While large events might still seem to be in the distant future to many of us, the Vancouver Conference Centre (VCC) put together a 'safe events plan' to prepare for that ever-nearer time.
Called ReDesign, the VCC worked with industry partners to create a "live demonstration space exploring the future of safe events amidst a changing industry landscape," according to a press release. It looks like a usual conference space but there are a variety of pandemic-related safety upgrades, including social distancing protocols, hanging plastic shields and hand sanitizer stations. More advanced ideas were included as well, including new delegate management and catering processes.
The event happened late last year; now they've recently released a 360 photo tour of the space for everyone to see. Three's also a video tour.
“When the time is right, and it is safe and appropriate to resume events, it is critical that we and our partners are fully prepared to welcome guests back into our facility confidently," says Craig Lehto, VCC general manager, in the release. "With ReDesign, we took a proactive step to explore what events at that time will look like and how they can function so that our clients are able to host meaningful experiences with the assurance that decisions are informed by safety as a foundational priority.”
During the ReDesign guests gave feedback on their experience. They've also consulted with health authorities about the design of ReDesign.
The pandemic has impacted the VCC's activities, but the space hasn't been stagnant. There have been film productions on-site, organizations needing larger than usual spaces have used the VCC's very large spaces (like for exams or tests by professional organizations) and it's housed some pandemic operations. They've also rebooked events for the future.
