[mr.x]

The Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre is expanding...

...and the Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project Ltd., a company wholly owned by the Province of British Columbia, is responsible for building it!!

The expansion is made possible by a funding partnership of the Province of British Columbia , the Government of Canada and Tourism Vancouver. The expansion project will more than triple the Convention Centre's available space and will serve as the international broadcast centre and main press centre for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

http://www.vccep.bc.ca/images/View%20B.jpg
OVERVIEW

Opened on July 4, 1987 , the existing Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre (VCEC) got its start as the Canada Pavilion during Expo 86.

Within 10 years, the convention centre was at capacity with an obvious need for additional space, particularly as Vancouver became known as one of North America 's leading meeting and convention destinations.

In fact, in 2003, some $100 million in delegate spending was lost because Vancouver did not have enough meeting space to accommodate groups wishing to hold conventions in the city.

The expansion of the convention centre followed a review by the Convention Centre Task Force, made up of members of the business community. The task force needed to make a thorough business and marketing case for public funding before the Province decided to proceed with the project on the land and water site adjacent to the west side of Canada Place.

The project is managed by Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project Ltd., which is wholly owned by the Province of British Columbia . The 1.1 million sq ft project will triple the convention centre's existing capacity and help generate an additional $107 million annually in delegate spending.

The expansion will increase the number of delegate days each year from the current 150,000 to nearly 370,000 within the first five years after opening. On average, a delegate will spend about $350 per day during their visit to Vancouver, with about one-third of convention delegates traveling to other parts of the province as part of their stay.

Built over land and water on some 1,000 piles, the expansion will be completed in late 2008. In 2010, the VCEC will be home of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games media and broadcast centre.

In order to ensure that the expansion and existing facility are fully integrated, a glass-walled connector will link the facilities, providing delegates with exceptional harbour views as well as a seamless transition.

Featuring floor-to-ceiling glass throughout the expansion, the project will also include a six-acre living roof, one of the largest of its kind in the world. This unique ecosystem is one of many environmental innovations included in the expansion.

In 2005, the Province approved an expanded public amenities package that resulted from recommendations during the Project's development approval process. These additional public amenities include more accessible outdoor and plaza space, and added commercial and waterfront developments. The Province also recognized increases in the cost of construction materials such as concrete and steel and it approved an increase in its contribution to $272.5 million from $222.5 million.

The total budget is now $615 million coming from the Government of Canada, $90 million from Tourism Vancouver and some $30 million in commercial revenues from the site itself. Because of its unique downtown waterfront location, the project has tremendous commercial and retail capacity and it is expected that much of the Province's increased contribution can be offset by these additional revenues.

In addition to creating more than 6,000 person years of employment during construction, the project will generate more than 7,000 direct and indirect full-time jobs once it is opened in 2008.

What is the cost of the expansion?
The project is being developed with a projected cost of $615 million. This cost includes an Integration Program which will upgrade and connect the existing facility, Canada Place, with the new facility.

Who is paying for the project?
$495 million of the cost will be shared between the Federal and Provincial governments. The local tourism industry, through Tourism Vancouver, will make a $90 million contribution with revenue generation adding another $30 million, to round of the budget. (2007 edit: the cost of the centre is now about $870-million, with the province picking up the extra tab. These extra costs include materials/labour cost inflation as well as the Liberal cabinet's committee to install a further $70-million worth of artwork and furnishings into the centre.

How big is the expansion?
335,000 square feet of function space will be added to the existing 133,000 square feet, for a combined total of 468,000 square feet of meeting, exhibition, ballroom and plenary theatre space. The overall facility will have a gross area of 1.1 million square feet, including meeting space, support space, parking, and areas for retail and loading.

How will the two facilities be connected?
The site is immediately adjacent to the existing convention centre at Canada Place, so it can be easily integrated using existing and new connectors utilizing available rights-of-way. The site also offers multiple direct linkages to the downtown core via established corridors.

Who owns the land where the convention centre expansion will be built?
The Province purchased the Coal Harbour property from Marathon Developments Inc. in February 2003 for $27.5 million. The purchase, and the creation of the Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project Ltd to manage the project, were announced in February 2003.

