Vinyl building cover is larger than an Olympic-sized hockey rink
Stuart Hunter
Province
Bruce Langereis has erected a huge Canadian Flag on the outside of the Hotel Georgia at Georgia and Howe streets. Photograph by: Jon Murray, The Province
While some people may consider themselves patriotic, Bruce Langereis has taken being wrapped in the Maple Leaf to new heights.
Langereis, president of Delta Land Development, has wrapped Vancouver’s iconic Hotel Georgia in the largest Canadian flag ever made, in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Just how big is it? The vinyl building wrap is 32 meters high and 64 meters long — larger than an Olympic hockey rink — and it adorns two sides of the hotel now under restoration and renovation.
Langereis joked that he is renaming the intersection of Georgia and Howe streets “Canadian Corner.”
“It is perfect — there is nothing commercial about it and it is pure,” said Langereis, a former Canadian champion freestyle skier in the 1970s, when the sport wasn’t in the Olympics.
“When you stand on the corner, you’ll know why I am renaming it Canadian Corner — it’s a little tongue-in-cheek, but affectionately, it should be.”
The Hotel Georgia had a previous wrap — with advertising and an image of the future building — to stop construction debris from falling on to the streets below.
A co-worker suggested the Maple Leaf as a replacement, and Langereis thought it was a heartwarming idea.
“We wanted to do our bit to be part of the Games and one lady in our office said: ‘Why not wrap it in the flag?'” Langereis said on Friday. “It was a great way to get the image in there. It was patriotic and makes your heart glow.”
The 12-storey flag was made by North Vancouver’s Multigraphics Ltd. The two-day installation was completed Friday.
Langereis said he expects the flag will be the backdrop in thousands of photos between now and the Games.
“I am already getting phone calls from people in other buildings just saying, ‘Wow!'” said Langereis, 50. “People are already having their photo taken with it and [the work on the hotel] isn’t even finished.”
The hotel, built in 1927, is undergoing a major renovation and is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year. Delta is also developing a nearby residential tower.
“It will be the nicest boutique hotel in Canada,” said Langereis, who was born and raised in Vancouver and is the father of a son and daughter. “I can’t wait to get it done.”
About 10 Vancouver buildings will get major Olympic makeovers prior to the Games, with another 25 smaller facilities also featuring Olympic spirit.
The Bay installed a series of five-metre-by-16-metre banners on its facade this week.
The city had planned on limiting graphics installations until Jan. 1 but recently relaxed that bylaw until Oct. 1.
The city will begin installing its 6,000 street banners on Jan. 4.
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