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Here on the shores of sparkling False Creek, the climate is moderate, the mood warm and inviting.
It's the Mediterranean of Canada. An ocean inlet of sun-drenched leisure enjoyment. A place to let the heat soak in and dissolve life's stresses.
The resort-like atmosphere is heightened by the charm of the setting. Boating, kayaking and ferry excursions are as much a part of the scene as a high noon brunch on your
patio or catching the fading rays on an evening seawall stroll.
Something wonderful is happening in Vancouver.
Growing numbers of people are discovering that their mature years can be a time of opportunity, renewal and discovery.
They're trading in the responsibility of a single family home and yard for a new sense of freedom; a whole new way of living, filled with possibilities for personal
enjoyment and enrichment.
Nowhere can you enjoy this new Vancouver lifestyle more fully than at Concord Pacific Place.
Designed with style and elegance, it offers such high tech features as fibre optics -- the futuristic link with the latest in home entertainment and
communications. Plus a fully integrated security system that means peace of mind both within your home and while you're away.
To really take advantage of the sunswept setting, you might choose a residence with a spacious balcony. Great for outdoor entertaining,
and for discovering the joys of patio gardening.
Holiday time is anytime in this carefree community by the sea. Vancouver is moving into the major leagues of sports and entertainment --
and you've got a ringside seat!
Adding to the action is pro football with the Lions at BC Place Stadium. Plus special events ranging from Dragon Boat racing on
False Creek to Molson Indy racing on the streets of Concord Pacific Place.
In a mellower mood, you might try an arts or fitness program at the Roundhouse, one of the most distinctive community centres
anywhere, stroll over to Yaletown for out-of-the-ordinary shopping and dining, take a walk along the seawall that wends its scenic
way along the False Creek waterfront. Or simply enjoy the tranquility of David Lam Park, ten acres of green space overlooking False Creek.
It's all part of the local scene, part of the special lifestyle you'll enjoy in Vancouver's sunniest downtown waterfront setting.
Host of CBC TV's 'Canadian Gardener'
Gardening on your patio or balcony offers all the enjoyment of nurturing live plants without the drudgery of weeding, mowing lawns and trimming hedges.
You can achieve remarkable results even in a relatively small area, and still have time left over for a walk on the seawall and other leisure activities.
There are, however, one or two key factors essential to success.
Siting -- Plants can be successfully grown in south, west or north-facing sites -- it's just a matter of the right plants and the right care.
However, an east-facing location is best, since it receives the beneficial rays of morning sun while avoiding summer's intense afternoon and late evening sun.
Containers -- It's fun to select pots or windowboxes for a balcony or terrace garden, as there are currently so many to choose from. While
ceramic pots are beautiful, even the most expensive of them are not reliably winterproof, and can split during the freezing and thawing of
even a West Coast winter. There are fabulous faux pots made from durable plastic which will last for years -- plus attractive wooden planters.
The great thing about plants is that they don't care how much you paid for the pot as long as the size is right and you fill it with a decent growing
mix. But whichever container you choose, it must have drainage trays, to keep water from dripping on neighbours below.
Soil mixes -- Most of us city dwellers get our potting soils from local nurseries or super-markets. And most of the mixes sold by them are
90 percent peat with some perlite or vermiculite added for drainage and cosmetic purposes. These mixes work well for south, west and
east-facing locations. However, for northern exposure you may need to add a little more drainage material (no more than a quarter the
total amount). This will prevent the pots from remaining too wet during rainy weather.
Planting -- The spring months of April through early June are when most annuals are available. Select healthy plants and always splurge,
planting closer together than you would in a garden situation. First, place some drainage material in the bottom of the pot over the
drainage holes to prevent soil from washing out. I recycle all kinds of plastic household items for drainage as they are light and durable --
for example, dental floss containers, small plastic pill bottles and plastic toothpaste tubes.
Only fill the pot to the two-thirds level with moist soil. Then add your plants. These may have varying rootball sizes,
and some may need a little extra soil pushed under them. When plants are all in place, fill in between with more soil mix.
The key point is to not overfill the containers with soil. There should always be four cm (about 1-1/2") between the top
of the soil and the rim of the pot for watering purposes.
