January 11, 2007

PHIL MARSHALL

The fibreglass fabric's condition is probably a factor in the roof collapse at BC Place.

Roofing

BC Place roof collapse may prompt upgrades

Weather, age are factors in BC Place roof collapse

PETER MITHAM

CORRESPONDENT

VANCOUVER

Making sure BC Place is fit for upcoming events may be the immediate concern of management at BC Place following the collapse last week of the stadium’s inflatable roof.

However, much of the speculation surrounds the future of the aging venue.

A seven-metre tear led to the controlled collapse of the 10-acre covering on Jan. 5. The roof, made of a woven fibreglass fabric, is usually held in place by a combination of air pressure and a support structure of steel cables within the fabric dome itself.

The sleet storm that blew through Vancouver, dumping snow and rain on the region, may have been a factor.

A number of smaller tears in the roof fabric were detected over the weekend. An overall damage assessment is pending until a report is issued by engineers.

Designed by Geiger Berger of New York, the roof of BC Place has required only minor repairs since it was completed in 1983. It is inspected annually, with the last inspection occurring in August 2006.

But the aging fabric of the iconic roof is a growing issue as stadium owner B.C. Pavilion Corp. readies the structure for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies for the games, among other events.

There is also a host of events scheduled to happen in the meantime: the stadium is home turf for the B.C. Lions football team and regularly hosts events such as the B.C. Contractors’ Show and Landscaping Expo, slated for January 23-24.

Though management expects BC Place to be ready for the contractors, PavCo is still mulling upgrades for 2010.

“Options for refurbishing BC Place Stadium are being developed to bring the facility to acceptable standards for the Games,” PavCo states in its most recent annual report.

PavCo said upgrades are also essential if the stadium is to remain a competitive venue.

Though client satisfaction remains high and the stadium garnered $33 million for the province in the year ended March 31, 2006 — $3 million over budget — PavCo recognizes that BC Place has room to improve.

“With aging facilities, ongoing investment in infrastructure is required to meet the standards to maintain competitiveness in the marketplace,” PavCo states. “[Customer satisfaction] at the facility is not expected to improve in the period to Fiscal 2007/08 without upgrades to address the effects of the ageing facility.”

PavCo referred calls regarding the stadium, including ongoing investment plans and upgrades, to BC Place general manager Howard Crosley. Crosley was not granting interviews on Monday.

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