It took some prodding, but 91原创鈥檚 Olympic cauldron is being rekindled to honour 91原创 athletes competing at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
The four-armed, glass-and-steel cauldron roared to life at Jack Poole Plaza on Wednesday evening 鈥� the same day The Province ran a front-page story questioning why 91原创鈥檚 Olympic flame was out while Calgary鈥檚 was burning.
Then at 8 p.m., almost without warning, the flame flared into the night sky. A crowd that had gathered to await the flame鈥檚 return cheered at the lighting of the cauldron, while strains of O Canada quickly spread around.
Some said the cost to light the cauldron was too high, while others argued there is no better time to light it than now, with Canada in second place in the medal count after the sixth day of the Games in Sochi.
The B.C. Pavilion Corp., the Crown corporation in charge of the cauldron, hopes to light the cauldron at 6 p.m. on the days that Canada wins a gold medal.
鈥淭he strength of feeling towards the cauldron shows just how strong the Olympic spirit is in our province,鈥� PavCo CEO Ken Cretney said in a statement.
The lighting of the cauldron 鈥� pegged at about $5,000 for four hours or more than $200,000 for a flame that burns throughout the Olympics 鈥� is being funded by private-sector donors who must remain anonymous because the IOC has strict rules banning commercial sponsorship for the cauldron when the Games are on.
PavCo spokeswoman Kate Hunter said they received a couple of anonymous donations Wednesday that would see them through a few lightings. No target amount is set, but PavCo will welcome more private donations to make sure the cauldron can be lit on gold-medal nights during the Paralympics as well.
鈥淭his is new territory for us,鈥� noted Hunter. 鈥淚t depends on the frequency Canada wins gold 鈥� We will monitor it as we go along.鈥�
The cauldron will be lit for two hours each night after Canada wins gold, as well as during the final day of the Sochi Games.
The cauldron has been lit in the past to celebrate Canada Day, Remembrance Day and the 2011 Stanley Cup final between the 91原创 Canucks and the Boston Bruins. It was also relit in 2013 to mark the opening of the adjacent Cactus Club restaurant.
Transportation Minister Todd Stone told reporters at the legislature Wednesday that the original plan was to light the cauldron on the final day of the Sochi Games.
But Stone said that, after public pressure, the government was exploring options on how to relight it earlier than planned.
The arms of the cauldron already are being illuminated a patriotic red for the duration of the Games by LED lighting at a cost of less than $500.
At 91原创 City Hall, a large 91原创 flag is displayed on the north side of the building, while a Pride flag is flying in front of city hall to support LGBTQ rights in the face of Russia鈥檚 anti-gay laws.
Port Metro 91原创 also sounds its heritage horns atop Canada Place at 4 p.m. to celebrate 91原创 gold-medal winners.
鈥� With a file from Stephanie Ip