What about the float planes?
The float planes leasing property from VCCEP have been relocated on an interim basis during the construction of the project. A new state-of-the-art marina and float plane base is planned to operate on the north side of the new facility.
http://lambcutlet.org/albums/Vancouver_BC/Billboard_telling_all_you_wanted_to_know_about_the_Vancouver_Convention_Centre_Expansion.sized.jpg

http://www.vanconex.com/expansion/img/gallery/expansion_lg13.jpg

http://www.lmnarchitects.com/projects/convention_imgs/view%20F_lrg.jpg

http://www.lmnarchitects.com/projects/convention_imgs/View%20B_lrg.jpg

http://www.lmnarchitects.com/projects/convention_imgs/View%20G_lrg.jpg

http://www.lmnarchitects.com/projects/convention_imgs/View%20H_lrg.jpg

http://www.gov.bc.ca/tsa/img/photo_gallery/img_convention_model.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/nighthawk07/Vancouver/VCCEP04.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/nighthawk07/Vancouver/VCCEP03.jpg


For more information, visit: http://www.vccep.bc.ca (vccep.bc.ca)

[SFUVancouver]

Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project | VCCEP

VCCEP construction progress (Eastern elevation)
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/3161/vccepconstructionno1sepyp5.jpg

VCCEP construction progress (South-Eastern elevation)
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/4498/vccepconstructionno2sepyq9.jpg

VCCEP construction progress (from the public dock at Harbour Green Park)
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/1452/vccepconstructionno4froma6.jpg

VCCEP zoom of the construction side of VCCEP
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/7968/vccepconstructionzoomsekp5.jpg
(my photos)

[raggedy13]

A few pics from yesterday...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Sept%2022%202007/100_9426.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Sept%2022%202007/100_9429.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Sept%2022%202007/100_9435.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Sept%2022%202007/ccepano.jpg

[osirisboy]

some pics taken today, by me. these pics arent really showing anything new but i thought i may as well put em up anyway.

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x89/osirisboy22/IMG_1404.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x89/osirisboy22/IMG_1406.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x89/osirisboy22/IMG_1405.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x89/osirisboy22/IMG_1399.jpg

[vanman]

Update from yesterday:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/DSC01284.jpg

[Hot Rod]

beautiful scenery! ^ ^ :)

[officedweller]

Great pics!!

[mr.x]

updates

Pictures taken yesterday, during my 30 minutes lunch break :wink2:, under a typical Vancouver weather :lol:

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/2289/img2639mg4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/9066/img2642xj3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/3373/img2650am9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/2289/img2651pw8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/3289/img2652xk8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/6640/img2653rd9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Some new Global Air Photos of:

Downtown Vancouver dated Sept 20, 2007. Harbour Green 3 will have a tight site.

http://www.globalairphotos.com/gallery/BC/Vancouver/Downtown

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2007/vch2007_603.jpg
http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2007/vch2007_605.jpg

[excel]

Wow its really starting to take shape from every angle.

[Delirium]

here's another good angle -

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2328/1588298949_abedbd4149_b.jpg
from www.flickr.com

[mr.x]

Early budgets vague, says convention centre auditor

Staff Reporter, The Province
Published: Thursday, October 25, 2007

B.C.'s provincial auditor says cost overruns on the Vancouver Convention Centre expansion project were caused by vague, possibly premature initial budgets and a host of inflationary pressures once construction finally got under way.

He also noted that a provincial commitment to complete the expansion before the 2010 Winter Olympics left project leaders open to significant cost risks in trying to hammer their way through the procurement process in a short time frame.

The project, budgeted as recently as 2004 at $495 million, has ballooned to a current estimate of more than $883 million.

In a report requested by the expansion project board of directors, Acting Auditor General Errol Price said the increasing cost estimate is partly a function of the time lag between discussion of the project in the 1990s to the formation of a formal Crown agency to guide it to completion in 2003.

He said the quote of $495 million was carried forward for several years without any detailed budgets being done.

He also said the booming construction market in B.C. placed new, unforeseen inflationary pressure on the project, which also expanded in scope as designs evolved.

Price also warned that "there is no guarantee that [the current $883.2-million budget estimate] will be the final cost" by the time the project is completed in 2009.

He did not have any significant criticisms of how the current board is running the project, but noted some of the monthly reporting was incomplete and "painted a rosier picture than was actually the case."

Auditor General's report:
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/pdf/071025_VCCEP_audit.pdf

[mr.x]

City's megaproject a triumph of engineering, not architecture
Don't expect to see the new convention centre on postcards any time soon

Miro Cernetig, Vancouver Sun
Published: Monday, November 05, 2007

It's often said God was Vancouver's architect-in-chief, creating the sea, the snowcapped mountains and backdrop of deep, green rain forest that make this city stunning. But good gosh, isn't it time the mere mortals on the ground started pulling their weight, too?

