Jack Poole Plaza in Coal Harbour, Vancouver, BC, Canada
The Jack Poole Plaza is a sprawling open-air plaza situated next to the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre in downtown Vancouver, BC, Canada.
It proudly serves as the permanent home to the 2010 Winter Olympic Flame Cauldron and Douglas Coupland's famous Digital Orca sculpture.
Throughout the year, numerous massive annual events take place across the plaza, including Canada Day celebrations and the Vancouver Christmas Market. There is even the occasional public protest held here!
There are also several excellent premium-casual restaurants located right on the plaza deck.
People visiting Vancouver for conventions or departing on luxury cruise ships frequently visit Jack Poole Plaza. It is also incredibly popular with locals for the food patios and the spectacular, unobstructed views of Coal Harbour, Stanley Park, and the North Shore mountains!
You can check current weather conditions and see what is happening at the plaza live via the City of Vancouver's webcam. We also answer your Frequently Asked Questions at the bottom of this guide.
Jack Poole Plaque
The dedication plaque reads:
This plaza recognizes Jack Poole: A Great Canadian, A Great Westerner, A Great Man.
Jack Poole was a giant of a man, a builder of better communities who voluntarily provided exceptional leadership with an unwavering commitment to the public good as exemplified by his extraordinary service as Chairman of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Jack always considered it an honour to be asked to serve, whether it was in the interests of better health research and the care that followed, the provision of affordable and high quality accommodation for working families or hosting the Games that reflect the magnificent splendor of our land, the warmth of our hospitality, and the power and passion of our people.
Each of us faces choices about how we will spend our lives. Jack chose to spend his honouring and encouraging what was best in all of us.
He provided an example of leadership, good humour, strength, intelligence and integrity that is unmatched. He helped and shaped the City and Province we enjoy today. He was the embodiment of the Olympic and Paralympic spirit, and it is fitting that the Olympic Cauldron will be located permanently in the Jack Poole Plaza.
Honourable Gordon Campbell
Premier of British Columbia
2010 Winter Olympic Flame Cauldron
The massive 2010 Winter Olympic Flame Cauldron permanently resides at the northern edge of Jack Poole Plaza, overlooking the ocean.
Olympic cauldrons are uniquely designed for each respective host city's Olympic Games. This beautiful, towering cauldron features four massive glass and steel pillars resting in a shallow, reflective pool of water.
Jack Poole Plaza Restaurants
There are a number of excellent casual food restaurants and bars operating directly on the brick tiers of Jack Poole Plaza.
There are also dozens of highly-rated restaurants located immediately nearby on the far end of the Vancouver Convention Centre and next door at Canada Place. Additionally, there is a convenient mall food fair across the street from Canada Place for quick bites.
Cactus Club Cafe — Coal Harbour
The Cactus Club Cafe - Coal Harbour is a flagship premium-casual restaurant and bar boasting unparalleled ocean views.
It serves lunch and dinner daily, featuring a robust menu of globally inspired dishes and signature cocktails.
- Hours: Open daily 11:30 AM to 12:00 AM (Closes at 11:00 PM on Sundays/Mondays)
- Address: 1085 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC, V6C 3E1
- Phone: 604-620-7410
Tap & Barrel — Convention Centre
The Tap & Barrel - Convention Centre is a highly popular craft brewpub and restaurant specializing in locally sourced comfort food.
They showcase over 30 exclusive BC Craft beers on tap alongside 20 regional BC estate wines on tap. Their massive, multi-level outdoor seasonal patio is legendary during the summer months.
- Hours: Open daily 11:00 AM (10:00 AM on Sat/Sun) to 12:00 AM
- Address: 76-1055 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC, V6C 0C3
- Phone: 604-235-9827
Lot 185 Cafe and Wine Bar
Lot 185 Cafe and Wine Bar operates as an artisanal coffeehouse by day and a sophisticated tapas/wine bar by evening.
