Stadiums and Arenas of Canada

[EdFromOttawa]

Tour of TD Place Stadium with Ottawa media and mayor Jim Watson.

Official status is now 90% complete according to the construction company working on the site. The stadium will be complete well in advance of the July 18th official opening date.

http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/04/29/lansdowne-park-redevelopment-update

Some pics from the tour showing the seats now going into the lower bowl of the south side stands plus the bridge which will be connecting the south side and north side concourses on the east side of the stadium.

[king10]

drew edwards tweets that the Hamilton stadium is now on schedule to be opened for the ticats opening home game

[osmo]

Not sure about 90% for Landdowne but it's almost there. Mid/end June it looks like from the eye test. Hamilton is smoking the good stuff if they are saying that it will done by the Ti-Cats home opener.

[FrankieFlowerpot]

Sounds like seating will get underway soon in Hamilton - they've got most of the holes drilled for the seats and they need to apply a concrete sealer to the bleacher slabs before installation

Almost 350-400 people on site per day most of them doing mechanical and electrical works.

[esquire]

I wish them luck, but to me it seems unbelievable that TD Place - nevermind THF - will be ready for action in 2 1/2 months. But they are moving quickly, so fingers crossed.

[Fatty McButterpants]

Nice pics of the new half of TD Place.

Spoiler Alert: The other half of the stadium is still old and ugly.

[EdFromOttawa]

Originally Posted by Fatty McButterpants

Nice pics of the new half of TD Place.

Spoiler Alert: The other half of the stadium is still old and ugly.

I'm guessing you haven't yet been to the site in person? The whole setup looks incredible already. Add in the park and all the planned trees and art pieces and it'll be a jewel of the CFL/NASL.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by Fatty McButterpants

Nice pics of the new half of TD Place.

Spoiler Alert: The other half of the stadium is still old and ugly.

Man you need to get over this obsession with the refurbished side of the stadium. Sure it would have been nice to have triple the budget to tear down the other side of the stadium and build something that mirrors the new side..plus a new 10,000 seat arena for the junior team, but that amount of public expenditure just can't be justified. As it is, Ottawa is getting a nicely updated stadium with comfortable wide seats and plenty of legroom, vastly improved concessions, state-of-the-art jumbotron, suites and club seats with their own separate concourse with nearly all the seats between the goal lines. I say that's a pretty nice upgrade over the old stadium, wouldn't you?

[Fatty McButterpants]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

Man you need to get over this obsession with the refurbished side of the stadium. Sure it would have been nice to have triple the budget to tear down the other side of the stadium and build something that mirrors the new side..plus a new 10,000 seat arena for the junior team, but that amount of public expenditure just can't be justified. As it is, Ottawa is getting a nicely updated stadium with comfortable wide seats and plenty of legroom, vastly improved concessions, state-of-the-art jumbotron, suites and club seats with their own separate concourse with nearly all the seats between the goal lines. I say that's a pretty nice upgrade over the old stadium, wouldn't you?

Yes, that's exactly what I would call it. A very nice upgrade. Nothing more, nothing less.

[king10]

Originally Posted by Fatty McButterpants

Yes, that's exactly what I would call it. A very nice upgrade. Nothing more, nothing less.

then call it that and not "old and ugly," because that would be less

[elly63]

Originally Posted by king10

drew edwards tweets that the Hamilton stadium is now on schedule to be opened for the ticats opening home game

The media tour was cancelled due to the muddy, unsafe conditions on the construction site.

350-400 workers on site, almost double what it was previously. 10/12 hr work days for trades including Saturdays.

Working with building inspectors now to ensure opening day will be met. Bad weather days are factored in schedule and worked around and are not an issue unless you get a week in a row of bad days. Progress was made on delays (the six weeks worst case scenario) looks like three weeks worst case.

June 30th will not be the substantial completion date. They're working with the Cats to identify and complete critical areas that need to be completed.

