Saskatoon Construction II

[Crisis]

Just to avoid any unnecessary debate (and confirm that nook was right), here's what Wikipedia has to say about the arena.

SaskTel Centre (formerly Credit Union Centre, and originally Saskatchewan Place; informally also known as Sask Place)[6][7] is an arena located in the Agriplace Industrial Park, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Situated near the city's northern entrance, the facility opened in February 1988 with a seating capacity of around 7,800. It was expanded to 11,330 for the World Junior Hockey Championships in 1990. More additional permanent seating was added in 2008 and 2009. The current capacity is now 15,190 for hockey. It is the home venue of the Saskatoon Blades hockey team and the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SaskTel_Centre

[nook]

Originally Posted by prairieguy

The arena situation is just like an older home....you eventually have to make a decision:

- do you want to pump more money into renovations to extend the life?
- do you want to get out before the cost of reno's far exceeds the value, and bite the bullet to move to something new that will give you another good 30 years.

With respect to Caspers comments about traffic not being that bad....that is true for Blade games that only draw 4,000 people (same with amenities, as the arena CAN accommodate that many people). The challenge now is we have a professional team that uses the facility that is drawing in excess of 10,000 people and the arena is just not up to standards for that. Maybe investment in fan experience type things can help that (i.e. more washrooms, improved concessions, improved seats, better public transit) but it still comes down to the question...stay or start the process of planning for something new and improved?

The Blades would draw better if an arena were downtown.

MTS Centre style arena downtown would be ideal. It'll have to be mostly public money, though. I think Bruce Urban and Mike Preistner could get the ball rolling, but neither are connected to the community beyond the teams they own.

This city is still too small thinking for that type of development though.

[bschaan]

"The Blades would draw better if an arena were downtown."????????
No the blades would draw better if they put a better product on the ice

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by bschaan

"The Blades would draw better if an arena were downtown."????????
No the blades would draw better if they put a better product on the ice

Considering the Rush are brand new, have an exciting product and play in the same arena, it really just proves your point even more.

The Blades are a horrible, horrible franchise in every respect and the fan support reflects that.

[Davidson]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

Considering the Rush are brand new, have an exciting product and play in the same arena, it really just proves your point even more.

The Blades are a horrible, horrible franchise in every respect and the fan support reflects that.

I know the Blades don't have a great track record of success but to be fair the new ownership group has only been in place for a couple of years and IMO they are doing some things right. For instance they've had great promotions like the Star Wars night, the Team Up for Respect game with 7,500 students, the night they invited 300 new Canadians to their first hockey game, etc. Of course nothing sells the product like winning.

As far as SaskPlace/SaskTel Centre, we are stuck with it at least until the resource economy turns around. And I note that the Reno vs. Build new question is the same question posed about Taylor Field/Mosaic stadium for many years

[casper]

Originally Posted by Davidson

As far as SaskPlace/SaskTel Centre, we are stuck with it at least until the resource economy turns around. And I note that the Reno vs. Build new question is the same question posed about Taylor Field/Mosaic stadium for many years

Not certain a downtown stadium is any better. Take Vancouver as an example. Two downtown stadiums. After a game traffic is a nightmare getting into or out of downtown. Public transit is packed, skytrain is overflowing.

In Saskatoon there is city transit from Lawson Heights that runs as a shuttle. Likely a downtown shuttle out to the stadium.

I think there is more value from doing a Reno. Address the washroom and concessions issues.

[nook]

Originally Posted by Davidson

I know the Blades don't have a great track record of success but to be fair the new ownership group has only been in place for a couple of years and IMO they are doing some things right. For instance they've had great promotions like the Star Wars night, the Team Up for Respect game with 7,500 students, the night they invited 300 new Canadians to their first hockey game, etc. Of course nothing sells the product like winning.

As far as SaskPlace/SaskTel Centre, we are stuck with it at least until the resource economy turns around. And I note that the Reno vs. Build new question is the same question posed about Taylor Field/Mosaic stadium for many years

The Blades squandered their chance to totally re-introduce themselves to the sports fan in the city by getting swept in the first round of the WHL playoffs in the year they hosted the Memorial Cup. Even if they didn't win the WHL title, a long run would've put thousands more butts in the seats for the Memorial Cup.

But you're right... the new owners are trying some new things. I respect them for trying some new things. The ineptitude of the franchise has really put them behind the 8ball to draw new fans though.

I listened to an interview on CKOM with a manager from the Sasktel Centre a few weeks ago, and honestly, it sounds like they're beginning to realize that the arena is getting old and might need a replacement or substantial upgrades. It's nice to hear that they're not blind to that fact.

