In June 2014, the Vancouver Aquarium turned to Pace Group to make help it make a “splash” when it opened a $45-million, 55,000-square foot expansion with new public exhibits and services.

Pace Group services included assisting with planning and coordinating the grand opening celebration and providing on-site management of the main ribbon cutting event for the project, where more than 100 people simultaneously cut a ribbon that encircled the Aquarium’s new Bill Reid Plaza as several hundred Aquarium members, school children and media looked on.

Pace Group services also included:

• onsite management of the event
• creating an event run of show
• writing  speaking notes
• producing communications materials such as detailed backgrounders for news media
• coordinating volunteers
• coordinating event equipment
• and providing communications consulting.

The opening festivities also included a weekend-long family-oriented celebration for which Pace Group helped organize a custom aquatic parade, entertainment and dance shows for throughout the new Aquarium building.

The event was an overwhelming success, with supportive crowds filling Bill Reid Plaza, and widespread media coverage of the new features and exhibits at the expanded Aquarium.