.gif&w=566&h=133&zc=1)
Oh… Ottawa, Ottawa… clever you. You bunch of brilliant bureaucrats.
Who on earth would have figured out that the einsteins in Ottawa would have celebrated Canada’s presence for our 2010 Winter Olympics with the ubiquitous crackerbox home that is synomonous with Vancouver!?
Following on yesterday’s post “the Canadian Olympic Tool Shed” (see link here), the UGLY Chinese Canadian has figured out the secret creative code on the world crass design of our Nation’s pride and joy pavilion.
Author Dan Brown would be proud. Nothing DaVincian about this.
It’s really quite obvious.
And only at the cost of ten million tax funded dollars (link to story here), we’re wondering what Canada’s Heretic Minister James Moore meant when he quipped:
“… We can engage architects and we can spend endless amounts of money if that’s what people want, but I don’t think that’s what taxpayers want. And frankly, I think if you compare it apples to apples with the other pavilions that are on the ground in the city of Vancouver, ours looks fantastic”.
$10 million dollars. A fantastic bargain! Small wonder the nation’s fantastic deficit has ballooned under these fantastic guys’ watch. And with apples to compare it with too.
Oh, back to the Secret design code:
… ever heard of the Vancouver Special? A real apple for your eyes.
Vancouver Special
van’ coo ‘ vur, spesh-uh
l\ (noun) … http://www.uglychinesecanadian.com
A term used to refer to spec houses built in the period from roughly 1965 to 1985 in Vancouver, British Columbia and its suburbs. Characterised by their “box-like” structure, low-pitched roofs and kitschy finishes.
The ubiquitous “cookie cut” Vancouver Specials had similar floor plans, monotonous exteriors …that eventually led to a public outcry and reaction to the proliferation of this design, forcing the City of Vancouver to make changes to the single-family zoning regulations with the intent to stop additional Vancouver Specials from being built.
___________________________________
Here are some comparisons, or “precedants” in designer / Architecture talk:
Vancouver Special
Canada Pavilion
: :
Vancouver Special
Canada Pavilion
: :
Vancouver Special
Canada Pavilion
: :
D’Oh! Almost fooled yah!
________________________________
hey, don’t shoot me… I’m just the messenger!
I can understand the architect’s POV. $10M is a small change when Vancouver taxpayers are coughing out $500M on a roof. Dubai’s tallest building is only $1.5B – Ottawa spent much more on the Olympic.
“The federal government is spending over $1 billion on the Olympics, footing half the cost of the successful torch relay as well as other hefty bills including security. It has also poured $40 million into tourism campaigns for the Olympics.”
Isn’t this tantamount to briberies? What happens to international bidding process and transparency?
“The 1,000 remaining tickets must now suffice for all departments who might use them to help promote trade, investment and diplomacy.”
“The province bought over 3,000 tickets to the Games, and Mary McNeil, the minister responsible for the Olympics, said they plan to use every one of them.
“We’ve never had an opportunity like this in the history of the province,” she said. “It’s like 80-plus trade missions coming to our doorstep and we’re going to make absolutely sure we’re doing the best we can.”
The province already has 78 events planned for the Games, including high-profile public ones with companies such as Disney and Pixar, as well as events with heads of international mining and forestry companies.”
Don’t it surprise me a bit.
Imagine had this olympic happens to be the the US. Everything would been design by Americans. Imagine what would have been if an American olympic venue was hiring out Canadians! The outcry from US protectionalist would be loud. They would shout cries of Foul!
Vanoc under John Furlong has failed Canadians.
Bus transit to shuttle athletes, meida , family and officials was contracted out to a Florida company. see http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/09/29/bc-olympic-buses.html?ref=rss
Richmond speed skating building was given to large American design company”Cannon Design” http://www.architectureweek.com/directory/firms.cgi?6413
Canada pavilion was given to American designer.
Hey! how about keeping jobs in Canada for Canadians?
Valerie said: “Hey! how about keeping jobs in Canada for Canadians?”
———–
You’re most welcome to volunteer your time for free and at your own expense, while the mini-Bush entourage party in style and your grandchildren will still be paying the bills 50 years later.
[Sorry UCC. Can't resist it. :p Hv a nice weekend.]
Canada gets the Gold medal for job creation for our neighbours to the south.
The latest word is that the Florida bus company contracted by VANOC will only hire American drivers. Canadian bus drivers need not apply.
Is this true?
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by smuttysteff: Vancouverites & Realtors will love this. The Canada Pavillion=A “Vancouver Special” by design. http://www.uglychinesecanadian.com/?p=543…
you negative nellies really make me sick!! This is going to be an amazing time for anyone in this city with a positive attitude. There is tons of fun and free activities for all of us and our kids to be a part of. But somehow if your olympic calibre whining is actually making you feel better about yourself, then fly at her. Just please stay home and do your whining so I dont have to experience you while I’m out having a good time.
you’re kidding, right. What moron, other than you incredible olympic-haters would ever believe that a Bus company from Florida would dictate that only Americans could drive buses up here. LOL.
Hey craig, some of us love the Olympics. We’re proud Canadians as much as you are.
We’re just not as stupid as you are, who like Harper, enjoy giving our jobs away to foreigners.
Craig, if you think wer’e Olympic haters, then maybe you should apply for a job at one of the florida bus companys.
Craig makes an almost valid point -that there are a lot of negative attitudes in this town.
Its because the olympic organizers hardly anyone has been engaged in the process. But that don’t make us negative nellies.
I’m going to enjoy the olympics!
It is Craig who is doing the whining about the whiners. Look in the mirror craig, and stop your whining.
You whiny Canadians. Who was complaining about the “buy American” directive and just recently got a break from the US government to bid on projects that should belong to Americans. The building is freaking embarrassingly ugly and ridiculously overpriced for what it is and I just saw it in person yesterday. But blaming Americans for this, is the pot calling the kettle black.
Craig is correct, in that we must not blind our enjoyment of the games, due to perceived mismanagement. There is much for everyone to participate in.
It’s like, I don’t hate Canada just because we’ve got a numbnut sitting in the Prime Minister’s office.
Pooo correctly identifies the underlying characteristic of being a Canadian… that of being a sorry ass whiner.
Welcome to Canada, Pooo, enjoy the games and all the whining that will be an integral part of it.
the government or vanoc is spending lots of money,but it doesnt seem like the builders care about building the canada pavilion
Yep, it’s ugly alright! And boring.
And certainly not worth $10 million Canadian dollars to a Chicago company. That is not whining, that is a fact.
Just ‘coz you don’t like the facts, doesn’t change them.
Embarrassing, and shameful representation of Canada…