Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre | Completed

[Hed Kandi]

Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre
http://www.vhfc.ca/index.html



Vancouver BC will soon be home to the worlds most sophisticated seaplane terminal.


Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre, a partnership between the Clarke Group of Companies and The Ledcor Group of Companies, is defining the future of seaplane travel by designing terminal facilities that will bring a new level of convenience and efficiency to seaplane operators and their passengers. The seaplane docks are engineered for longevity and to uphold the standards set by the Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project.














DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE

October 2009: Development and environmental permits approved

November 2009: West tower foundations completed

August 2010: West tower structure commences off-site pre-fabrication

August 2010: Seaplane dock construction commences

September 2010: West tower structure installed on-site

September 2010: Terminal and fuel system construction commences

December 2010: West tower and seaplane terminal construction completed

January 2011: Float tow in, anchoring and set up

Spring 2011: Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre seaplane terminal opens

[wrenegade]

badass. This + marina next door for sweet yachts = awesome.

[Millennium2002]

Hmm... the only thing I see missing is the terminal. =O

[BCPhil]

Glad to see the trailers and portables will be gone and the Seawall finally finished. Now all it needs is an underground connection to the Canada Line so people with luggage don't have to wheel it around the streets to get to the Sea Planes or Cruise Ship Terminal.

[TwoFace]

Isn’t this Old News, as I believe a while back they asked and received a 2-year extension on their current location?

[Hed Kandi]

Originally Posted by TwoFace

Isn’t this Old News, as I believe a while back they asked and received a 2-year extension on their current location?

I saw the display for this development today at the convention center. It wasn't there last month.

[Waders]

Glad to hear that the parties involved finally come to an agreement last month and the project is moving ahead and will complete in Spring 2011.
Some info. from the website:

The waterlot development will include 360 metres of seaplane docks (approximately 18 seaplane slips) offering greater capacity than the current temporary seaplane facility. The seaplane terminal facilities will occupy approximately 600 square metres of the Vancouver Convention Centre (3500 level) and will include ticketing counters, baggage and cargo handling, and a passenger lounge. The facility will also accommodate approximately 400 square metres of retail, food services and office space.

Source: http://www.vhfc.ca/images/VHFC_Media...e_Aug_2010.pdf
Backgrounder: http://www.vhfc.ca/images/VHFC_Backg...r_Aug_2010.pdf

[SpongeG]

finally

I still don't like the idea of the plaza being ruined with the structures of the marina and terminal

[mr.x]

An eyesore, slapped right in front of the convention centre. Excruciatingly bad taste right here, yet again, in Vancouver.

Build it elsewhere, next to the centre where the temporary terminal is now.

[Distill3d]

Originally Posted by mr.x

An eyesore, slapped right in front of the convention centre. Excruciatingly bad taste right here, yet again, in Vancouver.

Build it elsewhere, next to the centre where the temporary terminal is now.

I don't know, I love watching the sea planes come and go. Plus, I kinda like the location for it. They could pretty it up a bit, but I think once the marina is finished, it'll fit better.

[nova9]

An eyesore to you but you must have seen ALL the tourists (and residents for that matter) that will stop and watch for like half an hour watching sea planes come and go.

[vanman]

Originally Posted by mr.x

An eyesore, slapped right in front of the convention centre. Excruciatingly bad taste right here, yet again, in Vancouver.

This is the same type of thinking that will eventually turn Vancouver into nothing more than a resort. You sound like that NBC official who wanted the sulphur piles in North Van moved for the duration of the Olympics.

The Seaplane terminal looks great and will add vibrancy to the plaza, I'm all for it.

[Prometheus]

I really hope that once the terminal has been moved the convention centre seawall is seamlessly connected to the Coal Harbour seawall.

[trofirhen]

When it comes right down to it, I think the real "problem" that some people may have with the seaplane terminal is the NOISE of the planes as they take off and land ... (and they CAN be rather noisy).
Of course, there is nothing that can be done to silence the motors; if you have floatplanes, you get the concommitant sound of them.

Other than that, there really is very little at issue, IMHO, (although I have to admit I'd prefer it somewhat removed from the central waterfront).

[SpongeG]

people watch the planes now

the view from the plaza has an abject ruining it

yes its great for vibrancy but there already is a lot of it there

[jsbertram]

Did anyone else see the clip on the news about the McBarge this week?

I recall someone talking about buying it & using it as the floatplane terminal years ago.
I think this was when the new convention centre had just started construction, and the floatplane terminal & docks had to be moved somewhere else (but nearby) during construction.

[SpongeG]

moving to mission? it might not happen now or something? he can't get the zoning? i saw a bit of it but missed the gist of it

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

I really hope that once the terminal has been moved the convention centre seawall is seamlessly connected to the Coal Harbour seawall.

Thats the idea.

when Harbour Green gets finished, it will improve the connection from the streets down to the waterfront seawall too

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by vanman

This is the same type of thinking that will eventually turn Vancouver into nothing more than a resort. You sound like that NBC official who wanted the sulphur piles in North Van moved for the duration of the Olympics.

The Seaplane terminal looks great and will add vibrancy to the plaza, I'm all for it.

First of all, I'm quite sure the additional boat marina right next to this proposed float plane terminal and slapped right in front of the convention centre furthers the "resort" mentality even more.

There's nothing wrong with having a seaplane terminal in the area, I'm not opposed to that (if you read my post properly you would've known this), just don't build it in front of the convention centre - build the permanent plane terminal where it is now. The float plane terminal and future boat marina completely ruin the concept of the convention centre at its dramatic waterfront location, it takes away from the architectural statement the centre makes around its surroundings. And would you put a marine in front and around the Sydney Opera House? What about the Hong Kong Convention Centre?

http://www.mytravelimages.com/austra...ia_sydney.html

http://www.allaboutsourcing.de/de/tag/hongkong/


Excruciatingly poor taste in this city and from its people. Bloody hell.


Secondly, NBC never suggested to have the sulphur piles moved. It was a one liner question by NBC, "does that [pile] have to be there?" in which local officials said "yes" and that was the end of it. You're making a big deal out of nothing. And so what if they asked? It's up to us to say "no".

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by mr.x

There's nothing wrong with having a seaplane terminal in the area, I'm not opposed to that (if you read my post properly you would've known this), just don't build it in front of the convention centre - build the permanent plane terminal where it is now. The float plane terminal and future boat marina completely ruin the concept of the convention centre at its dramatic waterfront location, it takes away from the architectural statement the centre makes around its surroundings.

What makes the decision even more incomprehensible is that the current area is the most natural and intuitive spot for the marina. That recessed space along the seawall just west of the convention centre forms an absolutely perfect cove/bay in which to moor boats out the way.

The bottom line: it is inconceivable that we would spend nearly a billion dollars on creating a compelling piece of waterfront architecture, a serious work of art framed by a jade sea, only to strip it of its integrity and render it a joke.

The new seaplane terminal may be a fait accompli, but I personally do not believe that the marina will ever be built in the planned location.