I raise this suggestion after spending the last few years watching, with great expectation, the rise of our latest addition to the waterfront: the expanded Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre.

There's been a raging debate over the fact the near $1-billion price tag of this new edifice far exceeds planners' -- and taxpayers' -- expectations. But less talked about is that this "signature building" falls far short of another expectation: great architecture.

To be fair, it's no outright disaster. It seems well-engineered, something you'd expect given the cost overrun. And as a building designed to attract conventions and offer visitors an impressive view of the water and mountains once they get here, this mostly glass structure, with its six-acre roof garden, will do the trick.

But don't expect anyone to be sticking this building on postcards or Architectural Digest to be putting it on the cover.

From a design perspective, the convention centre is esthetically underwhelming, more a triumph of engineering than architecture. The word mediocre comes up repeatedly whenever I ask people who watch these sort of things in the city.

"It's not a terrible building," says Gordon Price, director of the City Program at Simon Fraser University. "But it's not a great building, either. We could and should do better."

Aside from its roof garden, expected to be covered in West Coast flora, and its promise to be the most environmentally sensitive convention centre yet, the structure cuts, well, a conventional profile on the skyline.

In fact, at this stage it seems to fall short of two of the key principles city planners set out in 2003 in a Vancouver Sun article: The building's profile wasn't supposed to compete with the sails of the Pan Pacific, one of the city's true architectural icons, and it wasn't supposed to look like a big box on the waterfront.

Well, walk around the site and see for yourself what's going up on the shores of Coal Harbour.

The glass skin that is now being put over the skeleton of concrete and steel girders is clear, thankfully. But this is definitely a massive box we're getting, albeit one with a few graceful curves engineered in.

It is also very high -- in fact it seems monolithic in the context of the buildings around it -- and it does detract from the majesty of the Pan Pacific's white sails. As for that cool roof-top garden we hear so much about, it's going to be inaccessible from the ground and most of it will be difficult to see unless you happen to be flying over in a float plane or are gazing down from your hotel room's window.

There's not much you can do to change a building that's mostly up and is hopelessly overbudget, of course. But there's a lesson to be learned here in the future development of the city: Put architects back in control of how our major buildings, both public and private, will look.

We need the engineers, planners and politicians to keep the costs in line and keep things real, but don't let them water down the great designs, as so often happens behind the scenes.

The reason is that great architecture doesn't just make a city a nice place to live -- it can build your economy.

It can be risky, as Montrealers who spent a generation paying off Olympic Stadium found out, if you don't do it right. But it can also put you on the map.

Consider Bilbao, Spain. Once a nondescript town that seemed to be sliding into oblivion, its city leaders decided to build a branch of the Guggenheim Museum and gave a cutting-edge architect the job: Canadian-born Frank Gehry.

He came up with the swirling titanium museum that cost about $120 million. It has transformed Bilbao into a world destination and revived the city's economy. I wonder what he would have done with a billion dollars?

The point here isn't for Vancouver to copy Bilbao. But it is an encouragement to start thinking their way when it comes to how this city's skyline will look in the years to come.

In the run-up to the Olympics and beyond, Vancouver has some big development decisions to make that could put us on the cutting edge of architecture.

Large sections of the waterfront are up for development. The city seems to have opened the door for taller buildings, even skyscrapers. And the provincial and city governments are going to be grappling with the construction of a new stadium on the waterfront, the building of a new art gallery and perhaps even the creation of a concert hall, something all great cities need.

So, who do we want to do the dreaming up of how these buildings will look?

A committee or an architect? Let's hope it's the latter.

mcernetig@png.canwest.com

Post a comment on Miro Cernetig's blog: http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/politicsandlife/def ault.aspx


© The Vancouver Sun 2007

[officedweller]

That article is a good counterpoint to Gordon Price's article against "iconic" architecture.

[Canadian Mind]

Well, aside from the girl, the only other real reason I went to New York was because of the iconic architecture and the WTC site. I certainly didn't go there for the culture...

