The new OC Transpo Confederation Line will not be in service until 2018; however, Ottawa visitors and locals are able to get a unique sneak preview of the downtown tunnel through Kontinuum: A Journey Through Time.
As one of the signature events taking place in the nation’s capital to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary, Kontinuum was created by Ottawa 2017 and international production company Moment Factory.
It is a stunning multimedia audio-visual experience that takes people on an adventure through a part of the city that most people are yet to see.
The adventure begins above ground on Sparks Street, where all visitors must go through a security check. You are then taken into the Place De Ville Theatre, which operated as a movie theatre for 25 years before closing in 1996. You are given a card with a QR code you can scan throughout the experience. At the beginning, you use it in front of a camera which captures a holographic picture of you.
After you have taken your picture, you are guided to the beginning of your journey below ground to the Lyon Light Rail Transit (LRT) station. Fear not—there’s a service elevator reserved for those with mobility issues. On your way there, you encounter bright strobe lights, lasers, animations and other cool lighting effects.
After a few minutes of walking and a couple flights of stairs, you eventually arrive on the station platform, where some of the new railway tracks have already been laid down.
Suddenly, the tunnel goes dark and underground sound and light begins. As hypnotizing instrumental music starts playing, you can hear a train horn and train wheels clinking on rails, almost making you feel like a train is about to arrive. On the projector screens between the two platforms, you will see the holographic picture of you that was taken at the beginning.
You are then guided up the stairs and escalators above ground to Lyon Street, where the experience ends. Using the website or the Ottawa 2017 app, you able to use the QR code on your card to “download your frequency” to keep a copy of your holographic picture.
From start to finish, Kontinuum is about half an hour, and because it is only open until Sept. 14, it is worth taking advantage of while you have the chance. Open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, there is a new showing every 15 minutes, and best of all, it is free.
The experience is not easy to put into words, so the best way to fully understand it is by experiencing it yourself.
Photo by Meagan Casalino
