Olympic Cauldron
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
15 reviews for Olympic Cauldron
15 reviews in English
-
Review from Irena L.
3/30/2011 11 Check-ins Here
I am giving it 5 stars just because this is one of my favourite areas in Vancouver. I love it! It is so nice for a stroll early in the morning and late at night. I love what they are doing with new convention centre. The other day I saw a pub/restaurant there that I never saw before. It is located in the new convention centre, near the water by that big droplet of water statue!I forgot the name, but I will definitely go back to try it!
Cauldron itself is nice because of what it stands for, and it is a great reminder of what happened in the city! On such a gorgeous spot, I just can't say anything bad about it! I just can't judge its design.
I like that orca statue that is next to it too! -
Review from Reena M.
10/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Ditto to what Simon K. said. This is a symbol of a time in Vancouver when it was the liveliest, friendliest, and proudest. It's nice to see it and remember those times. :)
-
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
3/3/2011 2 photos
I should have brought a Cigarette Lighter or something. While apparently I came when the Olympic Cauldron is no longer fenced in, it's not lit on fire either. It still sits on one of the picturesque backdrops of Vancouver with Snowy Mountains of North Vancouver behind it.
It looks more like a Glass Toothpick Hut than a Fiery Cauldron at the moment. It would have been AWESOME to BBQ some Meat on this puppy. That's what I would call "eating in style". YUM!Listed in: Vancouver'ing for the Week
-
Review from Simon K.
A standing symbol for this city of a time, that in most Canadians hearts, and especially that of Vancouverite's was one of the happiest times where the world was focused on Vancouver. The symbol of the Olympics, the Cauldron, where it is still standing today, sitting in the perfect name where it should be, "Jack Poole Plaza", the sight even today, with the no fie coming from above is a beautiful, peaceful sight, and a standing legacy.
Gone are the fences and gates that obstructed the distance people could get to the pillars, but also gone to is the flame that lit the sky from above. I heard for a measley fee of $10,000 you could light it up for some special event, maybe your wedding pictures, to allow the gas and flames to burn bright! What now sits is the cross pillars, and a clear view of the water and mountains. Being down here I see that some people, on a beautiful sunny day, sit here for their lunch's during the working day. Where once people were here in the droves lining up just for that perfect picture with the famed flame, now it's just a symbol of what once was.
You can get some beautiful shots of this structure now, and if you were here back when the world was watching you have that feeling of re-living this moment once more. The terrace above is another nice stretch of design, as it gives you a different angle of looking at this piece of work. In some ways this is a shrine, but one where it is now all opened to the people to enjoy. -
Review from Don B.
2/26/2010 1 photo
The Cauldron itself: 5 stars
The fence surrounding the cauldron: 0 stars
The hastily-built viewing platform: 5 stars
The 75 minute queue t get up on the platform when there really weren't a ton of people on it: 0 stars
Overall, I think that averages out to 3.
Glad I was able to snag an unobstructed photo of it through a hole in the fence. Sucks that I couldn't get a photo of any of my friends in front of it without getting the damn fence in there. Oh well. At least the dignitaries got to get up close.Listed in: Oh Canada...., Diggin' the 'Couve!
-
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
2/23/2010 1 photo
The Olympic Cauldron sits just east of the new Olympic convention center and has the waterfront as a backdrop. It will remain as a permanent fixture after the Olympics (albeit, the flame will be snuffed out). The structure itself is quite impressive with its five flames and is a definite must-see during the Olympics.
I came here the day after the Opening Ceremonies (after Gretzky's awkward truck ride down here with the torch). And like much of the crowd, I stood here in stunned silence - not at the sight of the cauldron, but because of the ugly chain-link fence that kept the unwashed masses a good 50m from the cauldron. This wasn't the image they showed on CTV. I heard the murmurs - 'Is this permanent?', 'I can't get a picture without the fence', etc. - but no one said what everyone was thinking: "THIS SUCKS!"
On the other side of the fence was a platoon of security guards with absolutely nothing to do - have fun collecting that overtime! The VIPs wandering inside the security zone avoided eye contact with the plebs as they freely snapped unobstructed pictures. The sight infuriated me as it was just a reminder that the Olympics weren't for me or other Vancouverites - it was just a over-glorified corporate circle-jerk. But I felt especially bad for tourists that couldn't get a decent picture as a souvenir (VANOC offered 'nice' photos for download online - gee, thanks for throwing a mongrels a bone).