Okay, I admit it... the pizza had part to do with it, but thats it! :P

Give Vancouver iconic architecture, and give it some iconic salmon dishes, and a few good looking girls guys are willing to travel over, and you are set. :P

[mr.x]

Premier defends convention centre cost overruns

Jeff Rud, Vancouver Sun
Published: Monday, November 05, 2007

VICTORIA - Premier Gordon Campbell was unapologetic today about massive cost overruns on the Vancouver Convention Centre expansion as he made his first appearance in the legislature since last month's critical auditor-general's report on the project.

Campbell was grilled for the entire half-hour question period by the Opposition about the convention centre expansion, now estimated to cost $883.2 million after being initially projected at $495 million.

"To be candid, I'm not enthusiastic about these cost escalations," Campbell said in response to the NDP barrage. "But the fact of the matter is that they're there. They're there because concrete costs are up, steel costs are up, labour costs are up. Every single dollar is going to add value to the convention centre ... ."

Campbell pointed to acting Auditor-General Errol Price's report that blamed spiking construction costs - which he likened to a "perfect storm" - for much of the inflation.

"Not one time does the auditor-general use the word 'waste,'" Campbell said. "Not one time does the auditor-general use the word 'mismanagement.'"

In fact, what the auditor-general says is that all major capital projects, whether private or public sector, have a number of inherent risks: "The Convention Centre expansion project is no exception. In addition to standard construction risks, this project has been managed during a period of high inflation in the construction market."

In response to questions about why the government wasn't more open about cost escalations as the budget for the project increased, Campbell insisted that it had been open.

However, the auditor-general's report showed that government knew in early 2006 that its budget would exceed $615 million but didn't make that information public until this year. "When we knew what the budgets were going to be, we made sure that the public knew," Campbell said.

Campbell said British Columbians will be the final arbiters of the worth of the project. And although the NDP pressed him to hold somebody accountable for the overruns, he said his government would ultimately be accountable.

"I'm pleased to stand here and be very clear," Campbell said. "This government, this premier, will be held accountable by the people of British Columbia for every decision we've made, including these decisions."

Although he stopped to chat briefly with reporters before caucus today, Campbell hurried out of the legislature following question period, refusing to stop for TV cameras and reporters.

NDP leader Carole James said the premier has to be more accountable for the overrun of hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars on the project.

"The premier finally showed up in the legislature but he's not any more willing to answer any questions than he was before he left," James said. "This was Gordon Campbell at his most dismissive and most arrogant today.

"He's dismissing the cost overruns, he's not holding anyone accountable. He won't tell us when he knew there was a cost overrun and why he kept that secret from the public. He basically just dismissed all the questions."

CanWest News Service

[deasine]

Shutup Carole LOL

Campbell and Taylor are my favorite politicans out of all the BC Liberal Government. They're rebuttals are so good =D

[vitc]

It is so obvious that Carole never gets laid! She annoys me to no end. Well at least she will NEVER get elected thereby keeping Gord, my hero, in power.

Frankly, i don't care how much it costs get the damn thing done and done nicely.

And yes, at least it is not wrapped in plastic lol!

[mr.x]

And yes, at least it is not wrapped in plastic lol!

Best line ever.

[djh]

It is so obvious that Carole never gets laid! She annoys me to no end. Well at least she will NEVER get elected thereby keeping Gord, my hero, in power.

Frankly, i don't care how much it costs get the damn thing done and done nicely.

And yes, at least it is not wrapped in plastic lol!

Best line ever, preceded by the worst line ever. Don't bring her gender into it - if she was a man, nobody would make a comment like that.

But you're right in that she is annoying.

[Fairbanks]

I worked for EXPO 86 and part of my job was to know facts figures and costs.
As I recall the Canada Place including the Pan Pacific was constructed for approx. 440 milllion. That was1983-86. So it seems unreasonable that the new expansion with or without a hotel would cost the same amount 20 yrs later. That having been said it seems even more unlikely that the cost of this project should have increased nearly 100% since it began. Other projects suchs as Sea to Sky and Canada Line have not ballooned.
I think maybe this province was hoodwinked by PCL. At any rate the building will be spectacular and booked up for years to come.

I think maybe PCL should release their books on this project.

[Canadian Mind]

Best line ever, preceded by the worst line ever. Don't bring her gender into it - if she was a man, nobody would make a comment like that.

But you're right in that she is annoying.

If she was a man there would be some other insult to throw his (her? :sly: ) way. So who cares.

[Stingray2004]

As I recall the Canada Place including the Pan Pacific was constructed for approx. 440 milllion. That was1983-86.

