[deasine]

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
2007OTP0144-001212
Oct. 1, 2007
Office of the Premier
Ministry of Economic Development
GE

PROVINCE AND GE HELP REVITALIZE ROBSON SQUARE


VANCOUVER – A $1.6-million sponsorship agreement between the Province and GE will help reopen the outdoor ice skating rink at Robson Square in time for the 2010 Winter Games, Premier Gordon Campbell announced today with GE chief marketing officer Dan Henson.

“GE’s generous contribution will help revitalize Robson Square and offer people of all ages a fun, free and vibrant public place to go and become part of the Olympic spirit during the 2010 Games,” said Campbell. “Through The Olympic Partner program, GE is a worldwide TOP sponsor for the Olympic Games, and they are once again showing great community spirit through this very special sponsorship opportunity.”

As part of the sponsorship agreement, GE will contribute $1.6 million over the next three years for the naming rights of the rink, which will become the GE Ice Plaza. When the GE Ice Plaza is not in use, the facility will be called GE Plaza. The GE Plaza is expected to open in the spring of 2008 for public events, and the GE Ice Plaza will begin operation in the winter of 2008.

GE sponsored the GE Ice Plaza in Torino, host of the 2006 Winter Games. Numerous activities for fans of the Olympic Games of all ages were hosted at the GE Ice Plaza in Piazza Solferino in the heart of Torino’s historic city centre.

“GE is delighted to contribute to the revitalization of the ice rink,” said Henson. “This is a great opportunity to bring people together for fitness, and to share the excitement of the Olympic Games. We look forward to celebrating many great moments at the GE Ice Plaza.”

The Robson Square ice rink first opened in 1982 but closed in November 2000 due to maintenance problems with the ice. Since then, the area has been used as a public space for a wide range of activities that included the 2007 Robson Square Summertime Dance Series.

Robson Square is also used by the B.C. Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Secretariat for the 2010 Commerce Centre. The 2010 Commerce Centre is the prime source of information to assist B.C. companies in securing Olympic-related economic opportunities, developing business strategies and pursuing new partnerships leading up to, during and after the 2010 Winter Games.

“The presence of GE next to the Commerce Centre will give businesses in British Columbia an unprecedented opportunity to access a world leading corporation that operates in many different business lines,” said Colin Hansen, Minister of Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Asia Pacific Initiative and the Olympics. “This is another example of B.C. companies being able to use the 2010 Olympic Games as a springboard to greater prosperity and lasting business relationships.”

intersting... I would like to see this happen again. It was so nice to be skating there.

[mr.x]

that's great news! i look forward to skating there next year!


btw, there was news on Global a few days ago that Granville Island is considering building an outdoor ice rink as part of improving the island.

[paradigm4]

Very cool. When I thought about Christmas activities in the city, outdoor skating is one of those "must-do" things, but I couldn't figure out if Van had a rink downtown. I mean, you always see pictures of NYC's skating rinks during Winter. Anyways, great idea, great plan - good job GE!

Is this the part of Robson Square that's underground and covered by the ugly black glass dome?

[SpongeG]

yes its underground

it would be nice to have an outdoor rink with a great backdrop like the city though

the robson plaza one is easily missed if you don't know its there and there is no view or anything

[mr.x]

The rink:
http://static.flickr.com/127/323583602_dd79ff2be4.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/132/323583603_7b3840c062.jpg


I'm surprised it'll cost $1.6 million to fix it.



Since the Art Gallery will be moving out within a decade, it would be awesome if the city turned the plaza into a giant rink:
http://units.sla.org/chapter/cwcn/conference/NWRC2006/media/067_-_Vancouver_Art_Gallery.jpg

It would be the ideal location.

[SpongeG]

ah but vancouver doesn't have the luxury of cold temps to have it be frozen on its own

the cost would be a lot to keep it as ice

[mr.x]

ah but vancouver doesn't have the luxury of cold temps to have it be frozen on its own

the cost would be a lot to keep it as ice

i've seen pictures of Lost Lagoon frozen and with hundreds, maybe thousands, of people skating. i'm guessing that was in 1996 during that big snow storm.

would be cool to have our own Rideau Canal sort of thing every year.....except we dump 10 trucks worth of nitrogen into the lake instead of waiting for nature to freeze it.

[officedweller]

It would be nice if the "domes" were removed or replaced with a different awning structure and the hedges trimmed so that people on the sidewalk up above can see down and into the sunken plaza.

http://static.flickr.com/127/323583602_dd79ff2be4.jpg

[deasine]

^I agree. Any one have any ideas what to replace it with tho? Something not to blukly yet transluscent and protection from rain...

