]

Those escalators also go to Waterfront Cnetre - so the connection to the new convention centre expansion must branch off the old passage.

[Hed Kandi]

Thanks for all the photos. The renos look great!

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by mezzanine

the concourse looks great, although i will miss the kitzch of the mid 1980s pink marble.

Is there an artist that did the feature floor? that looks stunning....

lol the new floors around the concourse are black/grey marble tile, haha. I think next week when they have the open house/grand opening (Premier Gordon Campbell will be there) they'll likely announce who was involved with the totem poles and floors. Construction workers other than those who installed the feature floors were strongly advised not to step on the feature floor or face consequences... not that it's fragile or anything but there were a quite a bit of finishes being damage unintentionally and this floor unlike everything else was one of a kind and cannot be easily replaced. Same with the totem pole.

Originally Posted by officedweller

Those escalators also go to Waterfront Cnetre - so the connection to the new convention centre expansion must branch off the old passage.

There are two separate escalators/stairs going down... one to the east that goes to Waterfront Centre, and these ones to the west that'll connect to the new convention centre.

Originally Posted by Vancity

agree! those renovations look amazing. i'm liking the work that's being done. are they going to do some renovations to the externals?

They are doing some work but I haven't been outside as it wasn't part of my scope of work.

[paradigm4]

WOW! This is quite a stunning reno! It's amazing how you can transform a space with some simple updates. I love that floor - it's spectacular! Canada Place is certainly much more fit to be the brother of the expansion now.

[osirisboy]

great pics thanks a lot!

is the pan pacific going to be doing any renos? or have they already, i havent been there in a few years.

[DKaz]

More pictures from yesterday. Premier Gordon Campbell and delegates and media will be there this morning for the grand reopening, although there is quite a bit of work to do left. The grand lobby and concourse and part of the exhibition halls should be ready by now, construction workers were there overnight doing final cleanup and stuff. Watch for it on noon hour or evening news.

From the lobby when you enter


Concourse hallway





Concourse retail space which also opens to the exterior walk. This one will be a coffee shop, I forgot the name.


Main exhibition hall, all the wallpaper should be off and protective plastic over carpet taken off in time for today's opening.


Exhibition Hall. Ah the modern "sterile gray" will be the legacy of 2010 just like peach/pink was in the 80s.



Feature floor from the ballroom/meeting room level (for simplification I will refer to this level as 24k Level from now on).



Totem pole from 24k Level


All meeting/ball/exhibition room entrances will have an easy to read room designator and an LCD screen for miscellaneous information

[Hed Kandi]

Thanks for the photos!

[johnjimbc]

I know that each era (as in decade ) has its colours, but the sterile grey, aluminum, putty grey colours and whites of this renovation will in my view hold up much better than the mauvy pinks puked up all over everything in the 80s .

Seriously, though, there is a reason that trends tend to drift back towards more neutral or traditional colours over time. It's the time-specific trendiness at the ends of the arcs that grates over time.

It's easier to dress up a neutral colour with the trend of the day . . . adding orange or even some shades of blue or some shades of green accents to grey tones at some point in the future, for example. The main problem with the mauve explosion was that NOTHING actually went with it. It was an island onto itself as far as interior design options. Even natural wood didn't really fit with it.

That's the main reason I cringe when I see it. Any place that went whole hog on those colours in the 80s either is stamped with a period of time forever or has to basically pull it out and start over (as they just did at Canada Place).

Ending on a positive note, this renovation far exceeds any expectation I had. I think it looks awesome, and I'm so impressed with how it fits with the new convention centre wing. I love the integration of sophisticated woods in the design as well. It can't compete in that regard with the new centre, but they do a good job of bringing pieces of that look into the renovated space.

[nova9]

I have no idea why I didn't realize this was happening. And I'm so wonderfully surprised!! It looks AMAZING!!

No more shiny, metal lines over pink squares.

What of the washrooms? (nevermind, I went back to page 2 and found them)

Sad about the IMAX though.

[johnjimbc]

I went to the IMAX recently and it was in really shabby shape. Before the show, the group I was with actually speculated that it looked like it was sorta dying in place.

The quality of the current renovation makes me fell much better about the section the IMAX currently sits in being part of another phase of renovation, particularly since to my understanding is the new plans include some type of exhibition or performance space as well.

[SpongeG]

looks good

they just did a story on the noon news hour - the walkway between the two is now open again

[mr.x]

Feds contribute $21 million to Canada Place roof upgrade


By BY REBECCA LINDELL, VANCOUVER SUN
November 28, 2009 1:02 PM

The roof of Vancouver's Canada Place will be getting a $21-million upgrade after the 2010 Winter Games.

The federal government announced Saturday that it would set aside the funds to replace roof including the building's iconic sails.

"This is an important investment in a Canadian icon," said Mike Shardlow, president of Canada Place Corporation in a statement. "Canada Place's ongoing financial and national contributions are particularly critical at this time, supporting the economy and representing Canada on the West Coast."

The tensioned fabric roof of Canada Place is due for replacement and will be upgraded with material of current technology.

The funding will come from the government's $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, which invests in construction ready projects that are slated for completion before March 2011.

"By investing in the Canada Place roof, we are creating local jobs and ensuring that this building remains a world-recognized Canadian landmark for decades to come," said James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage in a statement.

Funding is conditional on the project meeting all the requirements of the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund and a final contribution agreement with Canada Place.
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun




There are so many things that should have been done in time for the 2010 Games rather than AFTER when the party is over and everyone is gone.

[agrant]

Yea man. I should hurry up and power wash my balcony in time for the Olympics.

[djh]

They'd better hope we don't get a massive load of snow sitting on the sails and causing them to rip during the Olympics, with all of the official press exposed to the rain. Since they are past their "Best Before" date, I'd expect there's a good chance that they are vulnerable to extreme weather. Flashbacks to BC Place roof collapsing a couple of years ago...

[Hed Kandi]

Originally Posted by mr.x

There are so many things that should have been done in time for the 2010 Games rather than AFTER when the party is over and everyone is gone.

I agree.

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by mr.x

There are so many things that should have been done in time for the 2010 Games rather than AFTER when the party is over and everyone is gone.

It's hard to believe, but, Vancouver will most likely still exist after the Olympics (no guarantees of course! ). And things will need to be built and improved upon even after.

[nova9]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

It's hard to believe, but, Vancouver will most likely still exist after the Olympics (no guarantees of course! ). And things will need to be built and improved upon even after.

I agree with yumesama - it's an incredibly encouraging sign see that there is a plan out there for after the olympics. not just stop once the olympics are gone and done with.

It should help with the inevitable post-olympics downer to see that we continue THRIVING.

[metroXpress]

^ agree, afterall, we are still the true Vancouverites living here and nothings wrong with doing things that would benefit and contribute to OUR city.

[GeeCee]

After is better than not being able to finish it off before the Olympics..