You have to remember that Canada Place and the adjoining Pan Pacific Hotel already had their "foundation" in place, namely the piers and concrete overlay of the former "Pier B-C".

Considerable problems (and costs) were encountered during piling of the expansion project...just look above at the concrete "footprint" for the expansion project compared to the original Canada Place in the above photos.

[Fairbanks]

Hi Stingray;

I agree with you. Thats the point I was trying to make..sort of...

It should be no surprise to anyone that the expansion is considerably more expensive than the Canada Place project. What surprises me is the original estimate of 495 million. I think that was a foolish number to begin with.
20 years later construction costs have risen dramatically. However the cost breakdown of the expansion project should still be public information.

[nikw]

I dont get why vancouver is going crazy over the increase in costs for the convention centre. Prices in Vancouver have been going up for years and years now so it should have been expected.

Besides, the governement will get half of it all back in the end from taxes that whatever company thats bulding the convention centre will obviously have to pay!!!

[deasine]

I dont get why vancouver is going crazy over the increase in costs for the convention centre. Prices in Vancouver have been going up for years and years now so it should have been expected.

Besides, the governement will get half of it all back in the end from taxes that whatever company thats bulding the convention centre will obviously have to pay!!!

it's not vancouver... but just the NDP.

[mr.x]

it's not vancouver... but just the NDP.

well, the NDP is just looking for things to win over voters...so....

[vitc]

If she was a man there would be some other insult to throw his (her? :sly: ) way. So who cares.

Exactly, it actually was djh that made it a gender issue. I say equal opportunity...

[SFUVancouver]

The whole "controversy" is trumped up. I have yet to meet a single person who has voluntarily brought up the convention centre while listing their gripes. The homeless problem, the utter lack of affordable housing, gang violence, the Olympics (in general), and a general feeling that Vancouver is full of itself to an unhealthy degree are all common themes that I come across.

If the NDP is seriously trying to get behind it as a wedge issue I wish them luck but it won't win them elections. In fact it could have some serious backlash if a review of the project leads to the Province swearing off directly managing any construction projects ever again. The Convention Centre is the biggest urban public works project the Province is undertaking. It is coming in at approximately twice the Province's contribution to the Canada Line and I don't think Victoria has any involvement with the Seymour Capilano Water Filtration project (totally off of everybody's radar despite its billion-plus price tag, and promises to virtually eliminate chlorine in our water, and give us arguably the cleanest drinking water in North America and at the very front of the pack for the entire planet).

The convention centre is not another fast ferries project. It isn't meant to foster an entirely new industry, as the Fast Ferries sought to do with aluminum shipbuilding. The convention centre (VCCEP for short from now on) is meant to be a money spinner and if it fails to do that, then it will be a boondoggle. Right now it is just over budget. The Fast Ferries fiasco wasn't initially about them going over budget. If I remember correctly the media was pretty forgiving about the delays for some time, after all, these were state of the art vessels and our people were learning how to build them as they went. It was when they started being sea tested that the controversy really started. They couldn't run as fast as planned because of their wakes and their inability to steer around logs at speed. The fear was that their more fragile aluminum hulls wouldn't be able to stand up to smacking a deadhead log at thirty knots without reenacting the Titanic (or the Queen of the North). Also, the engines were touchy and I seem to remember a Fast Cat being towed once or twice.

The nail in the coffin for the program was when the ships became (1) grossly over budget and behind schedule, (2) unable to perform to their design specs (which was the whole point!) and, (3) there would be no appreciable time savings on the route because they needed to fit into a crossing schedule that also featured conventional models because of the lower vehicle capacities of the Fast Cats (intended to be off-set by their speed). The post script included (4) was a complete lack of orders for the Fast Cat design from other companies and ferry operators, and (5) there were no buyers for the Fast Cats and they were eventually sold to Washington Marine Group for LESS than they were worth as scrap metal.

Put it all together and Fast Ferries were to the NDP government what a sneeze would be as one takes a piece from the bottom in a game of Jenga.

In time we will know if the VCCEP is worth the price we've paid for it. I think it will be worth it. We're getting an impressive multi-use structure in a central location with a whole whack of adjacent amenities and infrastructure, we're getting a functional addition to the existing VCC, and we're investing our own money locally, which is never bad for the economy. That investment just spins and spins and, as has been mentioned before, a good chunk of it will come back to the Province. Think of the opportunity cost of what the 0.9 billion could have bought. A debt pay down would be my best guess. Possibly some tax credits and a few new bridges and roads throughout the province. Some more money to health care and education. All worthy causes but usually sunk costs.

