2011 Canada Winter Games

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Wishblade

Im not sure if anybody has seen them yet but there are some photos of the oval, including aerial shots on www.savetheoval.ca
It's an online petition to keep the oval permanently. In the first 2 days I heard it received about 5000 signatures.

All well and good, but after the first good spring rain the sand pile it's built on will be undermined and the thing will get washed away.

I don't dislike the idea of the thing, but the cost to build something there permanently is just more tax dollars, probably a few million, being pissed away by a spend-happy HRM.

Don't other cities make use of existing hard-surfaced areas in the winter for this sort of thing?

[reddog794]

Would it be permanent, or simply seasonal, and supported artificially?

You could offset the cost by charging 5 bucks for skates, the having a cut in the concessions. Looking at the aerial photos, there is some simple restructuring, around the outside of the oval, that could help with the longevity, in case of rain, and more room for more proprietors. A modular steel/wood frame, that would also utilize the empty centre as well, with an over-head pedway.

Granted these ideas would raise the cost, but having a well build modular frame would keep the costs more consistent. As well, the long term benefits, of a regular ice surface in the middle of the Peninsula, makes it worth while. This could even be a nucleolus to a, "Winter-fest" on the commons. There is room for a second ice surface on the Robie side. Instead of an oval, why not for shiny?

The fact the city is debating, on whether or not to keep it, is a fine example of how we are not taking the most advantage of the commons as often as possible.

[Keith P.]

Where are the existing hard, level surfaces in the city core that are unused in the winter? There are a few on the Commons what with tennis courts and skateboard parks, but none may be large enough. There is the Grand Parade, but it is probably neither large nor level enough. Is there still a track around the Wanderers Grounds? That might be ideal if so. What about Wickwire Field at Dal or Huskies Stadium? I wonder if the school board might be prepared to make one of the paved schoolyards available?

[JustinMacD]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Where are the existing hard, level surfaces in the city core that are unused in the winter? There are a few on the Commons what with tennis courts and skateboard parks, but none may be large enough. There is the Grand Parade, but it is probably neither large nor level enough. Is there still a track around the Wanderers Grounds? That might be ideal if so. What about Wickwire Field at Dal or Huskies Stadium? I wonder if the school board might be prepared to make one of the paved schoolyards available?

People train at the SMU field all year round (saw several runners there today).

[halifaxboyns]

What about the kiddy pool over near the CBC building? Here in Calgary - we have olympic plaza which is both an ice rink in the winter and then a kiddy pool for wading through in the summer (with fountains). The same is true for Edmonton - in Winston Churchill Plaza - although I have to say their plaza is more epic than Calgary's.

Why not keep the oval idea but expand the pool and convert it so that it can both an ice surface in winter and a pool in summer?

This way - you get the best of both worlds, you have a permanent surface that wouldn't heavy during a melt and you'd keep the people who use the ball diamonds happy by not causing them to loose a baseball site?

[fenwick16]

The Canada Winter Games had its opening ceremony last night at the Metro Centre. It looked quite impressive on TV.

I saw most of the Quebec-BC hockey game played at the Metro Centre on TSN2. It was a very good game with Quebec winning in overtime. Probably most of the players will be going on to major junior hockey next year (most seem to be 15 year old).

Will anyone on the skyscraperpage forum be going to the Ontario-Nova Scotia game tonight. On the TSN2 broadcast, the game announcer said that Nova Scotia has a rising star Nathan MacKinnon who is being compared to Sidney Crosby. It will be interesting to see how Nova Scotia does against Ontario. According to the schedule below, it starts at 7:30 PM Atlantic Time at the Metro Centre (unfortunately it isn't being broadcast so I won't get to see it).

Here is the schedule: http://cg2011.gems.pro/Result/Calend...Language=en-CA

[-Harlington-]

I was actually at the opening and ill put some pictures up maybe monday, there not the greatest considering i was up in the nose bleeds but ill post them, aha

i will also be at the gold medal game

and yes fenwick, this mackinnon kid is supposed to go first overall in the Q draft and is also from cole harbour and went to the same prep school as sid

hopefully ill be able to see NS play but we came 6th the crosby, but heres hoping

[haligonia]

I was at the ceremony last night as well, in section nine. It was quite the show. The Stanfields were excellent, and Rich Aucoin was a fantastic host. The energy in the room when Team NS entered was electric; it made me proud to be a Nova Scotian and a Haligonian.