Most seat holes are drilled and a coating needs to be applied to the slabs but seats should start being installed next week. The stadium will be substantially completed (defined in contract) meaning it can be occupied (with all the permits that go with that) by July 26.

Some finishing trades (painting, carpet, tile) will be doubleshifted (a second crew added for an additional shift). Likely between two and eight weeks after opening day to be officially completed. Concentration will be on life and safety systems to make sure people are safe on opening day, other things such as concessions are being identified as to how they will operate on opening day ie serve beer out of cans if taps not ready

IO says it's on budget, weather was the biggest factor contributing to the delay.

Ticats are working to be playing at THF on opening day. Cats are giving two tickets to a game to every on site worker. Ticats don't expect to implement Plan B.

Funny, nobody asked about the field.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by EdFromOttawa

Some pics from the tour showing the seats now going into the lower bowl of the south side stands plus the bridge which will be connecting the south side and north side concourses on the east side of the stadium.

That's interesting - does it cross the "longitude" line for the middle of the field, atop the berms that make up the grassy area on the east end?

It's like another field-level entrance.

Nice progress. I really hope to make it to a game there in the first or second season

[esquire]

Good news from Edmonton... after three and a half decades with those annoying rounded-corner endzones, the Eskimos are finally going to have regulation endzones at Commonwealth Stadium.

In fact, construction began this week to add corners to the end zones at Commonwealth Stadium, which had previously been rounded off at each end in order to accommodate a running track.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2014/04/29/es...ealine-with-rounded-end-zone-as-a-player

[artvandelay]

Wow nice, so no more track?

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by esquire

Good news from Edmonton... after three and a half decades with those annoying rounded-corner endzones, the Eskimos are finally going to have regulation endzones at Commonwealth Stadium.





http://www.edmontonsun.com/2014/04/29/es...ealine-with-rounded-end-zone-as-a-player

YES!!!

[osmo]

So if the track is gone?

Why not put back in grass? -_-

[elly63]

New stadium will be ready for Ticats home opener: builder
Drew Edwards The Scratching Post April 29/2014

The new Hamilton stadium will be ready in time for the Ticats home owner, the builder announced on Tuesday

Garreth Barkey, site supervisor for Ontario Sports Solutions, the consortium building the $145-million stadium, said he expects to have the facility prepared for the July 26 game versus the Ottawa Redblacks.

"I'm confident that we're going to make the date," Barkey said.

The stadium is about three weeks behind schedule, Barkey said, and while it was originally slated to be delivered by June 30, Barkey acknowledged they won't hit that target. Instead, they are aiming for "substantial completion" in late July with the finishing touches added over the ensuing two to eight weeks.

"Substantial completion means you're watching a game in the stadium," Barkey said "There could some areas that need a final coat of paint, some of the exterior landscaping may not be planted but as a fan, you'll come and see the Ticats and enjoy a good fan experience."

Ticat team president Glenn Gibson said he doesn't think fans will mind if the stadium is still in need of a little spit and polish.

"I think 80 per cent of fan enjoyment comes from seeing our team win - that's a strong pull towards customer satisfaction," Gibson said. "I think the other 20 per cent is amenities, food and beverage and things like that.

"I think fans are just going to be so happy to be in a stadium, they'll be forgiving on the little things."

[Jaws]

Originally Posted by osmo

So if the track is gone?

Why not put back in grass? -_-

No relationship between the track and grass. Grass was too expensive to maintain.

[isaidso]

Ottawa's stadium looks great except for that press box. It wrecks what's otherwise a beautiful grand stand. It's many notches down from the rest of the build and looks like a complete after thought.

Originally Posted by esquire

Good news from Edmonton... after three and a half decades with those annoying rounded-corner endzones, the Eskimos are finally going to have regulation endzones at Commonwealth Stadium.

And it only took 35 years.

[Dalreg]

Hate to see the track go in Edmonton, at least with turf it can be quickly removed and the running track re installed.