Plaza of Nations
Encyclopedia
The Plaza of Nations was an entertainment complex located on the northeast shore of False Creek
False Creek
False Creek is a short inlet in the heart of Vancouver. It separates downtown from the rest of the city. It was named by George Henry Richards during his Hydrographic survey of 1856-63. Science World is located at its eastern end and the Burrard Street Bridge crosses its western end. False Creek is...

 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

It was part of the British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

 Pavilion during Expo '86, and along with Science World
TELUS World of Science
Telus World of Science is a "brand" for a number of science centre, planetarium, and space centre facilities in Canada sponsored by Telus, a Canadian telecommunications company...

, Canada Place
Canada Place
Canada Place is a building situated on the Burrard Inlet waterfront of Vancouver, British Columbia. It is the home of the Vancouver Convention Centre, the Pan Pacific Hotel, Vancouver's World Trade Centre, and the world's first permanent IMAX 3D theatre . The building's exterior is covered by...

, and the Roundhouse Community Centre is one of the remaining physical reminders of Expo '86. The sheltered plaza had a capacity of 4500 for performances. The Plaza had been nominated by the city's Heritage Commission to be added to the Vancouver Heritage Register. Along with the Roundhouse and Science World, Plaza of Nations was considered important for demarcating the spatial extent of the world's fair, which was a transformative event for the city in its centennial year. It was decided in 2007 that the building was to be demolished completely, leaving the Edgewater Casino the only remaining structure, although it may be rebuilt or redesigned.

Plaza of Nations consisted of Enterprise Hall, the West Building, the East Building, and the Covered Plaza. It has been owned by Canadian Metropolitan Properties since 1990. The site houses Edgewater Casino, and hosted various cultural and entertainment events, including the Dragon Boat Festival
Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival
The Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival or Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival takes place every June on the waters and shoreside of False Creek in Vancouver, British Columbia...

, and has been a popular events venue for various ethnic communities in Vancouver, as well as for corporate events.

Plaza of Nations was the only outdoor sheltered plaza in Vancouver, as well as the city's only cultural venue on the waterfront. It was also an important mid-size venue for popular music acts.

The Plaza has been used for a filming location for numerous projects, to include the fourth season of the well-known series Stargate SG1 in the episode named "2010," as well as "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century (film)
Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century (film)
Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century is a 1999 Disney Channel Original Movie, starring Kirsten Storms as the eponymous heroine and Raven-Symoné; this was the first work by Symoné for Disney.-Synopsis:...

," a 1999 Disney Channel Original Movie.

Planned as a temporary structure to be torn down after Expo '86, the glass roof of the plaza was found to be unsafe by city officials in November 2006, with notices to that effect being posted in the offices of the ownership on Wednesday, November 22 and subsequently the area under the canopy was fenced off for public safety. The sudden closure forced the events planned for the space to move with little or no notice (see Portobello West
Portobello West
Portobello West fashion and art market is a monthly market held in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The Market is a regular monthly event from March to December at which local designers and artisans can sell their creations directly to the public....

). In January, 2007 the ownership decided that the cost of repairing the roof was too high, and opted to demolish both the roof and its two adjoining office buildings. As of November 2007, demolition of the roof has been completed and all tenants of the adjoining structures have vacated. Plans for use of the space have not been released, however the owners and the City of Vancouver are planning continued use of the plaza as a covered outdoor performance venue.
As of March 2008, the west building office structure is completely demolished. The future of the site remains unclear as the east office complex has not been abandoned and the plaza concert amiptheatre was rebuilt and restored with original seatings and new flooring.
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