The VCCEP, touch wood, will make money that the public can then invest in all those other things. And honestly, if the convention market sours, which is very likely at some point between now and when the building rusts itself to the point of collapse over the next century or so, we can always shutter the old VCC until the market improves or another use comes along. A giant grow-op maybe?

[LeftCoaster]

Yeah at least when the Libs go overbudget the things they make will probably still be functional... although we shall have to wait and see.

[MolsonExport]

here's another good angle -

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2328/1588298949_abedbd4149_b.jpg
from www.flickr.com

Amazing photo!

[Rusty Gull]

Well put, SFU.

[mr.x]

boxy.

[djh]

Exactly, it actually was djh that made it a gender issue. I say equal opportunity...

Er, actually, what I said was *not* to make it a gender issue:

"Don't bring her gender into it - if she was a man, nobody would make a comment like that."

[twoNeurons]

Amazing photo!

Even more amazing with a waterfront stadium in the foreground.

[deasine]

Even more amazing with a waterfront stadium in the foreground.

I agree! That area looks way too empty... perfect for the stadium to be situated.

[zivan56]

Yeah at least when the Libs go overbudget the things they make will probably still be functional... although we shall have to wait and see.

And the Fast Ferries are not? The only thing keeping them at dock is the current government. The buyers of the ferries wanted to put them into service from Downtown Vancouver to Downtown Victoria, but they couldn't overcome the bureaucratic hurdles to do so. I don't see the Fast Ferries as a failure at all, rather they were put aside due to pure politics. I wouldn't be surprised in I saw them in service in a couple of year, as they are quite capable of running normally...
If the NDP came to power, they would probably close down the Convention Centre and do the same thing the Liberals did with the ferries...

[mr.x]

^ how long can those ferries possibly last around for? 10 years of their lives have already passed by and they're starting to rust.

[officedweller]

They're aluminum hulls.

[zivan56]

Considering how long ships last, at least 20 years.

[mr.x]

....10 years of 20 years, gone.

[cornholio]

(5) there were no buyers for the Fast Cats and they were eventually sold to Washington Marine Group for LESS than they were worth as scrap metal.


was it not the liberals who sold them for less then scrap value?

[officedweller]

Yeah, stupid politically motivated move. They could have been used when various ferries broke down over the years.

[LeftCoaster]

^Although i agree they were sold for too little as a political nail in the NDP coffin by the liberals, zivan they are not "quite capable of running normally." In addition to their extensive cost overruns the fast ferries were plagued with mechanical and design flaws which cuased numerous headaches for both BC ferries and everyone in their wake <--- literally. There were issues with speed, as they were highly inefficent vehicles adn were only at their top speed for a short period of time on the crossing, they created a massive wake which damaged nearby moored boats and docks, and if i recall correctly they had problems with their sanitary systems as well.

[zivan56]

mr.x2:
20 more years without significant upgrades.

LeftCoaster:
Well one of the new ferries being built in Germany had serious propulsion issues, I guess it's not capable of running normally then?
The Fast Ferries were rushed into service because of delays and various other factors, which obviously is not a good idea before doing extensive testing. BC Ferries had an insane requirement that it be compatible with current docks, which forced them to put the ferries very low in the water; hence the speed/reliability/fuel consumption issues. The whole point of a catamaran is to lift it out of the water as much as possible. I don't see how residents expect a ferry to go faster if it doesn't create more wake?
Overall, they could have been a success.

[mr.x]

i hang out every summer at English Bay beach with my friends, and the funniest thing happened this year. A speed boat was jetting through the water about 500 metres or more from the shore. I saw these tourists and kids hanging around at the water....i knew what was gonna happen, and i did think about warning them at first - but then i decided not to and took my camera out and recorded the whole thing.

the boat had created a wake in the water, those poor people by the water didn't see it coming at all. tiny ripples soon became a 1.5 metre high wave that got people running away screaming... :D a few fell, and everyone got wet.

it was like watching a mini-tsunamis.