[The Bess]

this car share is a good idea for condo buyers especially when there is no supermarket downtown yet and they don't need a car full time. A good selling point for them

http://ckom.com/article/620003/new-condo-offers-first-its-kind-carshare-program

[nook]

Originally Posted by nook

The Blades squandered their chance to totally re-introduce themselves to the sports fan in the city by getting swept in the first round of the WHL playoffs in the year they hosted the Memorial Cup. Even if they didn't win the WHL title, a long run would've put thousands more butts in the seats for the Memorial Cup.

But you're right... the new owners are trying some new things. I respect them for trying some new things. The ineptitude of the franchise has really put them behind the 8ball to draw new fans though.

I listened to an interview on CKOM with a manager from the Sasktel Centre a few weeks ago, and honestly, it sounds like they're beginning to realize that the arena is getting old and might need a replacement or substantial upgrades. It's nice to hear that they're not blind to that fact.

To kind of add onto this idea... Is there an opportunity for the city, the Blades, Rush, and Huskies to work together on building a new arena somewhere close to campus? Rutherford's lifespan was over decades ago. Gotta be space somewhere with all that agricultural land on campus.

[jigglysquishy]

There will likely be a new rink on U of S land, but the size is not conducive to replace Sask Place. Capacity closer to 5000. No chance they build large enough to replace the 15,000 seats of Sask Place

[Crisis]

From what I'd heard the capacity of the U of S spectator arena would be closer to a capacity of 2,000 with a 2nd rink with only nominal seating. Not 100% certain about this, though.

[dsmmace]

Originally Posted by Crisis

From what I'd heard the capacity of the U of S spectator arena would be closer to a capacity of 2,000 with a 2nd rink with only nominal seating. Not 100% certain about this, though.

Has this project gone past the RFQ phase yet?

[casper]

Originally Posted by dsmmace

Has this project gone past the RFQ phase yet?

I could be wrong, but I though they did an RFP a few years back looking for a public-private partnership where it would be build and operated on university land by a private sector enterprise. Not certain if that concept panned itself out or not.

[Brutopian]

City's 30-year growth plan includes bus rapid transit system, 33rd Street bridge

Saskatoon StarPhoenix
March 9, 2016

After nearly three years of discussions, the City of Saskatoon says it has its growth plan in place for the next three decades.

A bus rapid transit system and a new 33rd Street bridge are among the key points in the ‘Growth Plan to Half a Million’ document released Wednesday.

The rapid transit plan includes a ‘red’ corridor that runs east-west along the Blairmore, University Heights and Holmwood areas, and a ‘blue’ line that runs north-south and covers the Nutana and Lawson areas. The dedicated bus lines would run along the curb lanes, rather than the centre lanes, which was an option discussed.

[........]

Read more:
http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-new...-rapid-transit-system-33rd-street-bridge

[Brutopian]

^^^^^^^
Not sure why the blue line doesn't extend into Stonebridge.

[Brutopian]

South Carolina restaurant named after Saskatoon

By Bre McAdam, NewsTalk 650 CKOM

March 7-8, 2016

Edmund Woo might live in Greenville, South Carolina, but he says "Welcome to Saskatoon" about a hundred times a day.

Woo owns Saskatoon Restaurant, a rustic cabin-themed eatery that specializes in “steak, fish and wild game.” Woo said even though he's never been to Saskatoon, he wanted a name that matched the restaurant's outdoor lodge vibe.

[........]

Read more:
http://ckom.com/article/626382/south-carolina-restaurant-named-after-saskatoon

[Brutopian]

^^^^^^^^
http://www.saskatoonrestaurant.com/

[Arts]

Originally Posted by Brutopian

^^^^^^^
Not sure why the blue line doesn't extend into Stonebridge.

Yes, by the time they actually build this out though, I expect it will have to go where the upwardly mobile people live.

I'm still not sold on 33rd st corridor being of much real value for private vehicles or commercial traffic, should be BRT/ped/cycle only.

[jigglysquishy]

I wouldn't look too much into the blue line or 33rd street bridge. The blue line (outside of priority signals on 8th) is 20+ years away and the bridge isn't exactly supported internally, politically, or by the 33rd street BID.

I do know the city wants to start the red line as early as next year. It will very much become an election issue this fall and could make the election a rapid transit election much like the recent Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Toronto ones.

Really excited about the infill targets and corridor growth though.

[jrochest]

Originally Posted by jigglysquishy

I wouldn't look too much into the blue line or 33rd street bridge. The blue line (outside of priority signals on 8th) is 20+ years away and the bridge isn't exactly supported internally, politically, or by the 33rd street BID.

I live in Caswell Hill, and I'm pretty sure the city doesn't care about what the 33rd Street BID or the West Side neighborhoods want. They want to drive through a new artery to enable sales of builders lots in the 'new neighborhoods' planned west of Confederation.

I wish this wasn't the case: I love my neighborhood and my house, but I'm pretty sure we're screwed. That said, BRT is a great idea -- if only the city had anything like a decent track record with running our current transit system.