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Faulty Peace Tower elevator broke down 47 times so far this year

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Melissa Batchelor-Murphy’s recent trip aboard the Peace Tower elevator had some serious ups and downs. 

And not just because she and six others ended up trapped inside the teeny, eight-person-capacity lift — for an hour —after it broke down two-thirds of the way up Parliament’s iconic 92-metre tower. 

What really pushed her buttons, she says, was when her tour guide revealed just how common it was for the tower’s sole lift to fail — and only mentioned it once they were trapped inside.

« She goes, ‘This happens a lot,' » said Batchelor-Murphy, an associate professor from Fairfax, Va. « I was like, ‘I can’t believe they let people come in this elevator and they know that it breaks down all the time.' »

According to government data requested by CBC News, the Peace Tower elevator has broken down 47 times since the beginning of this year due to a litany of malfunctions ranging from sensor failures to door glitches to issues with the cable that transmits power to the elevator car.

During 10 of those incidents, visitors like Batchelor-Murphy were stuck inside.

Breakdowns on the rise

On average, about 200,000 people a year take the lift to the Peace Tower’s observation deck, according to figures from the Library of Parliament. 

Elevator breakdowns have become more and more frequent over the past three years, as Parliament prepares to close its main Centre Block building for 10 years of renovations in January.

In 2016, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) logged just 12 service calls for the lift.

In 2017, that number tripled to 36.

The number of times visitors were trapped inside the elevator also shot up.

Just one entrapment occurred in 2016, and only two in 2017. 

The lift’s number of breakdowns and entrapments are « higher than average, that’s clear, » according to Doug Guderian, whose company, Elevator One, maintains about 1,000 elevators in Ontario, not including the Peace Tower elevator.

Guderian said that generally, elevators « average between six and 10 breakdowns » per year, and noted that more frequent malfunctions usually occur as a result of factors such as age, lack of maintenance or vandalism by users.

‘Increasing risk of failure’

Michèle LaRose, a spokesperson for PSPC, told CBC News that despite the breakdowns, the Peace Tower lift remains safe for use.

But, she added, « Centre Block’s structural, mechanical and electrical systems are at increasing risk of failure » and the building « currently has systems that are old and outdated that need replacing, including the Peace Tower elevator. »

Thyssenkrupp, the company that services the elevator, said in a statement to CBC News that it « takes great pride in responding to and remediating any operational issues in a timely fashion. » 

On average, about 200,000 visitors a year take the elevator to the Peace Tower’s viewing deck, which is just below the 92-metre-high structure’s clock face. (Blair Gable/Reuters)

Repairs to the elevator cost $110,000 in 2018 alone — although 90 per cent of that went toward the purchase and installation of a new travelling cable for the elevator in March. LaRose said replacing the cable, which transmits power to the elevator car, was part of scheduled maintenance.

Still, the new cable and other fixes made in the past year will only prolong the life of the lift until renovations on the Peace Tower begin. Tours are slated to end in January, when the entire Centre Block will shut down to the public.

While the Peace Tower was completed in 1927, the full-height elevator was only built in the early 1980s after renovations improved fire safety and overhauled the tower’s observation area. Unlike typical elevators, the Peace Tower lift travels at an angle for part of its journey upward, using two shafts instead of one — a factor Thyssenkrupp said « can present atypical challenges. »

Batchelor-Murphy and her group celebrate after reaching the tower’s observation deck. They were stuck in the tiny lift with a parliamentary guide for about an hour. (Submitted by Melissa Batchelor-Murphy)

PSPC said Centre Block’s upcoming renovations will be the building’s first extensive revamp in more than a century — a fact Batchelor-Murphy remembered her tour guide telling her on her way to the viewing deck.

« We were told this was going to be one of the [last] few tours because it was going to be shut down and renovated, » Batchelor-Murphy recalled.

« We were like, ‘That’s good, because this elevator needs to be fixed, for sure,' » she said.

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

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Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline. 

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors. 

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity. 

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement. 

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level. 

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet. 

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

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In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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Anglais

MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.

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