Halifax Stadium Discussion

[IanWatson]

Originally Posted by xanaxanax

Why not the Dartmouth Commons

Have you been to the Dartmouth Commons? It's mostly a big hill. I doubt the flat space on top is near big enough for a stadium + parking. The Dartmouth Commons are also terrible for transporation routes. Yes, tranist would be good with the bridge terminal right there, but you still need to get cars in and out and quite frankly that's difficult there. Not to mention any such proposal would be met with huge opposition from the community.

Originally Posted by xanaxanax

Dartmouth Commons isn't a safe place to be

This isn't particularly true. Maybe after dark. But the Dartmouth Commons is well used and will be even more as downtown Dartmouth develops.

Originally Posted by xanaxanax

Or that huge area in Dartmouth Cove that is essentially just a large parking lot waiting to be redeveloped into something

HRM just went through a big planning exercise for Dartmouth Cove. It's envisioned to be a mixed use community. Not that this couldn't change, but I don't really see it happening. Same problem with transportation links and surrounding community opposition would hurt a stadium here.

Originally Posted by xanaxanax

Shannon Park isn't very accessible to the public

Shannon Park is very accessible to the public. What we need to keep in mind is that any stadium won't be a Halifax stadium, but an Atlantic Provinces stadium. It's the only way to justify it. So like it or not, a large portion of attendees will come by car. Shannon Park has easy access to the region via connections to Highways 101 and 102, and decent connection via the McKay Bridge. Yes, transit there isn't great right now, but that's because it's had no reason to be. I would hope if the city is dropping dollars on a stadium they'd include a few to upgrade the transit infrastructure. I also can't see a stadium taking the whole site, so hopefully its development would be in tandem with a mini mixed-use community there.