Investors Group Field | Winnipeg - Page 157

cllew · #**3121** Posted **Jun 12, 2013, 8:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GORDBO

I may be wrong but, I thought they televised the pre-season games last year.
I know they never used to. I'm probably looking forward to seeing the stadium more than the game tonight. 1st beer's going down pretty good.

I should have done an internet search before my post there ARE 3 games being shown One on RDS June 13 and the two Friday games are on TSN.

rrskylar · #**3122** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 2:07 AM**

Buddy texted me a said getting to the stadium was a complete clusterfuck tonight, so bad the stadium was still filling up at the half, can't imagine a Friday night game starting before 8:00 PM. Really don't know how this will resolved aside from heading to the game 3 hours early.

drew · #**3123** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 3:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Buddy texted me a said getting to the stadium was a complete clusterfuck tonight, so bad the stadium was still filling up at the half, can't imagine a Friday night game starting before 8:00 PM. Really don't know how this will resolved aside from heading to the game 3 hours early.

Yeah I heard that too.

Some of us on this board predicted this traffic issue at the UofM location from the get-go.

Hopefully Winnipeg transit gets their shit together in time for the season opener. I know someone on a park and ride from Garden City who got there well into the second quarter.

If anything this might get the general public to pressure the gov't to finish the bus-way up to the UofM more quickly?

hexrae · #**3124** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 3:50 AM**

We got on a fanfare extended service 161 from downtown and the ride up to Pembina and Bishop was OK. That bus loop to get off Pembina (to then cross Pembina) to University Crescent is a major bottleneck.

For the 161 in particular, I'd say there's no reason to use the loop and to simply go down U. Crescent right from Pembina (given that it's a Stadium specific service).

Also, and more obvious, increase the green light for buses to cross Pembina from that loop. That said, a longer light doesn't help if U. Crescent is backed up so...

trebor204 · #**3125** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 4:11 AM**

I counted about 30 buses at around 7:20 heading from Pembina onto University Cres

Cars waiting on Pembina to turn onto Chancellor Matheson at 7:20

GORDBO · #**3126** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 6:14 AM**

Got on the 161 at QEW, took about 8-10 minutes to get to Pembina and Bishop Grandin. Then a good 1/2 hour to get from there to the stadium.
bus driver wouldn't let us off to walk , so we watched a non stop stream of people pass us walking as we sat on the bus.

Of all the people I talked with at the game, not one was pleased about the road access into the site!

rrskylar · #**3127** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 6:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GORDBO

Got on the 161 at QEW, took about 8-10 minutes to get to Pembina and Bishop Grandin. Then a good 1/2 hour to get from there to the stadium.
bus driver wouldn't let us off to walk , so we watched a non stop stream of people pass us walking as we sat on the bus.

Of all the people I talked with at the game, not one was pleased about the road access into the site!

Is this a surprise to anyone, with only two access routes to the stadium what did people expect. Point Douglas followed by the long vacant Canada Packers site would have been better locations for the new stadium.

CoryB · #**3128** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 6:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Buddy texted me a said getting to the stadium was a complete clusterfuck tonight, so bad the stadium was still filling up at the half, can't imagine a Friday night game starting before 8:00 PM. Really don't know how this will resolved aside from heading to the game 3 hours early.

Saw the traffic situation first hand. It seemed like it started with a bad combination of fans not knowing what they were doing and volunteers/staff not making interventions to correct things early enough. When the interactions finally happened they slowed down the whole traffic flow on campus, which limited the flow onto campus and resulted in the gridlock.

For buses I think they need a diamond lane onto campus that has zero stops after Pembina. Get them to a terminal where buses can flow freely as the empty. Once the bus is empty get it off campus as quick as possible.

OntheMattack · #**3129** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 8:01 AM**

I live just across the river from the university and saw hundreds of people parking around there and walking across the Fort Garry bridge to the stadium. That seemed way faster than attempting to drive into the stadium and it was cool to see a solid stream of people in jerseys walking/biking across the bridge. I had my own game at the Asper Community Campus and it was kind of funny driving down Kenaston past all the people who thought they would drive to the game. It was backed up solid from Waverley to Corydon. There is definitely not enough access into the university and I think people will (or should at least) realize after a few games that driving to games is an absolute no go

blueandgoldguy · #**3130** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 8:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Is this a surprise to anyone, with only two access routes to the stadium what did people expect. Point Douglas followed by the long vacant Canada Packers site would have been better locations for the new stadium.