Watering and feeding -- Once all planters are established and full of root, they will need watering at least daily --
especially those facing east, south and west. Northern exposed plants will not need as much. You will also need
to feed every day with a weak solution of liquid fertilizer. If the fertilizer label says one teaspoon per three litres,
I cut it down to just under half a teaspoon for the same amount of water.
Oh, and for those northern facing planters: feed them with a weak solution, perhaps twice a week.
Plants for shade -- Lobelia, fuchsia, begonia and mimulus all do well in shade, as do more permanent
perennial plants such as hosta and ferns. To keep the show going all summer in any location, always
pick off the dead flowers. This prevents them from forming seeds and encourages them to bloom more.
To find the supplies you need within close proximity of Concord Pacific Place, head for one of these urban garden centres:
Working independently -- but with a
common goal -- they are transforming False
Creek's north shore into a vibrant living
environment.
Barry Downs of Downs Archambault, who
has helped to transform the look of
downtown Vancouver with his work on
Canada Harbour Place and the city's new
downtown Library Square.
James Cheng, international architectural
competition winner, whose work includes
the Bob Prittie Metrotown branch of the
Burnaby Public Library as well as Robson
Central, the redevelopment of Vancouver's
former downtown library.
Richard Henriquez, Governor General
Award winner, whose contributions to a
more liveable Vancouver include the
redeveloped Sylvia Hotel and the Eugenia
and the Presidio Towers.
"The overall design, with its emphasis
on open green space framed by buildings
with excellent view corridors, certainly
celebrates the setting." Rick Hulbert As the
lead architect in the team responsible for the
original design for Concord Pacific Place,
Rick Hulbert was guided by three principles:
"touches from the railway era blending into the new areas close to the water."
Barry Downs
The brickwork and railway heritage of the "old" Vancouver, merging with a magnificent sweep of glass and green space, opening pathways to the sea and bringing people back to the water's edge.
This is the vision of the talented and innovative architects engaged in the creation of Concord Pacific Place.
"We think of the overall effect as 'rails and sails', touches from the railway era blending into the new areas close to the water," says Barry Downs, whose involvement in Concord Pacific Place ranges from Roundhouse Neighbourhood rezoning to the design of landmark buildings such as Crestmark and the Peninsula.
"From the outset, this development has been very true to its context," notes Downs, who was a member of the design consortium responsible for the original design plan. "Where Concord Pacific Place meets existing parts of downtown, it retains touches of the original character," he says, citing the Roundhouse Neighbourhood as a prime example of this practice. "Closer to the water, a marine feeling prevails, a sense of lightness, the use of sail-like shapes form a coastal affinity."
Within the unifying framework of the "rail and sail" concept is a great deal of diversity. According to Downs this is due partly to the highly individual design of each building, and partly to the abundant green space, including a network of water-front parks plus numerous courtyards, mews, mini-parks and gardens.
"It's the combination of open green space, diversity -- and a true sense of the Vancouver environment -- that gives Concord Pacific Place its special character. And its appeal as a new kind of urban community."
Take the Roundhouse Neighbourhood for example. On the one hand it's rooted in the past, with strong evidence of the area's history. On the other, it's a leading edge residential community, offering a diverse and innovative housing mix, to suit virtually everyone, from singles to parents with young children. Its centrepiece is the Roundhouse, the historic railway building now being redeveloped as a modern arts and cultural/community centre with a real heritage flavour.
Project architect for the Roundhouse community centre is Ron Lea of Baker McGarva Hart, the firm responsible for overall zoning work on the Roundhouse neighbourhood. Lea regards the facility as much more than a community centre. "It has a terrific amount of built-in public interest," he says. "First because of its history, second for its use during Expo 86. We're building on that interest by retaining much of the original look -- for example, leaving heavy wood beams exposed inside and sections of rail in some outdoor areas."
Due to be opened in late 1996, the Roundhouse community centre will provide 45,000 square feet of space, including a performance centre, art gallery, gymnasium, workshops and food service area.
The former locomotive turntable will become an outdoor performance centre, while attached to one side of the main building will be a new glass pavilion to house CPR Engine 374, which pulled the first transcontinental train into Vancouver in 1887.
"People will come here to get involved in arts and crafts, for dance and fitness programs, to see live performances, to mingle, have coffee and simply enjoy the community feel of the place," says Ron Lea. "That's what the whole Roundhouse Neighbourhood is about -- being part of a real community."