[hollywoodnorth]

^I agree. Any one have any ideas what to replace it with tho? Something not to blukly yet transluscent and protection from rain...

see through glass floor would do the trick......and cool to walk over and look down, etc.

[mr.x]

see through glass floor would do the trick......and cool to walk over and look down, etc.

...as long as you're not wearing a skirt and someone is looking up.

[crazyjoeda]

^ just use frosted glass, like at the Apple stores.

[hollywoodnorth]

yup........I think Mr X just needs to get laid and his mind if getting the better of him ;)

but something definitly needs to be done to the whole robson street axis of Robson Square......its so 60's and does not interact with the people or the enviroment.

The plans to add retail and reno the robson street axis a few years ago were great IMO......I was sad to see them shelved.

[Nutterbug]

yup........I think Mr X just needs to get laid and his mind if getting the better of him ;)

I thought it was easy for his kind to get laid. No need to go through the complications of courtship, but just go to the right hangouts and be frank and direct.

[mr.x]

I thought it was easy for his kind to get laid. No need to go through the complications of courtship, but just go to the right hangouts and be frank and direct.

YEA!:tup: :grouphug:

[hollywoodnorth]

hehehe.........he sounds like Fabio ;)

[mr.x]

yup........I think Mr X just needs to get laid and his mind if getting the better of him ;)

but something definitly needs to be done to the whole robson street axis of Robson Square......its so 60's and does not interact with the people or the enviroment.

The plans to add retail and reno the robson street axis a few years ago were great IMO......I was sad to see them shelved.

you're half right....my mind is usually in the gutter.


I agree, Robson Square needs a re-do.

[SpongeG]

there was a rendering in the metro news paper today

doesn't look too different

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/spongeg/icerink.jpg

Edit: found the rendering

[deasine]

^yeah... unless another organization or something like PACIFIC CENTRE takes over and does the shopping part.

But adding the ice is already an improvement... I'm going to TRY not to complain and ask for more =)

[mr.x]

there was a rendering in the metro news paper today

doesn't look too different

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/spongeg/icerink.jpg

Edit: found the rendering

According to the Province and 24 Hrs, the rink will be elongated - and the rendering shows the rink stretching beyond limits of the dome glass roofs.....i'm estimating the rink will be at least 50% larger than what it is today.





Robson Square rink reborn as GE Ice Plaza
Skating to start in winter '08, says premier

Damian Inwood, The Province
Published: Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Vancouver residents who took their first, faltering steps on skates at Robson Square will once again be able to tie on the blades at the downtown rink, starting next year.

Premier Gordon Campbell said yesterday that, thanks to a $1.6-million sponsorship deal with U.S. consumer conglomerate GE, the plaza-level rink will be "reinvigorated and revitalized" as a major gathering place in time for the 2010 Olympics.

"I hope this will be the start of what will be a pretty exciting time for Robson Square," said Campbell. "This is the centre of the city in so many ways and to be able to create a real centre of attraction for all the public will be a great thing for 2010."

The rink will reopen for skating in the winter of 2008. It was popular with thousands of children between 1982 and 2000.

When it was closed, as a cost-cutting measure, savings were estimated at $50,000 a year.

In 2004, an attempt by Vancouver Coun. Tim Stevenson to get the rink reopened was put on ice.

At that time, the cost of replacing underground pipes was tagged at a cool $750,000.

Since it closed, the rink's concrete base has been used "for dance events and hula-hoop demonstrations," said Campbell.

He said the latest in green technology will be used, including low-voltage lighting and recycled flooring, furniture and fixture materials. Hydrogen fuel-cell technology may be used to provide demonstration power.

During the 2010 Olympics, the rink will be outside a media centre (downtown UBC campus at Robson) being set up for thousands of unaccredited journalists covering the Games.

GE, a major Olympics sponsor, is giving $1.6 million over three years for the naming rights for the rink. During the winter it will be known as the GE Ice Plaza and in summer simply as GE Plaza.

GE also sponsored the GE Ice Plaza in Turin's Piazza Solferino during the 2006 Winter Games.

dinwood@png.canwest.com


© The Vancouver Province 2007

[raggedy13]

While I like the idea of having a larger ice rink, what is supposed to happen when it rains (as is very common in the winter)? Parts of the rink are undercover while the other parts are either melting from the rain or accumulating more ice as the rain water freezes (or maybe neither, I'm not too familiar with what happens when rain falls on artificially cooled ice). Some sort of extended roof or temporary shelter is going to be a necessity for the numerous rainy winter days we will have while this thing is operational.

Also, I find one thing a bit odd about that small rendering above... the rink is only supposed to be operational in the winter and yet there are leaves on the trees and what appears to possibly be pink flowers?! Perhaps in early spring when things start growing back the rink won't be shut down yet?