C.N. PAVILION -- Expo 86

The Canadian National pavilion stood beneath a translucent canopy suspended from a 15 metre high steel latticework frame. This award winning pavilion, consisting of open-air displays and a circular theatre, was devoted to the theme "Carrying Things" and the importance in daily life of moving materials and information. During the fair, Canadian National also celebrated their 150th anniversary as Canada's first public railway operation.

Outdoors, the exhibit was aptly named "commMotion." Visitors pedalled furiously on stationary bicycles to make a hula hoop rise. A giant red cube accelerated down a four-storey ramp, while nearby, a dramatic blue parachute was cranked to the top of a mast. All the "commMotion" was designed to teach visitors, in a fun way, how Isaac Newton's four principles of motion -- uniform, circular, accelerated and oscillatory -- work in our world.

FROM THE BEST OF EXPO GUIDE:

Motion is celebrated with hands-on displays and an interesting audio-visual presentation at this award winning pavilion. The major portion of the exhibits is located outdoors under a large canopy to prevent overcrowding.

HIGHLIGHTS

-- MUST SEE -- The pavilion was awarded a Canadian Architectural Award, so take a moment to look at the impressive space-frame canopy and plazas over-looking False Creek.
-- Try your hand at some of the outdoor hands-on exhibits. Most of them require teamwork to provide enough energy to achieve the desired results.

To the amusement of visitors, the CN pavilion's staff scooted around the outdoor exhibits in a new and unique form of transportation most people had not seen before -- rollerblades. In-line skate sales skyrocketed in Vancouver during the fair.