Propose a New Years Eve Countdown event for Vancouver...

mr.x · #1 Posted **Jan 1, 2009, 6:19 AM**

I'm not going to it this year, but every year for the past three years there have been countdowns at the big Futureshop screens at Robson and Granville. Crowds of thousands gather there everytime and watch the clock on the LED screens roll down to zero. And then, there's also that old clock atop the Vancouver City Centre building:

Other pics:
http://flickr.com/photos/horcubee/341071443/

My idea, is to have a mini-Time Square celebration starting next year. With the Granville Street improvement done by then, it'll be great. We could have a concert stage in the middle of the street, the countdown on the two LCD screens atop Futureshop, and as already proposed we could use the Sears white walls as some sort of projection screen.

Fireworks might be possible atop several buildings in the area, unfortunately not sure about confetti and streamers with all the trolley lines....

One other suggestion I have include shutting down the area around Library Square, and have a concert stage set up at the plaza of the northern entrance on West Georgia. Have fireworks, confetti, and streamers launch from the rim of the the library's roof, and have a few giant LED tv's set up:

zivan56 · #2 Posted **Jan 1, 2009, 6:57 AM**

That would be nice. There used to be a all ages event in front of the library, but it was deemed too fun to be held in this city...and the police actually supported it being held!

Toronto, on the other hand, has something that's for everyone and brings out tons of people at the same time. It would be great if something similar was held in a huge parking lot or even in front of city hall. But I guess we are better than them and don't need it...

SpongeG · #3 Posted **Jan 1, 2009, 8:27 AM**

i just watched seattles annual fireworks extravaganza at the space needle

and vancouver once again does nothing

i think surrey has a big event at surrey central - fireworks, bands etc

they out do vancouver

agrant · #4 Posted **Jan 1, 2009, 8:38 AM**

Vancouver needs something for sure, but where? What about the entire length of Granville street becoming a gathering place?

mr.x · #5 Posted **Jan 1, 2009, 8:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

i just watched seattles annual fireworks extravaganza at the space needle

and vancouver once again does nothing

i think surrey has a big event at surrey central - fireworks, bands etc

they out do vancouver

Wow....Surrey????

From Flickr, 2007.

Well, at least we got back our Canada Day fireworks two years ago....one step at a time I guess?

Maybe some people will realize over the course of the year that we need something to countdown to 2010 before the world arrives.

nova9 · #6 Posted **Jan 1, 2009, 8:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zivan56

That would be nice. There used to be a all ages event in front of the library, but it was deemed too fun to be held in this city...and the police actually supported it being held!

Toronto, on the other hand, has something that's for everyone and brings out tons of people at the same time. It would be great if something similar was held in a huge parking lot or even in front of city hall. But I guess we are better than them and don't need it...

If we could do something with the land by SEFC owned by concord pacific where cirque du soleil would be in the summers. fireworks launched from the creek (condo owners be damned!! just kidding). Huge space, close to transit. Nice views. Come on!!

Or....we shut down Burrard Street and watched something drop from the Shangri-La. Haha, like that chandelier.

zivan56 · #7 Posted **Jan 1, 2009, 8:49 PM**

^^ That would be nice...definitely would put Vancouver on the new-years-eve map for places to be.

Rusty Gull · #8 Posted **Jan 1, 2009, 10:39 PM**

It's an annual embarrassment, frankly. Not only are we outclassed by the usual suspects (London, Sydney, Hong Kong, NYC), but also other Canadian and local cities (Toronto, Seattle, Niagara Falls).

Come on!

What's worse is that this has been going on for YEARS, with no hope for the future. When it comes to New Years, Vancouver truly is "NO FUN CITY".

Canadian Mind · #9 Posted **Jan 1, 2009, 11:49 PM**

Times square is retardedly crouwded, to the point of having trouble breathing. I'm going to go earlier next year.

I would have spent New Years in at home Vancouver, but there was nothing to do. Vancouver really needs something i it is to be recognised and considered a destination.

I heard that there we over a million people in Times square this year. Porportionally I think Vancouver could pull off an event of 150 000 based on proportion of each respective metro.

Denscity · #10 Posted **Jan 2, 2009, 12:36 AM**

The xmas parade is around 300,000 people. Im sure a major new years event would draw huge, after a few years especially.

mr.x · #11 Posted **Jan 2, 2009, 2:26 AM**

How about an actual festive gathering for once in this city? Have some pyrotechnics launching off the roof of buildings like Sears, TD Tower, and the Futureshop building with Robson and Granville being the centre of it all. Have a concert round podium on the middle of Granville and Robson. When the New Year rings in, launch the fireworks, fire the confetti and streamers into the air.

