[Echoes]

Hear hear.

The people peddling the tired arguments about a parking and traffic apocalypse with a downtown arena fail to apply any critical thinking to the matter.

The parking study that the City did a couple of years ago found something like 12,000 parking spaces downtown. That's far more than what's required for a ~15,000 seat arena. Some people may have to walk a few blocks, but many are already walking the equivalent at SaskTel Centre when they park all the way along Thatcher Ave almost all the way to Marquis Dr.

What's more, is that a downtown location automatically makes other modes of travel more practical. More people can walk and cycle (I'd be able to do so easily), and taking transit (with park and ride at the malls) becomes a far more viable option with BRT on the way anyway. More out-of-towners will choose to stay at downtown hotels and their cars will stay parked there.

As for traffic, there are more ways into and out of downtown than SaskTel Centre. Simple as that. Michelle Obama had a crowd of 8,000 last night and traffic was still a nightmare up there. With the downtown food and drink options, some people will choose to come downtown earlier, or stay later, making for a more staggered exodus after an event. With SaskTel Centre, people essentially arrive and leave all at the same time.

Even John Gormley is on-side with the *urban* solution of a downtown arena.

C'mon people, in no world is SaskTel Centre's current location better than a downtown option. (Preaching to the choir on this page, I know.)