This Guestbook is for those who were VOLUNTEERS or WORKED on the EXPO 86 site, your comments are appreciated.
Please Add your comments to this guestbook - subject line - EXPO VOLUNTEER GUESTBOOK - Giving - name, email address, general location of where you are from, which pavilion you were with or project you worked on and your experience of it all.

Brad Snelling SnellingB@dnv.org February 16, 2011 4:37:19 PM PST	Love your site! Expo 86 was a turning point for me in my life. I was a host in the USA pavilion and this experience led me to work for the US gov at their pavilions at Expo 88, 89 and 92. Keep up the great work!
Jack Palmer Mission, British Columbia ydoog@shaw.ca March 17, 2010 9:46:31 PM PDT	I am 86 now I played drum in the Mission pipe band. We marched into the stadium in a fantastic parade of bands plus Premier Bennett, Princess Diana & Prince Charles. I would pay any price for a video of this opening parade, BUT COULD NEVER FIND IT !!!
Rhondda Thomas Vancouver, British Columbia TwoTwisted2@hotmail.com Date: December 22, 2009 5:50:53 PM PST	My Name is Rhondda Thomas, I worked in the Yellow Zone Grounds Team. I just wanted to say this was probably one of my fondest memories of my youth. I don’t remember any names from my crew, but I do know I had a great team. I am also sorry that I missed out on any of the reunions or the anniversary party... that would have been a lot of fun.
Merrillee Miller Vancouver, British Columbia m_miller77@hotmail.com October 15, 2009 1:47:41 PM PDT	I worked in administration for Computer Systems then switched to Official Visits, which arranged VIP tours from visiting government officials from many countries. I spent evenings touring myself through the EXPO 86 site. It was a memorial time! NOW does anyone know, "Where is the giant SWATCH Watch Clock that was beside the EXPO 86 Swiss Pavillion?" It was visible from the Cambie Bridge heading into downtown Vancouver, BC. It would be great to get the giant SWATCH Watch Clock out of storage to display for the 2010 OLYMPICS and put it near GM Place! Swatch is also a sponsor for the 2010 OLYMPICS. All the Swatch watches for current and past Olympics are also for sale downtown at The BAY store. I'm currently very active with clubs and BC conferences of Toastmasters International, which had a Speakers Bureau for EXPO 86.
Jackie Smith N. Vancouver, British Columbia jackiej8@telus.net October 7, 2009 12:00:59 AM PDT	I have to say that of my many memories Expo 86 is near the top of some of the best ones of my life. I was 19 the spring that Expo opened. I was working in the executive offices of the Pan Pacific Hotel as a gopher (go-for) ha ha, keeping office supplies stocked, minding the copier and telex machine (not sure I remember if there were fax machines then), generally just doing this and that in the office. I knew that Expo was coming and it really didn't sink in how big this was until one day when I came to work I heard that the suite at the Pan Pacific that Charles and Diana would stay in was ready to be seen by any staff that wanted to. When I viewed this spectacular suite and all the Expo logos that were about the room and the hotel it really struck me that ... WOW this is going to be an amazing time in Vancouver. I continued to work at the Pan Pacific until shortly after Expo 86 started and then I realized I had to be part of it. I answered an ad for a Mexican restaurant ( The Ole Cantina ), got the job and then I was off to another appointment to have my Expo staff ID created. I never realized at that point how much fun I was going to have!! I couldn't get over the fact that I was having so much fun and was also getting paid for it. Boy did I get paid!!! The tips were amazing, I have to tell you that we really had a lot of people from all over the world and for sure I can tell you that Europeans are by far the best tippers. I met people from all over the world, each day was more fun than the day before. I probably slept about an average of about 6 hours a night. It was work, party, a little sleep and then do it over again... Eighty Six St. was so much fun. I remember one of the top music videos at the time was "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel and it was being played on a huge screen in the bar and everyone was dancing and the place was always packed. I