Nah, Point Douglas would have been worse. Only HIggins east and west to get out - would have ended up taking longer to get out of there plus less parking in the immediate area even with Asper's plan. Canada Packers site had two shitty roads in marion and Archibald which would have required tens of millions in upgrades to make it even remotely feasible. It's a slightly more central location but parking would be worse and access would be just as bad as the university.

Biff · #**3131** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 1:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew

If anything this might get the general public to pressure the gov't to finish the bus-way up to the UofM more quickly?

I was thinking the exact same thing.

Even though, in typical Bombers fashion this is a complete clusterfuck, over time this will get figured out.

I went to a 49ers game at Candlestick (or whatever it is called now) last year and you want to talk about a bad location - the bay on one side and a mountain on the other. There are essentially 2 or 3, two lane residential streets in and out around the mountain and about 70,000 people in attendance. We tailgated and parked close to the stadium so it took us approximately 45 min to get away from the stadium. They had hundreds of buses but everything was gridlock as well. I think the problem, as some have said is, the morons that have no idea where to go, bottleneck up the lines at the choke points by getting turned away. This just backs everything up.

The key is getting the transit buses into the stadium area without blocking vehicular traffic........hence back to Drew's point.

bomberjet · #**3132** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 1:42 PM**

I'm one of those who parked east of the river and walked across to the stadium. Traffic was insane. Lag was backed up from Dugald to Bishop Grandin. Bishop looked busy so we hit the Perimeter. Forgot about the bridge construction at Pembina and apparently there was an accident. Spent an hour on the Perimeter. People were going through the ditch to the service road just to get off.

Finally got off at St . Mary's and parked up by River Road. Hiked for 45 minutes to the stadium. The bus thing was just as stupid. Some people were leaving the bus and walking from Pembina/Bishop. Buddies on the bus got there a little sooner than we did driving.

The way to go is bike! We'll try the bus again next time. Or we may drive with the bikes in the truck. Park where we did and bike in. There were thousands of bikes there last night. Imagine if they all drove.....

DonaldSmith · #**3133** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 1:45 PM**

I am only taking my bike there in the future. It was amazing to see how many were there locked up.

Wigglez · #**3134** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 2:03 PM**

Well someone has to ask this! Other than the problem getting there how was the stadium? Sound good? Good feel?? What was the building like?

trueviking · #**3135** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 2:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonaldSmith

I am only taking my bike there in the future. It was amazing to see how many were there locked up.

fine for someone physically fit on a nice day in mid june.

senior in October?

trueviking · #**3136** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 2:14 PM**

I am pretty sure ray wan did this to me on purpose...the view from my seat (season ticket)...this condition exists at every upper deck portal...there are 30 of them.

the view for the guys beside me.

sound from the speakers was unbearable off that metal roof...it was ear bleeding.

I found the concourses waaaaay too small.....upper deck was like MTS Centre....lower concourse was shoulder to shoulder.

press box looked like they got the windows free from the remnant yard at burron lumber....vinyl sliders all different sizes and types.

rum hut is on the shaded side of the stadium....should have been on the sunny side.

I also miss section S.

trueviking · #**3137** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 2:17 PM**

this condition also exists in many places.

bomberjet · #**3138** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 2:52 PM**

I too miss section S. I'm only a couple sections over from you trueviking, 205. Looks like the same row, I'm seat 4, buddies are 1-3. My seat is good for sightlines, 1-2 are bad!!!

Needless to say I'll be moving to the lower bowl next year. I do, however, really like the seats that are directly above the portal and directly below the railing/glass you showed. 6 seats all on there own, no rows behind or in front. Your own VIP sections, views are good as well.

Upper concourse is a little small, I admit. But I thought the lower concourse was fine. Sure it was busy, but it's a football stadium. The open areas at each end zone were rather large I thought. They just need to control the lines a little better, in terms of their locations. Instead of sticking straight out and blocking all the walking path, have them go sideways along the wall type of thing.

trueviking · #**3139** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 3:13 PM**

^yeah I will be spending most of every game on the concourse near the rum hut....its a nice spot.

I think i'm 204, 1 and 2...brutal....I agree looking for lower bowl next year....maybe this year.

we will see how this stadium access thing works out...might just buy a better tv.

bomberjet · #**3140** Posted **Jun 13, 2013, 3:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trueviking

^yeah I will be spending most of every game on the concourse near the rum hut....its a nice spot.

I think i'm 204, 1 and 2...brutal....I agree looking for lower bowl next year....maybe this year.

we will see how this stadium access thing works out...might just buy a better tv.

One of my friends called the ticket office asking if there were 4 seats available side by side in the lower bowl. There were none available stadium wide apparently. If you're a group of two or three then you may be in luck for this year.