May 2011

Special Edition

Canada’s Meeting Place Grand Opening

From a showman suspended outside of three-story-high exterior glass walls to an airborne performer spinning inside of a blazing wheel of fire, our nation’s capital sure knows how to throw a party. And right in the mix was AVW-TELAV with Accucom Corporate Communications Inc. ensuring that the Ottawa Convention Centre (OCC) Grand Opening would be the most-buzzed-about bash of the year.

All four floors of the building were lit to reflect colour themes: Level 1 was Red, representing Canada; Level 2 was Green, representing the environment; Level 3 was Blue, representing the facility’s proximity to the Rideau Canal; and Level 4 was White, representing White Glove Service. These also happen to be the core colours of OCC’s logo. One-hundred-plus LED lighting fixtures were used to reinforce these colours throughout the facility.

However, there were two main areas located both in and surrounding the magnificent structure that we were asked to focus on. The first was Canada Hall, a 56,000-square-foot ballroom inside the venue that can accommodate 5,000 people. On this night, the room hosted 1,400 VIP dignitaries, who witnessed an incredible 45-minute Grand Opening celebration to mark this important milestone.


Lasers were utilized to create an ultra-cool three-colour grid effect throughout the room.




The production featured members of a remarkable Cirque troupe, known as Cirque Eloize. These world class cirque entertainers performed on a trampoline, which was inset into the stage so that the audience was not aware of its existence. In addition, AVW-TELAV built an 18’ high projection wall from which a cirque performer took a flying leap, following the ribbon cutting.

Shortly after, the room went black and filled with lasers and projections of the exterior of the building, as three cirque performers appeared to dance against the outside surface of the building, which was our next focus.

The final production took place on the exterior of the building, which boasts a giant façade of curved glass—the biggest wall of curved glass in the country. As the guests exited the theatre, a dynamic outdoor fireworks show ensued, and a cirque performer was suspended outside the glass wall exterior of the building from the third floor.



Suddenly, a 10’ diameter steel pyro wheel rose from above the Rideau Canal, to a height of approximately 60’, directly in front of our guests. The wheel was suspended by a 70-tonne industrial crane and positioned 40’ from the glass building. Sparks and fireworks shot out from the wheel as it spun in the sky.

As the OCC’s in-house audio visual supplier, AVW-TELAV provided all the sound, lighting, video and media production for this breathtaking spectacle. “AVW-TELAV was hugely important in bringing these ideas to life,” said Rick Naylor, Producer, Accucom Corporate Communications Inc. “They were there from concept through to completion and were my key partners in the execution of this amazing event.”