have to honestly say, I really have no memories of bar fights, or extreme craziness in terms of behaviour. The odd person barfing outside or in the toilets but that was pretty much it.. even at the Unicorn ( and if anyone is going to act up it's the Irishmen... I'm allowed to say that because I'm one of 'em.) Many pitchers of sangria at the Cantina and a few hangovers but was worth every minute. I could write a book about my experience there, but to make a long story short, it was a true blast and was a gigantic boost to the exposure of Vancouver to the world. I'm sure far more than the 2010 Olympics ever will. I am so proud of Bill Bennett for pioneering Expo to Vancouver, and Bill Vanderzalm for seeing it through to the end (God I miss the So Creds) Loved it and miss it. I'm 42 now and it still seems like yesterday and whenever I feel a little misty for Expo I take a drive down to Science World. Jackie Smith Still from North Vancouver
Kevin Grenier Yellow Zone Grounds Team kevingrenier@rogers.com June 23, 2009, at 7:21 PM PDT (CA)	This is just a bit on the late side... However, I worked in the Yellow Zone on the Grounds Team. It was the most fun I have ever had at a job. I have many pictures of our team from my last day there. The sad thing is I left before the end of the Fair so I missed the goodbye party in "Bennet's Bubble". I have many fond memories of Expo 86. I wonder if Jane Wyndlow will see this... If so, it would be great to pass on my greetings and well wishes to her brother... it has been so long I fail to remember his name. I only wish I would have known about the 20 year anniversary party, I would have made every effort to show up. Please let me know of any future reunions.
Frank Dillon VP of Operations for Expo 86 January 29, 2009 2:49:16 PM PST (CA)	I was the VP of Operations for Expo 86 and I thought that the site I just looked at was fascinating. The entire project and experience was a once in a lifetime deal. There could never be anything else like it. Frank Dillon
Daniel Holenstein Planning & Design Swiss Pavilion blueprince33@yahoo.com November 5, 2008 11:05:50 AM PST	I am Daniel Holenstein from Zürich , Switzerland. I had the honnor of helping planning, designing and constracting the Swiss Pavillion. I am still looking back to that great time at Expo and Vancouver. It just was great. Regards, Daniel
Doug Davies National Marketing Coordinator Manager, Expo 86-Rothman's Cross-Canada Tour October 1983 - October 1986 June 5, 2007 5:46:41 PM PDT	Thank you for this wonderful surprise. I worked for Expo for 3 years and it was the most fulfilling thing I have ever done. I was there that last day as I was for many, many days of the fair. I have never been a part of anything so rewarding as the work I did for Expo 86. I am 50 years old now. I may never know such professional fulfillment again in my lifetime. Thanks for this few minutes of refelction.
Ian Lisakowski Winnipeg, Manitoba Ian_Lisakowski@cpr.ca January 25, 2007 9:08:41 AM PST Canadian Pacific Railway Winnipeg Customer Service - Operations Winnipeg Industrial	Hi! I was a part of Expo '86. I was 12 and was a member of the Winnipeg Boys Choir and we performed at Expo '86 at least 2 times, might've been 3. We had originally traveled to Powell River, BC to participate in Kathimuiw (I hope I spelled in correctly) - the International Choral Festival. After that we traveled down to Vancouver and did our thing before we went home. I have my participant's certificate from Expo 86 somewhere . . .
LeeAnn Kostyniuk Coquitlam.British Columbia lkostyniuk@hotmail.com May 6, 2006 12:03:36 AM PDT	I worked at the Canada Pavilion. Daycleaaner I truly had a blast at the Expo 20th Anniversary Reunion Party. It was so nice seeing some of the People I worked with for those 6 months. Expo was not only a special time for the Provience of B.C., but for all who worked it as well. It was a time of great pride for a job well done, and pride in our great provience as well. It is something I will never forget. Hearing the song’s and the dignitaries speeches was like I stepped back in time to that wonderful summer of 1986. Thank’s to all who worked so hard to put the party on for us. Thanks for all your work on this awesome site. It is so great remembering thing’s you forgot until you saw the photo’s and video clips.
