It's up and it's skookum!

The back of the wall.

Check out those details: the topic of discussion in the endless conversations with hands going this way and that, with scribbles and crude drawings on envelopes, napkins, pieces of plywood -- the details -- to ensure that the structure will be air tight, water tight, strong enough to hold the weight of the glass, the metal, the ice -- here they are.

Plates

Here's a blast from the past: Erik Olson and Gord Halloran in the square at Fortezza di Fenestrelle, waiting for the plates to be set up in the church -- for the installation for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games. Check out the alps in the background, the snow everywhere. www.paintingsbelowzero.blogspot.com


These same plates - they've been to Italy, Toronto, Niagara-on-the-lake and Chicago.


Now, they're on the Sunshine Coast at Northwest Contracting, where it's fall, it's sunny.

The barn's been raised

We got there at the last minute, after all these small considerations had been carefully thought out.


And realized.



Just in time for the last frame to be raised.


Mind you, all this is coming down again, piece by piece, shipped to Richmond, and re-assembled on site.






The crew gave me their contact info, written in pencil on a piece of plywood. The next few days, they'll be attaching the plates to the structure. Here they are, our trusty friends, the refrigeration plates (who have gone with us from Italy, to Toronto, Niagara-on-the-lake, Chicago) all stacked up and ready to go again.


Then when we went to the post office, there was a package - from Erik Olson - with photos of all the past installations. Just to remember, here's one of his treasures:



Does anyone know what installation this one is from? Send me a note! (include your email; if you're the first to guess right, I'll send you a poster! Hint, hint:)

www.paintingsbelowzero.blogspot.com (Italy)
www.paintingsbelowzeroinontario.blogspot.com
(Toronto, Niagara-on-the-lake)
www.paintingsbelowzeroinmillenniumpark.blogspot.com (Chicago)

Yesterday

You know that saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words" ??

In the Details

Things are coming together in a hurry at Allan May's Northwest Contracting.




Faster than the leaves are falling off the trees. It's all about the widgets, drill holes and fittings that will make or break us when the heat is on:


the o rings, the Q decking, the flush bolts, the valve fittings.




I saw the horses in the fields, met the crew, (including 'The Welder') and learned they've just drilled 480 new holes in the refrigeration plates and the t-bars. Brian Kane is making the plywood deck upon which the structure will be based.



In spite of the fact that we're one t-bar short, the frames will be welded together tomorrow. Here it is - the length of it.

115 days until the opening of the Olympics, and we open two days prior.

Follow Performance for Ice Gate at www.icegatedance.blogspot.com

Diwali & drawings on a napkin

It's happening here on the Sunshine Coast! up at Allan May's where the structure to hold the Ice Gate is being constructed.


It's an exercise in discovery: they're making the wall and will dismantle prior to rebuilding it at Richmond's City Hall - and in the process find out any unforseen details prior to the final approval of the design.



Check it out: here is (almost) the length of the Ice Gate !



Sandi Swanigan was our hero at a meeting with the City of Richmond, where David, Ann, Alan, Gord, Doug and even Ari (on the phone) were present.


We covered accommodation, cold storage space, budget, and other essential topics in the wake of Ann Phelps' absence, and now we're back on track. I still can't wait to meet Ted Townsend.

Here are some pics of our adventures; an excellent restaurant with every kind of vegetarian curry; that's Gord and Allan drawing on a napkin.


They're always at it, penning in new details, sorting out the creation of the wall structure. It's going to embody the word "skookum" as far as I can tell.


Here's a tardy pix from Allan's camera: unloading the container prior to loading it up to go to the Sunshine Coast.


Had our first rehearsal of Performance for Ice Gate in Sechelt's Seaside Center. Check it out:
www.icegatedance.blogspot.com

Improvisation!

We're setting up an Ice Gate Central on the coast where we'll build the first section of the free-standing freezing wall with a very capable Allan May. In Richmond, our Production Manager, Ari Lazer, is on the hustle for the freezer/cold storage space.


Meanwhile, luckily there is something absolutely joyful happening to distract us all - Performance for Ice Gate. We had our first rehearsal last Sunday, and gathered in Frank West Hall in Gibsons. Keep up with the dancers, choreographers, the fun at:

PERFORMANCE FOR ICE GATE BLOG:
www.icegatedance.blogspot.com