Stadiums & Arenas of Canada, Part 3

[Coldrsx]

Rogers Place

https://x.com/EdmontonOilers/status/1820462421166956624

[ZeDgE]

Went for a drive today. Snapped a few shots of Scotia Place site.

[J.OT13]

Calgary lost the Stampede Corral a few years back, a 7k seat arena. How well used was it, and was a replacement built?

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Calgary lost the Stampede Corral a few years back, a 7k seat arena. How well used was it, and was a replacement built?

Was used only occasionally. Now that it is gone, a smaller quasi replacement the Markin MacPhail Centre is getting more use it seems.

[SteelTown]

$290M renovation of Hamilton's FirstOntario Centre underway, concerts to take stage next year
Not-yet-named NBA player from Hamilton is a big investor in project, says developer

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/firstontario-centre-renovation-1.7292361

Hamilton's revamped FirstOntario Centre will reopen in just over a year, with major events already being booked for late 2025, says one of the developers.

The $290-million renovation project is on schedule and on budget, and has attracted a slew of investors, Tom Pistore, Oak View Group Canada president, told councillors at a general issues committee meeting Monday.

The Oak View Group is developing the arena along with the Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group.

"We feel enthusiastic," Pistore said.

Demolition is underway. Then, the arena will get a makeover to include enhanced acoustics, improved sight lines, expanded concession areas and premium seating options, says a city staff report.

The project is being backed by at least one big-name investor, said Pistore.

The investor hasn't been officially announced yet, but Pistore gave hints: He's from Hamilton, is an MVP candidate in the NBA and just returned from the Olympics.

"I will let you glean who that might be," said Pistore. "He is absolutely excited to be part of the project as well."

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander comes to mind. He was an integral part of Canada's men's basketball team in Paris, currently plays with Oklahoma City's Thunder and grew up in Hamilton.

The arena will also include a restaurant, open to the public, by a Canadian "global icon" to be announced soon, said Pistore.

....

[J.OT13]

A little more info on the new Calgary Flames Arena.

Looking at Scotia Place, the Green Line, and where things go from here

Ryan Pike, FlamesNation
13 DAYS AGO

Folks, it’s been almost a couple weeks since the grand unveiling and groundbreaking for Scotia Place, the future home of the Calgary Flames.
Well, we’ve gotten a bunch of additional details since then and we’ve seen things start to progress and develop as well, so we figured we would provide a quick update.

More details about Scotia Place

The planning commission received a 1,900 page submission a couple weeks ago. A 20-page summary document was posted on the city’s development portal, and FlamesNation got some time to view the 185-page extended summary document that the city has made available upon request.
Here are our impressions of what we’ve seen from our time with the detailed plans.
The arena has six levels:

• Below grade, there’s the event level and the club mezzanine. (The event level is where the main arena, the locker rooms, various team resources, and the community rink.) The club mezzanine includes a couple lounges for club members, as well as access points up into the lower bowl.
• At and above grade are the main concourse, the premium level, the upper concourse and the press level.
• The main concourse is at ground level, the event level is about 11.305 meters (or 37 feet) below grade.

There are 11 different public art pieces mentioned in the designs. Four suspended pieces inside the building representing fire, water, earth and wind, along with three other suspended pieces. Outside the building are installations outside the southwest and northwest entrances, indigenous-inspired murals incorporated into the eastern exterior wall, as well as two outdoor pieces along 14th Avenue.

The two 14th Avenue pieces include eight embedded tipi rings and a rectangle, representing the local indigenous communities, as well as an outdoor cauldron, which is referred to as “the home fire.”





On the ground level, there are three restaurants, the Flames team store, and a food hall – all of which are expected to be open outside of arena events. The food hall, based on the plans we saw, will include three or four different eateries, and it’ll incorporate the historic Stephenson & Co. Grocers building, which dates back to 1911.

On the inside, the concourse design resembles Rogers Place. Washrooms are found throughout, typically located on the inside of the two main concourses. (Several of the men’s rooms include portions with stalls that can be converted to additional women’s washroom capacity, depending on event needs.)

The concessions in the building resemble the current mix of food options available at the Saddledome, including two Pocket Dogs on the main concourse and another on the upper concourse. There are also several “Grab and Go” locations – an Amazon-powered concept that was introduced to the ‘Dome last season – as well as some new, unique food options to be introduced to the building.

It seems like the goal of the designs was to maintain the overall “feel” of the ‘Dome, albeit with a lot of more modern twists. We’ll see how it materializes in the build, but that’s the overall vibe of things.

And it’s inside baseball, but the event level is way bigger than the Saddledome’s, and features dedicated locker room space for the Flames, Wranglers, Hitmen and Roughnecks. The Flames have their own chunk of the event level for themselves, while the Wranglers and Hitmen seem to share some resources within another chunk of space.



So what’s happening with the Green Line?

Earlier this week, the revised plans were announced for the new Green Line of the C-Train. And folks, there have been some changes.
The big change that’s most relevant to Flames fans is that the station to the north of Stampede Park, along 11th Avenue, is now at ground level rather than underground. The reasoning for the change is likely a combination of cost considerations and the potential for integration with the proposed “Grand Central Station” mentioned in the Government of Alberta’s recently-announced rail strategy.