Imagine this going off of the top of downtown buildings:
- TD Tower
- Bentall towers
- Royal Tower
- Futureshop building

A Time Square-like event at Robson and Granville plus this for the skyline:

Melbourne, Australia - 2006 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony (wishful thinking for 2010?)

Whalleyboy · #12 Posted **Jan 2, 2009, 2:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

i just watched seattles annual fireworks extravaganza at the space needle

and vancouver once again does nothing

i think surrey has a big event at surrey central - fireworks, bands etc

they out do vancouver

surrey use to have that went only 2 years then they stoped it
i'm actually kind a pissed they did cause it was nice get drunk with people then stumble down to central to watch the fireworks was awesome

Yume-sama · #13 Posted **Jan 2, 2009, 2:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whalleyboy

surrey use to have that went only 2 years then they stoped it
i'm actually kind a pissed they did cause it was nice get drunk with people then stumble down to central to watch the fireworks was awesome

Probably why they stopped it...

Whalleyboy · #14 Posted **Jan 2, 2009, 3:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Probably why they stopped it...

they wouldnt let anyone drunk enough in plus there right by central so drunk people where there anyways

zivan56 · #15 Posted **Jan 2, 2009, 3:40 AM**

So apparently a bunch of people counted down on Granville street. The police were basically forcing people onto the sidewalks by walking side to side in the middle of Granville and videotaping everyone. They also parked police cars and other vehicles in the middle as well. What's the point of closing the street to traffic if you are forcing people to stay on the sidewalks? And most importantly of all, why are they videotaping people who aren't doing anything wrong???

nickinacan · #16 Posted **Jan 2, 2009, 5:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whalleyboy

surrey use to have that went only 2 years then they stoped it
i'm actually kind a pissed they did cause it was nice get drunk with people then stumble down to central to watch the fireworks was awesome

I think there was an issue with space, or lack of it. I don't think that Surrey did anything this year actually. Maybe when they finally get the civic plaza built, you may see something happen once more.

Whalleyboy · #17 Posted **Jan 2, 2009, 8:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickinacan

I think there was an issue with space, or lack of it. I don't think that Surrey did anything this year actually. Maybe when they finally get the civic plaza built, you may see something happen once more.

the first year it seem lacking but the second year they stretched out in the rec centres parking and it seem like they had plenty of room by doing that

Distill3d · #18 Posted **Jan 2, 2009, 4:39 PM**

as i was wondering around Canada Place yesterday taking pictures, I wondered why the Convention Center didn't host a free (or reasonably inexpensive) concert inside, and had fireworks outside.

Library Square would be a good location too, but for the crowd that would fill the area, it seems likely that it is too small.

Granville should have its own Times Square-esque event if anything. just shut the street down like on Halloween and have a giant street party.

I'm genuinely surprised and disappointed by the lack of effort put into planning for New Years Eve celebrations in the individual cities here as well. like even in North Vancouver, there could've been a party at Lonsdale Quay or neighboring Waterfront Park. Coquitlam could've had celebrations at like Lafarge Lake...so and so forth.

jlousa · #19 Posted **Jan 2, 2009, 5:57 PM**

It boils down to money, find a sponsor willing to foot the bill and we'll have a new years party. The tough part would be to find someone that isn't a liqour or tabacco company. Maybe Telus, as I beleive New Years is one of the busiest days of the year for calls. Besides they need an event to complete against Rogers Santa Claus parade.

nova9 · #20 Posted **Jan 2, 2009, 8:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlousa

It boils down to money, find a sponsor willing to foot the bill and we'll have a new years party. The tough part would be to find someone that isn't a liqour or tabacco company. Maybe Telus, as I beleive New Years is one of the busiest days of the year for calls. Besides they need an event to complete against Rogers Santa Claus parade.

Indeed. And Telus doesn't seem to be a huge sponsor of many events - I'm sure they are smaller sponsors but do they have a marquee event with their name on it? But yeah, they're totally viable. That or get Bell to do it now with their increasing presence in BC.

Just a side note, I know Seattle gets fireworks off the Space Needle but, to be honest, they're a little lacklustre and there doesn't seem to be much anything else than show up, wait for midnight, then leave. ALBEIT, anything is better than nothing!

Their show is sponsored by KING (NBC) correct? Why aren't BC-CTV or GlobalBC or even CityTV in on anything like that? They were busy showing reruns of the late night talk shows for chrissakes!