mr.x
July 23rd, 2007, 08:22 PM
Province mum on BC Place report
Chad Skelton, Vancouver Sun
Published: Monday, July 23, 2007
The Crown corporation that operates BC Place warned the province about the need for improvements to the aging structure in a report written nearly seven months before the stadium's roof deflated, The Vancouver Sun has learned.
But exactly what those improvements were is unknown -- because the government is keeping the report's details a secret.
In response to a Freedom of Information request from The Sun, B.C. Pavilion Corp. (PavCo) released a 15-page report it sent to the B.C. Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Arts on June 20, 2006.
The report, titled "Infrastructure Improvements to BC Place Stadium," notes that "improvements are required to the infrastructure of BC Place Stadium so as to bring it up to standards expected by clients and spectators at events."
The report notes that the stadium "was built in 1983, and since then there have been no significant upgrades to infrastructure."
It also refers to "worn-out assets which are critical to basic tenant operations."
Whatever else the report said, though, is a mystery because, in the copy provided to The Sun, 14 of the report's 15 pages are completely blacked out.
PavCo refused to release those pages under Section 13(1) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, which says public bodies "may refuse to disclose ... information that would reveal advice or recommendations" to the government.
However, that exemption is optional, meaning PavCo could have released the information if it wanted to.
Tourism Minister Stan Hagen, who is responsible for PavCo, was unavailable for comment, according to ministry spokesman Don McDonald.
McDonald, speaking on behalf of the ministry, said the PavCo report "contained various options on future capital construction or projects for BC Place."
Asked if the report included anything about BC Place's roof, McDonald said: "Not to my knowledge, no."
However, pressed further, McDonald conceded he actually hadn't seen the report and knew nothing about its contents -- including whether or not it suggested roof improvements.
"I actually don't know what's in the report," he said.
McDonald said he didn't know if the government had acted on any of the improvements suggested in the report.
"That's going to be hard for me to answer when I don't know what's in the report," he said.
Asked if there was anyone else in the ministry familiar with the report who could answer the question, McDonald said he was the only one available.
McDonald said PavCo's decision to black out most of the report was made in consultation with the ministry.
He refused to say why the government decided to keep the report secret, saying only that it contained advice to cabinet.
In an interview, BC Place general manger Howard Crosley refused to reveal what infrastructure problems were identified in the report -- other than to say none of them "endangers public safety."
Asked if the report identified any concerns with the stadium's roof, he replied: "I really can't comment on the report. I'm sorry."
Crosley also refused to say whether any improvements had been made to the stadium since the report was written.
BC Place's inflatable roof deflated on Jan. 5 after several tears appeared in the roof's fabric.
The roof was repaired and reinflated two weeks later.
Engineers hired by PavCo to examine the roof later concluded that it deflated as a result of human error, a weak fabric panel and, to a lesser extent, windy conditions.
cskelton@png.canwest.com
© The Vancouver Sun 2007
Chad Skelton, Vancouver Sun
Published: Monday, July 23, 2007
The Crown corporation that operates BC Place warned the province about the need for improvements to the aging structure in a report written nearly seven months before the stadium's roof deflated, The Vancouver Sun has learned.
But exactly what those improvements were is unknown -- because the government is keeping the report's details a secret.
In response to a Freedom of Information request from The Sun, B.C. Pavilion Corp. (PavCo) released a 15-page report it sent to the B.C. Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Arts on June 20, 2006.
The report, titled "Infrastructure Improvements to BC Place Stadium," notes that "improvements are required to the infrastructure of BC Place Stadium so as to bring it up to standards expected by clients and spectators at events."
The report notes that the stadium "was built in 1983, and since then there have been no significant upgrades to infrastructure."
It also refers to "worn-out assets which are critical to basic tenant operations."
Whatever else the report said, though, is a mystery because, in the copy provided to The Sun, 14 of the report's 15 pages are completely blacked out.
PavCo refused to release those pages under Section 13(1) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, which says public bodies "may refuse to disclose ... information that would reveal advice or recommendations" to the government.
However, that exemption is optional, meaning PavCo could have released the information if it wanted to.
Tourism Minister Stan Hagen, who is responsible for PavCo, was unavailable for comment, according to ministry spokesman Don McDonald.
McDonald, speaking on behalf of the ministry, said the PavCo report "contained various options on future capital construction or projects for BC Place."
Asked if the report included anything about BC Place's roof, McDonald said: "Not to my knowledge, no."
However, pressed further, McDonald conceded he actually hadn't seen the report and knew nothing about its contents -- including whether or not it suggested roof improvements.
"I actually don't know what's in the report," he said.
McDonald said he didn't know if the government had acted on any of the improvements suggested in the report.
"That's going to be hard for me to answer when I don't know what's in the report," he said.
Asked if there was anyone else in the ministry familiar with the report who could answer the question, McDonald said he was the only one available.
McDonald said PavCo's decision to black out most of the report was made in consultation with the ministry.
He refused to say why the government decided to keep the report secret, saying only that it contained advice to cabinet.
In an interview, BC Place general manger Howard Crosley refused to reveal what infrastructure problems were identified in the report -- other than to say none of them "endangers public safety."
Asked if the report identified any concerns with the stadium's roof, he replied: "I really can't comment on the report. I'm sorry."
Crosley also refused to say whether any improvements had been made to the stadium since the report was written.
BC Place's inflatable roof deflated on Jan. 5 after several tears appeared in the roof's fabric.
The roof was repaired and reinflated two weeks later.
Engineers hired by PavCo to examine the roof later concluded that it deflated as a result of human error, a weak fabric panel and, to a lesser extent, windy conditions.
cskelton@png.canwest.com
© The Vancouver Sun 2007