They’re still hammering out specifics in terms of precisely where the Green Line will go across the 11th Avenue area, but it sounds like it’ll cross the new 6th Street underpass, have a station at ground level between 5th and 6th Street, and then dive underground before 4th Street. We’ll see how the plans develop.

Here’s how plans looked back when the station was expected to be underground, before the revisions.



Construction on the Green Line is expected to begin before the end of the year and be completed sometime in 2031. (Though, again, different parts will be done in different time-frames and it’s unclear exactly when the Victoria Park portion will be done.)

Infrastructure tie-ins

In terms of the stuff that’s happening in and around the arena and Green Line developments, it’s being managed by the folks at the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) and a lot of what they’re doing is contingent on other portions of the area’s work getting completed:

• Design team for 6th Street underpass was selected in June and early planning is underway. (Construction work and scheduling will be contingent on Green Line work.)
• There will be streetscape developments along 14th Avenue – south of arena – and further enhancements elsewhere in Stampede Park down towards 25th Avenue.
• Finally, phase one of the Stampede Trail enhancements – south of 14th Avenue towards the BMO Centre – are complete, but phase two work will be coordinated with Scotia Place development. Essentially, expect the type of sidewalk and road aesthetics that are in front of the Saddledome to be continued up between 12th and 14th Avenues.

Construction

Finally, per our pals Jordan Kanygin (of CTV) and Rick Tulsie: construction prep work has begun!

The onset of the “big dig” itself won’t happen until September, but expect prep work to continue unabated throughout August. If you’re headed to the Stampede Park area for the foreseeable future: there will be some traffic impacts, so beware (and be patient).

https://flamesnation.ca/news/calgary-fla...he-2024-25-season-has-yet-to-be-cemented

[J.OT13]

The old Bob Guertin arena in Hull will be demolished soon.

https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/actua...-se-deplacer-2WQLWIQHTFHSJIFSWLDP3GXOTM/

City looking at how they can offer the lead painted folding seats.

https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/actua...-en-souvenir-BTY4V5DANJD3JI5KWWS6OYPZ6U/

Guertin was replaced by the new Slush Puppie arena in Gatineau, opened in 2021.

[O-tacular]

The new Flames arena is definitely an upgrade from the last one. Should be for the increased price tag! I’m bitter cause the money seems to have come directly at a cost to the Greenline which has been chopped in half. Funny enough the first bit of value engineering has already occurred prompting council to change a noise bylaw to save $10 million in sound buffering for the arena. I feel sorry for the neighbouring condos.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

The new Flames arena is definitely an upgrade from the last one. Should be for the increased price tag! I’m bitter cause the money seems to have come directly at a cost to the Greenline which has been chopped in half. Funny enough the first bit of value engineering has already occurred prompting council to change a noise bylaw to save $10 million in sound buffering for the arena. I feel sorry for the neighbouring condos.

As happy as I am about the arena finally breaking ground, it is frustrating that it gets priority over a transit line, especially considering the Province is largely to blame for the ballooned costs.

It is funny the City bending the rules for their own benefit at the expense of current and future residents, to save 1% of the overall cost.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

As happy as I am about the arena finally breaking ground, it is frustrating that it gets priority over a transit line, especially considering the Province is largely to blame for the ballooned costs.

It is funny the City bending the rules for their own benefit at the expense of current and future residents, to save 1% of the overall cost.

The province isn't to blame, that is a very convenient narrative. Anyways.

Scotia Place is a huge improvement, and really shows that constraints especially around land acquisition and seat count have a huge impact on how designs turn out.

It is too bad can't turn back the clock to 2020 and remove those constraints then to save a couple hundred million bucks.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

The province isn't to blame, that is a very convenient narrative. Anyways.

Scotia Place is a huge improvement, and really shows that constraints especially around land acquisition and seat count have a huge impact on how designs turn out.

It is too bad can't turn back the clock to 2020 and remove those constraints then to save a couple hundred million bucks.

You’re right, the Province isn’t to blame for the previous deal being rescinded. CSEC tore up the deal after the municipal election over a minuscule public realm requirement to spite the new mayor and the city. Then our Premier who is pals with Murray Edwards dangled $300 million in ‘public realm’ infrastructure connected to the new arena and made it an election issue. The bribery worked, she was elected and now Calgarians get to pay 80% of the cost ($800+ million) at the expense of the Greenline which was chopped in half. 🞵🞵🞵🞵 CSEC and our crony Premier.

[Hackslack]

Definitely the Flames took advantage of the stupid scope creep the Mayor insisted on, which was to add solar panels to the project. Because of the scope creep, the original agreed upon contract was voided. That original contract had both parties splitting the construction costs equal, with the Flames taking on 100% of the cost overruns… at the time of the scope creep, construction material and labour cost skyrocketed. The demise of the agreed upon contract saved the flames tens of millions of dollars… all for the Mayor insisting on some solar panels, to help fight the climate emergency!!!