[Canadian Mind]

You're an asshole, you know that right? :yuck:






You put it on youtube? :haha:

[mr.x]

You're an asshole, you know that right? :yuck:






You put it on youtube? :haha:

people need to make mistakes in order to learn a lesson :D [about the laws of physics] :wizard: ....and it's not like anyone was hurt, just really wet and it was like 25c, the heat probably dried them off anyway. it was fun to see.

unfortunately, i don't know what i did with the video.

[Delirium]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2273/2051786847_b2dfa69bf2_b.jpg
from www.flickr.com

[vanman]

Geeaah! That's what I'm talkin about.

[excel]

Sick photo.

[officedweller]

Nice!

[mr.x]

sweet!

[deasine]

looks pretty good =)

[giallo]

The amount of natural light that will fill the convention center will be one of it's greatest attributes.

[Jared]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but it the VCCEP going for any level of LEED certification?

[mr.x]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but it the VCCEP going for any level of LEED certification?

i believe it has a LEED Gold certification.

[Delirium]

a couple other nice views

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2024/2059889839_485a8588b8_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2154/2060664974_aac63a1332_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2218/2059873645_3c13687acf_b.jpg
from www.flickr.com

[squeezied]

wow, im quite satisfied with the massing

[jlousa]

In case everyone is so tied up with the mascots I'll catch them up-to-date with VCCEP. The stolen metal pieces were all recovered yesterday, they have already begun installing them, they were stolen by the landlord of the lot where they were being stored.

Also onto bigger news, they have started the green roof, they starting placing soil yesterday and planting today. Was watching them on my lunch hour they are making progress, they are planting everything perfectly aligned. Strange to see them planting the day after we had snow, mind you the plants are supposed to be native and hence resistant.

[officedweller]

Thanks. Couple of screen captures from the webcam (3 hours old) - are those watering hoses?

http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/7093/1194445759495739fp4.jpg

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/7862/1194445759495840oy5.jpg

[excel]

Nice updates thanks. How come they couldnt make the roof accessable, like a park or something.

[officedweller]

Probably due to wear and tear and damage.

[jlousa]

It was a combination of wear/tear, no warranty company wanted to cover it if it's walked on, and the biggest factor is insurance the roof isn't flat, it's high off the ground and there is a huge potential for injury if it was open to the public.

[giallo]

Makes sense. It would have been pretty unique though-even if just a portion of the roof was accessible.

[raggedy13]

Wow, I thought the green roof would be one of the very last things they'd do. Seems things are really coming together.

[mr.x]

Wow, I thought the green roof would be one of the very last things they'd do. Seems things are really coming together.

but how long would it take for it to be an actual lush green roof? it's gonna look brown for quite awhile.

[excel]

probably come spring time it will start to look greenish.

[mr.x]

hopefully something like
http://www.arlingtonva.us/NewsReleases/greenroof-small.jpg
http://newyork.corante.com/archives/Queens%20BG%20green%20roof.jpg



what if there's a fire on the roof?? are there sprinklers?

[raggedy13]

^I'm sure a brush fire in the middle of Vancouver is the least of their concerns with our climate.

but how long would it take for it to be an actual lush green roof? it's gonna look brown for quite awhile.

Good point.

[SFUVancouver]

wrong thread. Oops.

[raggedy13]

Pics from today...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/100_9816.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/100_9851.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/100_9859.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/100_9860.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/100_9865.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/100_9866.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0002.jpg

[mr.x]

wow, it's really coming along. it looks like they've finally finished the western half of the roof. would be great if they could have some sort of changing lighting effect inside with the support columns.

thanks for the updates.

[excel]

Great progress!

[Delirium]

they've begun work on the green roof

http://www.pcl.com/media/files/Projects/22_BC_Region/2200424_5_300.jpg

http://www.pcl.com/media/files/Projects/22_BC_Region/2200424_6_300.jpg

http://www.pcl.com/media/files/Projects/22_BC_Region/2200424_7_300.jpg
from www.pcl.com

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/oct2gon/Image1-6.jpg
webcam

[djp]

I'm sure a brush fire in the middle of Vancouver is the least of their concerns with our climate.

Huh? What about during the summer? It would be a pretty big risk in the driest months, particularly with idiots flinging cigarette butts around. There must be some kind of precaution built in (aside from sprinklers) but I have no idea what it is. Maybe they expect the fire department would show up pretty quickly for a fire downtown. Or maybe the depth of soil and the cement under the green roof make it unlikely that a fire would actually affect the building itself.