It serves fresh baked pastries, breakfast, and lunch, while transitioning to serve curated craft beer and regional wine flights.
- Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM (Closed Weekends; Holidays 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM)
- Address: 78-1055 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC, V6C 0C3
- Phone: 778-331-7785
Digital Orca Sculpture
The Digital Orca is a striking, three-dimensional digital representation of a breaching killer whale, masterfully created by renowned Canadian artist Douglas Coupland.
The 'DIGITAL ORCA' SCULPTURE breaks down a three-dimensional Orca whale into cubic pixels—making a familiar symbol of the West Coast become something unexpected and new.
This use of natural imagery modified by technology bridges the past to the future. It speaks to the people and activities that created Vancouver's thriving harbour culture, while addressing the massive changes reshaping the BC economy.
The sculpture's metal construction and lighting components evoke the daily moods of the harbour and the diversity of those who work there.
— Douglas Coupland, 2010
Douglas Coupland grew up and continues to live in Vancouver. His first novel, Generation X, was published in 1991. It became his first international bestseller, establishing Coupland as a cultural visionary for the post-industrial world. Since 1991 he has published twelve novels and several non-fiction books in 35 languages. In 2001 he resumed his practice as a visual artist with exhibitions in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Digital Orca Photos
Jack Poole Plaza Events
Canada Day at Jack Poole Plaza
On Canada Day (July 1st) every year, an incredible array of festivals and events take place across Jack Poole Plaza and the surrounding waterfront.
There is usually a massive live music stage, indigenous marketplace booths, and food truck corridors filling the plaza. Tens of thousands of people flock here to celebrate Canada's birthday together!
The Canada Day celebrations hosted here are historically the largest held anywhere west of Ottawa!
Vancouver Christmas Market
The Vancouver Christmas Market is a massive, authentic European-style alpine holiday market held annually from mid-November straight through to Christmas Eve across the entire expanse of Jack Poole Plaza.
Visitors can wander through dozens of traditional wooden huts selling imported artisanal gifts, hot mulled wine (Glühwein), and delicious seasonal treats.
The festival grounds feature a vintage Holiday Carousel, a giant walk-in Christmas tree, the glowing Lover's Lane light display, and continuous live Christmas music and caroling on the flying stage! This magical event has quickly become one of Vancouver's most beloved holiday traditions.
Vancouver Christmas Market Photos
Concord's New Year's Eve Vancouver Status
Concord's New Year's Eve Vancouver was historically the largest annual New Year's Eve waterfront party in Western Canada, held across the plaza in 2017 and 2018.
The massive festival included fancy indoor galas inside the convention centre and two distinct, synchronized fireworks displays over the harbor.
Jack Poole Plaza Photos
Jack Poole Plaza Webcam
There is an official City of Vancouver engineering webcam that looks directly out over the footprint of Jack Poole Plaza. You can view the live traffic, weather, and crowd conditions here: View Live Jack Poole Plaza Webcam
Frequently Asked Questions
The Jack Poole Plaza is located on Coal Harbour, positioned on the immediate west side of the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre. The Cactus Club and Tap & Barrel restaurants operate directly on the plaza tiers. It connects directly to the Coal Harbour Seawall.
The official address of Jack Poole Plaza is 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC, V6C 3L5.
There are over 400 paid underground parking spaces located immediately beneath the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre and an additional 750 parking spaces under Canada Place right next door.
There is also metered street parking on most of the downtown streets adjacent to the plaza, but it is expensive and time-limited. There is no free parking available near the plaza.
The Jack Poole Plaza is highly accessible by transit. It is located only a few short blocks straight down the hill from the Burrard Street SkyTrain Station, and is a brief, scenic walk from Waterfront Station (which connects the Expo Line, Canada Line, and SeaBus terminals).
The Jack Poole Plaza is integrated directly into the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre complex. The pedestrian Coal Harbour Seawall runs right across the lower edge of the plaza, offering a direct 15-minute walking path straight into the lush forests of Stanley Park.