I’d say don’t blame Murray Edward’s and his cronies, blame city hall and the Mayor. I The f’n idiots at city hall and in particular the mayor Mayor insiste on the scope creep.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Hackslack

Definitely the Flames took advantage of the stupid scope creep the Mayor insisted on, which was to add solar panels to the project. Because of the scope creep, the original agreed upon contract was voided. That original contract had both parties splitting the construction costs equal, with the Flames taking on 100% of the cost overruns… at the time of the scope creep, construction material and labour cost skyrocketed. The demise of the agreed upon contract saved the flames tens of millions of dollars… all for the Mayor insisting on some solar panels, to help fight the climate emergency!!!

I’d say don’t blame Murray Edward’s and his cronies, blame city hall and the Mayor. I The f’n idiots at city hall and in particular the mayor Mayor insiste on the scope creep.

Ya how dare we acknowledge the Climate Emergency, as we choke on forest fire smoke for the umpteenth day of summer!?! Murray Edwards the oil billionaire should be hailed a hero for sticking it to our idiot woman mayor mayor! HarHaHaR!! Now all the adjacent home owners get to enjoy free reverb from the concerts and FlAmEs games!

[ZeDgE]

Well I dont think a few solar panels on the arena are going to prevent climate change but what do i know.

Canadas contribution to this is the equivalent of 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 in the ocean.

[Hackslack]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Ya how dare we acknowledge the Climate Emergency, as we choke on forest fire smoke for the umpteenth day of summer!?! Murray Edwards the oil billionaire should be hailed a hero for sticking it to our idiot woman mayor mayor! HarHaHaR!! Now all the adjacent home owners get to enjoy free reverb from the concerts and FlAmEs games!

I’m not saying he’s right, but lord knows you’d have done the same if your accounts and lawyers were saying you’d save 10’s of millions, because of the stupid contract change! Companies and governments do it all the time… see the green line LRT…

Harharhar is right, more solar panels, to stop the forest fires!! Cause… have we gotten that stupid as a society to think that more solar panels will prevent the forest fires! God help us!!!

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by ZeDgE

Well I dont think a few solar panels on the arena are going to prevent climate change but what do i know.

Canadas contribution to this is the equivalent of 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 in the ocean.

No one said that solar panels on the arena would solve climate change. That’s an absurd strawman. But I guess we dodged that bullet hey? Now we get to spend half a billion dollars of extra taxpayer money to enrich a billionaire and some other multimillionaires and scrap public transit and stick it to our mayor!

[Hackslack]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

No one said that solar panels on the arena would solve climate change. That’s an absurd strawman. But I guess we dodged that bullet hey? Now we get to spend half a billion dollars of extra taxpayer money to enrich a billionaire and some other multimillionaires and scrap public transit and stick it to our mayor!

Now we get to spend half a billion dollars because the mayor decided to change the scope of the original contractual agreement. Demonize the billionaire all you want, but it was the mayor that changed the scope of work, that voided the contract.

Reminds me of the BC NDP government that vowed to use “every tool in the toolbx” to block a pipeline that would have been entirely funded by the private sector, only to leave their taxpayers entirely on the hook for 10’s of billions of dollars in the end…

Get the F out of the way, governments!!!

[Harrison]

Originally Posted by Hackslack

Get the F out of the way, governments!!!

If that's the attitude then the arena should've recieved zero taxpayer dollars, corrrect?

[Hackslack]

Originally Posted by Harrison

If that's the attitude then the arena should've recieved zero taxpayer dollars, corrrect?

F’n BINGO!

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Hackslack

Definitely the Flames took advantage of the stupid scope creep the Mayor insisted on, which was to add solar panels to the project. Because of the scope creep, the original agreed upon contract was voided. That original contract had both parties splitting the construction costs equal, with the Flames taking on 100% of the cost overruns… at the time of the scope creep, construction material and labour cost skyrocketed. The demise of the agreed upon contract saved the flames tens of millions of dollars… all for the Mayor insisting on some solar panels, to help fight the climate emergency!!!

I’d say don’t blame Murray Edward’s and his cronies, blame city hall and the Mayor. I The f’n idiots at city hall and in particular the mayor Mayor insiste on the scope creep.

Originally Posted by Hackslack

I’m not saying he’s right, but lord knows you’d have done the same if your accounts and lawyers were saying you’d save 10’s of millions, because of the stupid contract change! Companies and governments do it all the time… see the green line LRT…

Harharhar is right, more solar panels, to stop the forest fires!! Cause… have we gotten that stupid as a society to think that more solar panels will prevent the forest fires! God help us!!!

Originally Posted by Hackslack

Now we get to spend half a billion dollars because the mayor decided to change the scope of the original contractual agreement. Demonize the billionaireall you want, but it was the mayor that changed the scope of work, that voided the contract.

Reminds me of the BC NDP government that vowed to use “every tool in the toolbx” to block a pipeline that would have been entirely funded by the private sector, only to leave their taxpayers entirely on the hook for 10’s of billions of dollars in the end…

Get the F out of the way, governments!!!

Bolded the essential points of your diatribe.