"It's a place for walking and cycling, where you can access everything without having to use your car."
The vision for this new downtown waterfront community grew out of an extensive consultation process involving the general public, civic planners, architects and Concord Pacific. One of the participants in that process has been Vancouver Councillor Gordon Price, who feels that Concord Pacific Place has significance far beyond our own region. "It could serve as an international model for developing sustainable cities," he says.
As Price notes, Concord Pacific Place gives Vancouver a major new downtown community with all the essentials for liveability. In addition to a wide variety of housing, the trend-setting development provides parks, a school, community centre and other public amenities.
"Concord Pacific is fully living up to the city's requirements in terms of population density, building spacing, view corridors and other factors," Price states. "In so doing they are creating an urban environment that appeals to all people. It's a place for walking and cycling, where you can access everything without having to use your car. And that certainly adds to the urban quality of life."
A senior city planner credits Concord Pacific Place with setting a new higher standard for urban housing,providing new appealing housing choices in the downtown area, and reclaiming much of the False Creek waterfront for use by the people of Vancouver.
"Parks extend throughout the
entire site, linked by a waterfront walkway."
Don Vaughan
"Think of Concord Pacific Place as a park with buildings added in," says landscape architect Don Vaughan. "Then you'll understand why it's such
an appealing residential community."
Vaughan, whose projects have included Whistler townsite design and master planning for the University of Victoria, helped to develop the original
design concept for Concord Pacific Place. It is a concept which establishes a unique relationship between park areas, buildings and streets.
"It all works together," he says, "but the parks are really predominant. They extend throughout the entire site, linked by a waterfront walkway that's
a prime recreational area for walkers, joggers and cyclists."
Even the streets are part of the park system in Concord Pacific Place.
"We've integrated the city street grid into the park system," Vaughan explains. "Streets such as Davie and Drake change when they enter the site.
Traffic is restricted, trees and greenery appear, and the streets merge with waterfront park areas."
A final element in the plan is variety, with each park having a distinctive character and purpose. "Andy Livingstone Park is activity-oriented, with facilities for everything from team sports to children's play. David Lam Park, while also allowing for varied activities, is less structured, an oasis of green in an urban setting."
The end result of this unique park-based plan is a highly appealing and liveable environment. Virtually every building at Concord Pacific Place faces a park, each with its own special appeal.
To the delight of present users of the system, Pacific Place Cable was recently granted a licence to provide cable-TV service to residents of Concord Pacific Place.
The decision by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission means that residents can continue to enjoy Canada's greatest range of standard TV channels at highly competitive rates. It marks the first successful application for a competing cable-TV service in Canada.
"I'm really pleased with the CRTC's decision," says Concord Pacific Place resident Garth Smith. "I can look forward to great service at better prices than anyone else in Vancouver. This is a great moment for consumers -- our voices have been heard."
During the CRTC public hearing process, over 1,300 people wrote letters supporting Pacific Place Cable. The supporters included satisfied residents and subscribers as well as Vancouver business leaders and people from all parts of British Columbia who favour increased consumer choice.
"This historic decision represents a true victory for the residents of Concord Pacific Place," says Jon Markoulis, president of Pacific Place Cable. "It has been a long process, but we're pleased that we can continue to offer the very best cable package -- and that our residents are the first to benefit from a truly competitive cable-TV industry."
The Pacific Place Cable package offers 46 channels including Super Channel, Canadian and American specialty channels and five U.S. "super stations." Subscribers receive a free weekly TV guide and monthly Prime Time magazine. All for less than half the cost of a comparable competitive package.
As an added benefit to subscribers, Pacific Place Cable makes no charge for extra outlets -- and no installation charge for new subscribers.
In addition to carrying a wide variety of TV signals, Pacific Place Cable will develop a community program channel. It will initially serve 800 apartments and condominiums at Concord Pacific Place, and expects to serve about 4,000 subscribers by the end of its seven-year licence period.
The majority owner of the new cable-TV service is MultiActive Communications, a member of the MultiActive Technologies Group, with BC TELECOM as a minority shareholder.
If you'd like further information about Pacific Place Cable, call 899-1000.
