Canada Place Revitalization

[mr.x]

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.

Renovations were always needed. Why weren't they done before 2010 so that we can show off the facility in its best light during our finest hour? We're not talking about Canada Place renovations that will happen in 2015+, we're talking about renovations that occur immediately after the Games.

Canada Place (and BC Place) are vital Olympic venues, it's not like I'm asking about a non-Olympic venue.

[johnjimbc]

I'm normally a big proponent on these type of things. I think the retractable roof should have been put on BC Place, for example. But in the case of Canada Place I have to side with the "we've already spent enough" folks. For goodness sakes, we accelerated plans for building an entire new wing of Convention Centre for the Games (among many other things), I doubt the tab needed to be any higher just for a new roof on Canada Place that essentially matches the existing one. It probably makes more sense to plan for it in the context of the expansion plans / replacement of IMAX that they've discussed anyhow.

Those plans weren't finished for the Games and were never part of the proposal package for the Olympics. And the stimulus package providing funds for the replacement didn't even exist when the Olympics were envisioned. There still remains a matching component of funds the Province (and city?) have to come up to qualify for those matching federal funds.

I honestly don't think that any media types are going to look at Canada Place during the Games and say, "Gee, these Olympics seem great. But that aging Canada Place roof, well, that just blows it for me." If the weather is good, they'll probably be checking out the North Shore Mountains from the spanking new Convention Centre media hub.

The Canada Place roof does not look bad at all. The parts they've refinished inside are quite nice, and that was a much wiser and more sensible improvement for the Games.

It's just not worth spending a lot of energy debating (or fretting over). Vancouver and the Province and the Feds have done a good job to get everything ready for the Olympics. Not every wish in the basket has to be there. No matter what was done, there could always be "one more thing" that could have been done.

It's how the Games are executed that matter now. How the Games proceed, and the activities surrounding them - sports, cultural, practical - will be the final determination on whether they are deemed successful to the rest of the world.

The days of "but if we had only done X physical enhancement" have passed. I think what has been done in that regard will impress the media and visitors who attend and the viewers who watch from afar.

[Canadian Mind]

For instance, the Athletes Village is going to blow their fucking minds. Take a look at Derilium's most recent photo's of the area if you haven't already. it is hard to deny.

[red-paladin]

Canada place looks fine from the outside and they are already fixing it up as we speak. In winter there will even be snow on it hopefully. Even from inside the roof is ok. I'm sure all shots of the roof will be fine. It's good we have big projects after the olympics to help the economy, which should be well on the mend by late 2010.

[Delirium]

Originally Posted by mr.x

Renovations were always needed. Why weren't they done before 2010 so that we can show off the facility in its best light during our finest hour? We're not talking about Canada Place renovations that will happen in 2015+, we're talking about renovations that occur immediately after the Games.

Canada Place (and BC Place) are vital Olympic venues, it's not like I'm asking about a non-Olympic venue.

a couple points;
1. the roof reno is being done using federal stimulus money. this wasn't around a year ago so it's not like they could have planned for it. that money was a direct result of the recent recession. now that its available, great, but a bit too late in the game to have it complete pre-olympics.
2. the new roof is going to look exactly the same as the old one so... what's the rush and really, who cares. it looks the same.
3. canada place is the only convention centre in the world to win 2 "world's best convention centre" from the AIPC (2002 & 2008). so even as it stands now, it's considered one of the world's best. i think we'll be ok for our "finest hour".

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by mr.x

Renovations were always needed. Why weren't they done before 2010 so that we can show off the facility in its best light during our finest hour? We're not talking about Canada Place renovations that will happen in 2015+, we're talking about renovations that occur immediately after the Games.

Canada Place (and BC Place) are vital Olympic venues, it's not like I'm asking about a non-Olympic venue.

they just did the renovations - now they will tackle the roof - its a federal building anyway isn't it? it gets its money from the feds and they maake the choices

[nova9]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

they just did the renovations - now they will tackle the roof - its a federal building anyway isn't it? it gets its money from the feds and they maake the choices

Don't forget it also once was a UN building during that UN conference a few years ago.

[twoNeurons]

I hope that, while they renovate it, they add LED lighting to the sails. Wouldn't that be gorgeous?!

LEDs along the seams:


Something like what Victoria does:

[vanman]

Looks like the new lighting of the sails is up and running. Check out this nice HD preview:

• Video Link

[EdinVan]

Unfortunately, that Canada Place video is from last year. I've been walking by Canada Place every day for the last month or so and the lights have been totally out each time. They're doing a whole bunch of patch-up jobs on the sails right now, so I doubt there will be much of a Christmas show this year.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by EdinVan

Unfortunately, that Canada Place video is from last year. I've been walking by Canada Place every day for the last month or so and the lights have been totally out each time. They're doing a whole bunch of patch-up jobs on the sails right now, so I doubt there will be much of a Christmas show this year.

There shouldn't be just an XMAS show. They should have shows like this all Fall, Winter and Spring. Anytime we have more darkness than day.

[jlousa]

The xmas show will be starting shorting, I believe the 4th.

[vanman]

Originally Posted by EdinVan

Unfortunately, that Canada Place video is from last year. I've been walking by Canada Place every day for the last month or so and the lights have been totally out each time. They're doing a whole bunch of patch-up jobs on the sails right now, so I doubt there will be much of a Christmas show this year.

Well according to the website it'll be up and running starting on the 6th.
http://www.canadaplace.ca/christmas/

[mr.x]

[Hed Kandi]

Looks fantastic! Hopefully the city will retain the lighting display for the Olympics.

[deasine]

Here are a few shots I took from this evening.


(Deasine of Flickr, 2009)


(Deasine of Flickr, 2009)

[gillty]

some more photos of the lit up sails with the rings from flickr

Miss Barabanov, flickr

TylerIngram, Flickr

a beautiful panorama http://www.flickr.com/photos/clayton...55321/sizes/l/ for larger size

everything is looking real good

[Yume-sama]

Looks GREAT!

[GeeCee]

Not sure if pictures of this new pathway on the outside promenade of Canada Place have been posted yet since it is not open to the public but I took a few this morning.


My picture on Flickr


My picture on Flickr


My picture on Flickr

[DavidKuitunen]

My sister has been working on the roof at Canada Place for a few months now and she took a few of these pictures of her work. She's got my dream job.