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November 25, 1982

 

The Other Press

Page 11

 

 

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““What can we do to fill
space in the next edition of
the Other Press? I asked my-
self. Certainly students don’t
want to see any more blurry
pictures of the new campus,
now that the majority of us
have moved in.

Then it hit me. I’ll go take
some blurry pictures of the
new stadium in Vancouver.
I promptly phoned B.C.
Place in an attempt to gain
tickets to the roof-raising,
scheduled for November 14.
After the usual run-around,
I was able to contact the man
responsible for press rela-
tions.

‘Hello, I’m with the Other
Press.’ (Luckily, I was at
home, as this is not some
thing I would utter within the
walls of the College, for fear
of being drawn and quarter-
ed.). ‘‘Iwould like to know if
it would be possible to gain
access to the roof-raising?’’

Press gets soaked

Under The Dome

He said the event was
strictly for guests and the
working press. But, after
further discussion in which I
informed him that the Other
Press has a readership of
approximately 2500 (so I lied
a bit; I didn’t want to tell him
that most students at Doug-
las College use the Other

Press only as a buffer be-

tween the construction dust
and the derriere of their des-
igner jeans, rather than a
legitimate forum of editorial
comment.),eventually I was
able to convince the gentle-
man of my sincere desire to
cover the event, and he
added my name to the list of
media.

On Sunday morning I went
to the press entrance, where
I was given media identifica-
tion and a hard hat (were
they anticipating prob-
lems?). As I walked across
the mud floor of the stadium,

I couldn't help but notice the
40,000 square yard teflon
sheet which hung 40 metres
above my head. Soon, six-
teen fans would lift the 46
ton roof (Would the hard hat
protect me if it fell?).
I marvelled at how far archi-
tecture has come. Just think-
an inflatable stadium!
Arriving at the press area,
I found a spot and started to
unpack my equipment. I was
feeling slightly uncomfort-
able in the midst of all the
professional media-types,
when suddenly the roof
heaved and gallons of water
started pouring down on the
press section. People scur-
ried out from under the down
pour, all except the t.v.
cameramen, who were
forced to hug their equip-
ment and absorb the water.
My insecurity vanished as I
watched these seasoned
professionals reduced to

Photos And Text By Sean Valentini

sponge. They were uncom-
fortable now.

I wondered how, on this
beautiful sunny day, I had
arranged to be in the only
place in town where it
rained. Perhaps the building
was getting back at those
who gave it negative press.

At 10:00, the procession of
dignitaries entered, 16 of
them. Terror took hold. Had
they decided to scrap the
fans and inflate the roof with
hot air from speeches in-
stead?

I quickly regained my ration
ale and as the speeches got
underway, I snapped some
blurry pictures of Mr. Ben-
nett. I was pleasantly sur-
prised by the short duration
of the 2 or 3 speakers; un-
fortunately, Mr. Bennett
found it necessary to quip
“This is the only kind of
inflation we want in B.C.”
as he started the first fan.

Those of you sitting on my
article can formulate your
own smart-aleck remark to
that one.

The stadium offers an ama-
zingly good view from most
areas. The capacity is 60,000
in high-back armchair seats.
which raises the question:
who’s going to fill it now that
the Who’s not going to fill it?

Within a few hours, it can
be divided into a half-
stadium configuration with a
capacity of 30,000 people.

The turf, called polygras,
attaches to the field with
Velcro fasteners and can be
easily removed within hours
to avoid damage from man-
made disasters, like rock
concerts.

B.C.Place is attractive,
functional and long overdue
in a city with Vancouver's
population and climate. I’m
pleased that those of us who
attended the roof-raising
were the last professional
sports fans to be rained on in
this city.

 

 

 

Inflation
In BC.