Following a tradition established in the making of the popular Stanley Park seawall, the stones are individually crafted and set in place. To date, a section of seawall
122 metres in length and 2.7 metres high has been constructed entirely with rock from the Concord Pacific Place site.
According to Scott Pasin, it's a win-win situation. "It eliminates the need to truck in rock for the seawall, and saves on hauling rock away from the site. That's good
for the environment, since it reduces truck traffic around the city."
The colourful Concord Pacific Place "road show" booth is appearing at sites throughout Greater Vancouver, with knowledgeable staff on hand to spread the
word about our unique urban waterfront lifestyle.
When will the seaside walkway be completed?
What is going to happen to the Roundhouse?
How was the Concord Pacific Place master plan developed?
Stop by our community booth at one of these locations:
Aug. 12 -- 18 Arbutus Centre, Vancouver
Expo Spirit rekindled
Its location is on Vancouver's East Side, its focus is the world of theatre, dance, music and visual arts.
Since 1973 the Vancouver East Cultural Centre has enriched our city's social and cultural life with its innovative, entertaining presentations. Recognized as
one of our nation's leading cultural institutions, it has nurtured the careers of such outstanding Canadian talents as singers Rita McNeil, Ian Tyson and Loreena
McKennitt, playwright John Gray and actor/playwright Morris Panych. It is a favourite performance site not only for audiences, but for dancers, actors and
musicians from across Canada and around the world. As a corporate donor to the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, Concord Pacific is proud to be associated
with such a vital part of our community life.
Readers of Living Magazine can enjoy great theatre, dance and music at incredible savings by signing up for the Centre's Cultch Express Card. As a
cardholder you get $4 off on every ticket you purchase -- plus the Cultch Calendar of Events mailed to your home. Order your card now by calling 254-9578.
A second-year star of the IndyCar circuit, Christian Fittipaldi gained a new set of fans when he visited B.C.'s Children's Hospital with a Mini Molson Indy car.
In addition to giving a boost to a worthy group of youngsters, his appearance helped to publicize the second annual Concord Pacific Mini Molson Indy
Vancouver, August 27 and 28 -- a special event in support of B.C.'s Children's Hospital.
The two-day go-kart race features competitions between corporate and group teams, involving all the elements of professional racing, from qualifying
to pit stops and driver changes. The teams will race around a specially designed, safe array of hairpin turns, chicanes, bends and straightaways --
but inside a one-third size Indy Kart powered by a 3-1/2 hp Briggs & Stratton engine.
The competition in this fund-raiser is expected to be more fun than fierce. And whoever crosses the line first, the big winner will be B.C.'s Children's
Hospital. For more information call (604) 875-2604.
The youngest driver on the IndyCar circuit, Greg Moore seems destined for a long and illustrious racing career. The 21-year old Maple Ridge native is the season's
rookie point leader -- and he has a special feeling for his "home" course.
"The race around the Concord Pacific Place has got to be one of the most unique on the circuit," says Moore. "The Molson Indy Vancouver has a special
downtown feel, particularly now that the area has become a real neighbourhood. I'm looking forward to being at home for a weekend of great racing."
Buy your tickets for the big event by July 31 and you're automatically entered to win a pair of tickets to the annual Molson Indy
Vancouver Gala dinner
on August 28 -- a fundraiser for the B.C. Alzheimer Society hosted by Greg Moore. Call the Ticket Hotline,
(604) 280-INDY.
Now in its seventh season, the Molson Indy Vancouver just keeps getting bigger and better. This year's race is expected to attract 170,000 fans over the
Labour Day weekend (August 30, 31 and September 1). The crowd will be cheering some of the world's best drivers as they roar around the streets of
Concord Pacific Place at speeds up to 300 km/h.
The big race will highlight a week-long festival of activities offering fun and excitement for all ages. The events include:
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        Articles
Resort Living in the heart of Downtown
The Fine Art of Patio and Balcony Gardening
The Architects of Visionary Living
Celebrating Vancouver's natural setting, history and potential
The Roundhouse. - A true neighbourhood feeling
An international model for civic development
COLUMBUS- A new world of waterfront living
PACIFIC PLACE CABLE OFFICIALLY LICENCED!