However, despite the attempts in recent days to make it more visible and accessible (moving the fence closer, replacing sections of ugly chain-link fence with plexiglass and allowing access to skywalk with an unobstructed view) - this structure is just a reminder of the ineptitude of VANOC. While I am glad to are listening to the public outcry and doing something about it, whoever designed the original security fence should be shot.
I am aware there is a security concern as the site is so symbolic and it's the first publicly accessible cauldron - but the original execution was just horrid. I hope the chain-link fence doesn't become my most vivid memory of the Vancouver 2010.Listed in: Shots Fired, Olympic Events/Venues
-
Review from Janel Y.
2/23/2010 1 photo
Cool to see the Olympic cauldron...not so cool to gets pictures of it with the wire fence. If you're heading here, there's really no "best time" to go. The place is CROWDED...not only on your way to and from the cauldron but right in front of it there's a mass of people who are taking pictures of it.
You can't get very close to it due to the wire fence and if you're tall, you're lucky because you'll get a nice view of it. But still, it's the Olympic cauldron and you're probably closer to it than most people!Listed in: O Canada!
-
Review from Sachi M.
I didn't bother going during the Games. I like what they've done with it since.
The plaza has turned into a nice public space, with lots of benches. It makes Vancouver seem like a big city :) My favourite part is the lounge-chair-shaped seating, facing west. Must be a nice place to sun tan in the summer.
It connects to the waterfront pathway all the way to Stanley Park!
The cauldron itself and some lighting towers(?) surrounding it are lit up at night, and change colours. Pretty. -
Review from Evilyn T.
3/1/2010 2 photos
We went to visit the flame after the German v. Finland hockey game late at night. The cauldron, which looks like it belongs in the fortress of solitude from Superman comics, was actually surrounded by a shitty fence because the police were afraid that people would vandalize it. So now all of your Olympic photos can feature you and your loved ones in front of the cauldron that is in prison.
By the time we got to the cauldron it was 1am, there was a small crowd and some security guards, and the platform for viewing the torch unobstructed was closed, so you had to stick your camera through the fence and hope for the best. I don't understand why they needed to put the fence up, with the security they had in place at the cauldron it seemed a little excessive and unnecessary. Of course, the next morning they replaced the fence with plexi-glass windows.... just my luck. -
Review from Lee N.
Vancouver, BC
3/1/2010 1 photo
Love it and have photographed it at dawn, best time only two of us taking pictures and 4 police. I saw it lit and will forever remember The Great One in the rain with a REAL smile, he was loving it.
If you missed it lit then head over during the Para Olympics when they light it again for the duration of the second half of the games. -
Review from David L.
2/23/2010
First of all, VANOC shouldn't have put the cheap looking wired fence at the site of the Olympic Cauldron. Secondly, updating it by cutting parts of it off and putting glass at the bottom doesn't help it either. Taking a picture through glass doesn't help due to the reflections. They just have to remove the top wired fence part. It completely ruins everything!!!
In order to get a better view or picture, you can line up for 2 hours (weekdays in the morning) or more at the upper viewing area which you have to climb some stairs to get to the viewing balcony.
On the bright side, the crowds at the Olympic Cauldron are mostly very polite and friendly. My Dad lost his wallet at the cauldon and someone picked it up and gave it back to my Dad. -
Review from S R.
5/8/2011
Hats off to Vancouver for finding the perfect place to display this thing. Very nice to see it up close, with all four pillars (as opposed to the three used during the opening ceremonies due to the equipment malfunction!)
-
Review from Linda S.
10/18/2010 2 Check-ins Here
A culturally important location for all Canadians.
-
Review from D J.
11/15/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Wish I was at the Winter Olympics, At least I got to see the touch when it was lit.
-
Review from Kal B.
3/12/2010
you gotta go take a look just to say you did.. if you want a good picture of it, just google it.. i'm sure theres lots of great ones out there.. your friends will never know you didn't take it.. lol