[raggedy13]

They're using native plant species so they're probably pretty good at dealing with summertime drought conditions and won't undergo much desiccation, reducing a lot of the risk. People don't seem to be overly worried about brush fires in Stanley Park in the summertime. At least not enough to setup an elaborate sprinkler system throughout the park, and I would think it is much more likely for a cigarette to land in Stanley Park than on the roof of a 4+ storey building.

[djp]

I would think it is much more likely for a cigarette to land in Stanley Park than on the roof of a 4+ storey building.

I thought the roof was going to be open to the public? I don't know much about this project though so I'm probably completely wrong.

[Jared]

AFAIK the roof will NOT be open to the public.

[Coldrsx]

request for a photo of the streetside of the building.


thank you

[raggedy13]

^This probably isn't the best pic but it's the most recent one I have (Dec 6)...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/100_9854.jpg

[Coldrsx]

^thanks...i guess we need to wait a little longer to have it revealed...reason being i want to show how a streetlevel can be done right (hopefully) for Edmonton's convention centre expansion got a fucking wall of concrete fronting the street.

this fronts our main downtown street...blocking the river valley

http://aptenobytes.typepad.com/m0nkymans_photo_blog/images/DSC00026-5-tm.jpg

[vanman]

From today.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/vanstruction003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/vanstruction007.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/vanstruction006.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/vanstruction026.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/vanstruction025.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/vanstruction018.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/vanstruction017.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/vanstruction016.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/vanstruction014.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/vanstruction013.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/vanstruction012.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/vanstruction010.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/vanstruction030.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/vannmann/vanstruction029.jpg

[officedweller]

Thanks!

[giallo]

Awesome update

[mr.x]

definietely coming along, thx for the update!

it's almost as if we're trying to parallel Hong Kong, with a mass roof convention centre on the foot of our main harbour waterfront. it's going to be really impressive.

[SFUVancouver]

I'm a few hours too late it seems. Here's mine.

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/7273/p1040968lz6.jpg

[mr.x]

^ who knows, you may have crossed paths with vanman today. :p

[clooless]

From the water it looks much more impressive than what we saw from the designs.

I don't know if this question has been answered before, but is the walkway between the old and the new convention centre going to be covered?

[mr.x]

From the water it looks much more impressive than what we saw from the designs.

I don't know if this question has been answered before, but is the walkway between the old and the new convention centre going to be covered?

yup, the $30 million walkway is going to be covered.

[vanman]

I'm a few hours too late it seems. Here's mine.

Haha, when did you take that. I was at the Convention Center around 12:30-1pm. I saw some dude in a red sweater taking photos of construction as well, could that have been you?

[clooless]

yup, the $30 million walkway is going to be covered.

Cool! I would have expected that, but you never know. Sometimes these projects take odd shortcuts, like the lack of a covered walkway at Sapperton Station.

[excel]

Great updates, thanks.

[SFUVancouver]

Haha, when did you take that. I was at the Convention Center around 12:30-1pm. I saw some dude in a red sweater taking photos of construction as well, could that have been you?

Nope, black pea coat and a backpack. You?

[vanman]

^I'm a large black man and I was wearing a black leather jacket.

[Cypherus]

Updated Yesterday, Jan. 30, 2008, courtesy of vacantready, Flickr.
The glass looks great.

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/9690/convcentrervacantreadyjns7.jpg

[vanman]

^It does look great. This is one building that I'm happy is clad in clear glass. Can you imagine if it were tinted? It would look like an office park on the sea. I can't wait to see it fully lit at night.

[excel]

Lookin good.

[CosmoDog]

Nice pic. Hey, isn't that the infamous guy in the "orange vest"?

[SFUVancouver]

From Canada Place.
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/870/p1050358ny0.jpg
(My photo, taken February 4th, 2008)

Looking north from the driveway of the Shaw Tower. The Fairmont Pacific Rim is to the right.
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/2853/p1050365aj4.jpg
(My photo, taken February 4th, 2008)

Looking northeast from the walkway to Harbour Green Park.
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/9819/p1050370qb0.jpg
(My photo, taken February 4th, 2008)

Looking east from Harbour Green Park.
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/3708/p1050374ab2.jpg
(My photo, taken February 4th, 2008)

For comparison, I took the following picture in late spring last year.
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9706/habourgreenparkandvcecpff1.jpg
(My photo, taken June 29th, 2007)

[mr.x]

amazing...thx for the update!!! 17 months until it's done!