It was cool back then and it’s just as awesome now.
I was walking along my neighbourhood path yesterday and stumbled upon a special surprise…
This is the Vancouver Olympic Cauldron
Just for this week after having been relit only once for Canada Day, the Vancouver Olympic Cauldron was ignited once again to commemorate a gentleman by the name of Jack Poole who was head of the Vancouver Olympic Bid Committee and responsible for bringing the 2010 Winter Olympics to Canada. He died of pancreatic cancer just hours after the Torch Relay began in Greece. They have hence renamed this new area of Coal Harbour to “Jack Poole Plaza”.
I remember when we first saw the Olympic Cauldron in all its glory.
(Below) Me, Craig and Josh on opening night.
We chased Wayne Gretzky (Canadian Hockey Legend) down from BC Place Stadium to see him light the cauldron on the opening night of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. It was a major party.
For a brief time, Vancouver was not the same… it was alive in a way I had never seen before.
This thing is so rad. You should see it at night though (I didn’t catch it with the flames this time but still…)
The Cauldron with SHAW building in the background. If you are familiar with the video game “Halo”, this might be a familiar site.
Yes, it changes colour too.
In my books, few things rival the excellence of this fixture.
Wait a minute…who’s that in the fountain? As I stood there taking these pictures, some dude decided it was a good idea to grab pennies thrown into the fountain. A clever alternative to begging but the security guard didn’t think so, neither would the Vancouver Olympic Committee I imagine. It wouldn’t be my first choice. Regardless, I found it slightly amusing.
I stayed for a while next to the cauldron. Despite the flames being so high up, it was really quite toasty and nice on this chili day.
I feel very fortunate that I can visit this thing any time I please, it really is warming to the eye and the spirit.
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