Recycling rocks for building blocks
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LOCATION : SEAWALK : SHOPS & SERVICES : KEEP ME INFORMED IN THE NEWS : ABOUT CONCORD : CONTACT US : LIVING MAGAZINE OUR HOMES : OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD : HOME WARRANTY |
| copyright Concord Pacific 1997, 1999. a multiactive production. |
Facing south the magical ingredient at Concord Pacific Place.
The only downtown waterfront community with full southern exposure.
Set amid parks and green space, gently basked by the sun, Concord Pacific Place is Vancouver's most liveable waterfront setting.
Facing south is what Concord Pacific Place is all about. It's the magical ingredient lending warmth and light to a very special waterfront lifestyle.
The sunny waterfront setting casts a golden glow over everything you do,
every moment you spend savouring the surrounding beauty of parks and seaside. And your home at Concord Pacific Place adds to the sense of being in
a fabulous seaside resort.
Within minutes of your home you can take in the city's biggest shows, from "Sunset Boulevard" at the Ford Theatre
to symphony concerts at the Orpheum Theatre and opera at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
Spectator sports are a whole new game at GM Place, just down the street from Concord Pacific Place. Whether
you're cheering on hockey's Vancouver Canucks or roaring for the Grizzlies of the NBA, it's an awesome experience, filled with pulsating music,
laser lighting and special entertainment effects.
You don't have to purchase sterilized soil for
outdoor planters -- but you should ask if any fertilizer is in the mix. If fertilizer is present (steer manure, for example) you don't add
anything at planting time. If nothing has been added, use a tablespoon of granular all-purpose 6-8-6 per three litres of soil. Never
overdo fertilizer at the early stages, as you can burn newly forming roots.
Plants for the sun -- These include pelargoniums, which most of us still call geraniums, plus all of the African
daisies such as osteosperum, gazania and felicia. Good old standbys like petunias, zinnias and marigolds also love the sun.
INSPIRING... VISIONARY... and highly
liveable. These are the qualities which set
Concord Pacific Place apart from any other
urban residential development in North
America. Qualities made possible by the
grandeur of the waterfront setting and by the
excellence of architectural talent involved in
the creation of finest urban waterfront
community. Included in the celebrated
group of Vancouver architects are: Rick
Hulbert of the Hulbert Group International,
whose worldwide master planning
experience ranges from the 2,000-acre
Sanctuary Cove resort on Australia's Gold
Coast to waterfront developments in Asia,
Europe and North America. 
A PLACE FOR PEOPLE... warm and inviting, with all the amenities and housing needed for a varied and vibrant community. That's the basic philosophy behind each of the neighbourhoods within Concord Pacific Place. Each has its own personality, its own distinctive touches and special features.
From its inception following Expo 86, Concord Pacific Place has been planned as a home for 15,000 people in a setting enriched by 50 acres of parkland and three kilometres of seaside walkway. A place for the enjoyment of a lifestyle unique to Vancouver.
Inspired by the romance of discovery, facing the sun and the sea, the
Columbus will rise above the premier location in Concord Pacific Place.
At Concord Pacific Place they're recycling "waste" rock into a useful building material, and enhancing a walkway to be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.
"While excavating for the Concordia we encountered some large boulders," recalls site superintendent Scott Pasin. "And instead of setting them aside for removal,
we decided to see if they had possibilities for use in the seawall."
A stone mason confirmed that the boulders were granite, suitable for splitting and shaping -- and this past April, the work began. "It's basically all hand work, calling
for great skill and a lot of effort," says Scott Pasin. "Each stone has to be drilled, split and split again, then shaped into a rectangular building block."
Colour, excitement -- and a touch of nostalgia -- highlighted Concord Pacific Celebration Day, June 22, at Vancouver's World Championship Dragon Boat Festival.
The special salute to Expo 86 featured an all-star show at the Plaza of Nations, with performers including the 600-voice Dragon Chorus, Vancouver's own Shari Ulrich,
the international cast of "Up With People" and the World Dragon Drum Fest. Combined with the festivities was a presentation to former Expo 86 Commissioner Patrick
Reid by Concord Pacific Senior Vice President Jon Markoulis.
Vancouver's Dragon Boat races had their beginnings at Expo 86, when the Chinese Cultural Association staged races with six boats donated by the Hong Kong
Tourism Association. It's a legacy worth celebrating!
