O CANADA! Canadian Medalists will be music to our ears

February 10, 2010, (Vancouver, B.C.) – O-CA-NA-DA! It will be the sound heard from coast to coast to coast when a Canadian wins a medal in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. And for those celebrating in Vancouver, it will ring loud and clear. Whether you show your pride with tears of joy, hearty clapping, chest pumping or a silent smile, when you hear the Heritage Horns at Canada Place play the first four notes of our national anthem, you will know that it’s time to celebrate.

Typically, the Heritage Horns at Canada Place are affectionately recognized throughout Vancouver for sounding the first four notes of ‘O Canada’ daily at 12pm sharp, signalling lunchtime to the downtown core. For 16 days this February, the Heritage Horns will sound every time Canada wins a medal. Canada Place is proud to support and celebrate our nation’s athletes.

“At 115 decibels, ‘O Canada’ won’t be missed. The horns can be heard throughout downtown, on the North Shore, and sometimes, even a little beyond,” explains Robyn McVicker, Director of Communications & Public Affairs, Canada Place Corporation. “We are all proud Canadians, and Canada Place will be the conductor signalling a time for all of us to celebrate our great nation and our athletes who have worked so hard to represent Canada.” 

About the Heritage Horns
The Heritage Horns, which have been located on the roof of Canada Place for the past 15 years, were originally built as a BC Hydro (British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority) Canadian Centennial project in 1967. Designed by engineer and sound specialist, Robert Swanson, they were positioned on the roof of the original BC Hydro Building where they sounded every high noon in the downtown core for more than 20 years.

When BC Hydro vacated the building in the 1990s, the ten aluminum horns fell silent. They were refurbished and relocated to Canada Place and on November 8th of 1994, the familiar sounding of the horns returned to Vancouver at noon, just in time for lunch. It takes all ten horns and 109 cubic feet of air to play the first four notes of ‘O Canada’.

About Canada Place
Located in the heart of Vancouver’s downtown harbour front, Canada Place generates over $1 billion per year in economic activity and is the inspiring national landmark welcoming local residents, visitors and ships to the West Coast. Canada Place Corporation is the owner of Canada Place, and is the coordinating landlord for the organizations at Canada Place including the Pan Pacific Hotel, Port Metro Vancouver head office and Cruise Ship Terminal, World Trade Centre, VINCI Park parkade and Vancouver Convention Centre East. Canada Place Corporation hosts a number of marquee annual community events including Canada Day and Christmas at Canada Place. Canada Place is home to the Main Press Centre during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. www.canadaplace.ca.

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For more information, please contact:

Brett Calder                                                   Betsy Cooper
Canada Place                                                 b*co communications
T: 604.775.6245                                            T: 778.229.4947
E: bcalder@canadaplace.ca                            E: cooper@b-co.ca