Linda and Breezy Dunlop White Rock, British Columbia dunlop3@shaw.ca May 2, 2006 6:32:44 AM PDT	Roundhouse Volunteer My Father, John Dyck, worked as a volunteer at the ROUNDHOUSE. He was 69 years old. Now, if my math is right, he's 89! Dad lives in White Rock so it's too far for him to come at night. As his dignitaries! his daughter and grandaughter are coming tonight to represent him and to take videos so he will be able to relive EXPO 86 from his armchair! Dad has a plaque from Jimmy Pattison thanking him for the work he did. The plaque hangs up in Dad's front room where he shows it off to everyone who visits. No, He wouldn't lend it to us to bring to the reunion! Thanks so much for pulling this together.
Ken Porterfield British Columbia kenp@telus.net Sunday, April 30, 2006 7:02 PM	Allan, I will be going to the reunion party. I am 76 years old so look for white hair. I will be wearing the G.M.sweater and G.M. cap because I worked for G.M. I would like to talk to you about what I can share with you. I have a great collection of Expo lapel pins and some other items including most of videos that were available. I will be happy to share things with you. Regards Ken Porterfield
Dietlind Bratengeyer British Columbia Apr 21, 2006, at 10:01 PM, PDT	Allan, I presume you will have most of the published stuff. I worked with Expo in the administration before Expo opened, so my perspective is different from that of a visitor. I mostly remember the struggle to get the show on the road (i.e. I have a copy of a letter that complained about the slow pace at the Vancouver airport customs and excise office and suggested: "As a solution, so visitors would have everlasting good impressions, I suggest we utilize our unparalleled marine engineering expertise to tow the entire Expo Site to Sea Island and declare the area a duty free zone. This would at least enable visitors to enjoy Expo whilst waiting clearance into B.C." Oh yes, everybody had an opinion then! And it was no fun going to work and dreading every morning the headlines of The Province, shredding the projected Expo to pieces every chance they got. I don't know whether Mr. Pattison ever read the letter of encouragement from a seventeen year old kid from Chase, B.C., written after Mr. Pattison got publicly pelted with egg. The young fellow expressed his admiration for the calm way with which Mr. P. dealt with this insult (and mess). And he promised Mr. P. his vote, should he ever want to get into politics. Talk about groundswell support! Well, it is all "water down the river" now! Regards, Dee
Leona Vancouver, B.C. onlythenonie@hotmail.com Apr 8, 2006, at 4:27 PM PDT	Thanks for the site!! I worked at the Bavarian Gardens at Expo 86 and had a wonderful time! Would love to reconnect with friends.
Grace Harpe Vancouver, B.C. graceharpe@yahoo.ca April 6, 2006 9:05:49 AM PDT	It was my first volunteer job in Canada. I was fortunate enough to see the whole Expo Site for free because I was volunteering every weekend. I have tons of memorabilias, passport of every pavilion and pictures to prove that I was a part of the Expo 86.
Jane Wyndlow janerulo@telus.net Feb 6, 2006, at 11:30 PM Fashion Optics Expo 86	What a great site!! I worked at Expo 86 in the Red Zone and this is an awsome way to take a walk back in time. It is amazing what you forget. I was 18 and my brother and 2 cousins all worked at Expo. My brother worked in Grounds in the Yellow Zone and my cousins worked in the Saudia Arabia Pavillion and the BC Discovery Pavillion. What a great time it was!! All those people! All the colour, all the memories!!!! An experience never to be forgotten!! Thanks for the painstaking effort of making such a beautiful walk in the past!!!
Gary Kinsley vangary2002@yahoo.ca June 25, 2013, at 12:11 AM	My name is Gary Kinsley, living in Coquitlam. I was with Medical Services. This was a great time and I had a great time and always looked forward to my next shift. Mostly it was fun, we also had a few sad and near death cases, like two 15 year old boys who shared a full bottle of Tequila and then trying to figure out how to tell their parents. Or the one about the man who couldn't read the no entry sign and got hit on his head as the Parachute ride was coming to an end.
Kim mik62@cogeco.ca December 5, 2013 5:15:19 PM PST Hamilton, Ontario	Was just wondering if there were any pictures or video of the performances from the dog shows?? I was there with other club members doing various performances with our dogs. We were with the Super Dogs shows. We did agility, drills, and high jumps with our fabulous pets.