[q12]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

T According to the schedule below, it starts at 7:30 PM Atlantic Time at the Metro Centre (unfortunately it isn't being broadcast so I won't get to see it).

Fenwick you can watch it here along with other events.

http://canadagames.bellaliant.net/

live event link

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by q12

Fenwick you can watch it here along with other events.

http://canadagames.bellaliant.net/

live event link

Thanks a lot for the link. I will be watching. Go Nova Scotia!

PS: It was a tough game for Nova Scotia - they lost 5-0 to what looks like a strong Ontario team. Hopefully they will have better luck tomorrow.

[David1gray]

if your wanting to watch, short track speed skating is on tsn

[-Harlington-]

Pictures arent the greatest considering i was all the way up in section 39 but heres some opening pics :


just comming in :



stad band :



and the teams start comming in :

Yukon:



Alberta :



BC :






Manitoba :



New Brunswick, they got a huge cheer :







Newfieland and Labrador :










North West Territories :



Nunavut :





Ontario :







PEI :





Quebec :



Saskatchewan :





And the home team :






Dexter, mackay and or kelly with the NS flag :





i believe this was when the stanfields were performing:







Stad back :



Oh Canada :







A first nations speech :





Some picture of people with sou' westers :












action shot :



performance :



Flag raising :





chantal kreviazuk:





Our founding cultures :



Jimmy Rankin:



Torch lighting :







And some celebration :








again, sorry for the quality but oh well, enjoy, aha

[fenwick16]

I was at work so I missed the Quebec versus Nova Scotia hockey game but I see that Nova Scotia lost 5 to 4 in overtime. It must have been a good game since Quebec has the best record in the hockey tournament so far with 3 wins in 3 games.

The Nova Scotia hockey team has played 3 very strong teams and it seems like Nova Scotia improved each time.

PS: Thanks for the images, Harlington - how many thousand people were at the opening ceremony at the Metro Centre?

[-Harlington-]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

I was at work so I missed the Quebec versus Nova Scotia hockey game but I see that Nova Scotia lost 5 to 4 in overtime. It must have been a good game since Quebec has the best record in the hockey tournament so far with 3 wins in 3 games.

The Nova Scotia hockey team has played 3 very strong teams and it seems like Nova Scotia improved each time.

PS: Thanks for the images, Harlington - how many thousand people were at the opening ceremony at the Metro Centre?

They had the two far sides where the nets would be covered in some sort of cloth as you can tell in the photos

but they also had a good amount of floor seats so including the athletes id say it was definitely over the 10,000 mark for sure.


And i got to see the end of the NS quebec game, it was a good game for us considering it was quebec and it was good to see that nathan mackinnon had two goals, he looked good.

[haligonia]

I just got back from Joel Plaskett's concert at Grand Parade. It was incredible to see so many people (I'd guess maybe 6000) having fun downtown.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Me too, Peter Kelly was handing out candy.

I bet downtown business is seeing a bit of an increase.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

Me too, Peter Kelly was handing out candy.

I bet downtown business is seeing a bit of an increase.

Not just downtown. All weekend was busier than normal at my place of work in Burnside. I saw a lot of team Nova Scotia jackets and those games passes.

[-Harlington-]

yeah, this whole thing seems to be great for the whole city.

tourism nova scotia is one of the sponsors so almost every commercial break on tsn you see a bit of halifax and NS.

its great

[q12]

2011 Canada Games already breaking attendance records


Jonathan Muma Feb 19, 2011 08:14:32 AM

news957.com

The 2011 Canada Games is already breaking attendance records - and there's still more than a week left to go!

The men's hockey gold-medal game between Quebec and British Columbia Friday night was sold out by February 13th.

The sell-out crowd set a new Canada Games record for ticket sales in men's hockey and also sets a single-game attendance record for any sport at the Canada Games.

2011 Canada Games CEO Chris Morrissey says he's delighted with the attendance at all of the sports adding that to set an attendance record is fantastic.

The women's gold-medal game next Saturday at Dartmouth Sportsplex is also already sold out.

"This really demonstrates just how passionate Nova Scotians are about this sport," says Don Matheson, president, Hockey Nova Scotia. "And it really bodes well for the future growth of our game in the province when you see just how much support there is for major events like this."

Ticket information for second-week events is available www.canadagames2011.ca, www.ticketatlantic.com and by phone at 902-451-1221 or toll-free at 1-877-451-1221.

[-Harlington-]

Gold medal game Quebec vs BC :


Dexter drops the puck, they booed him, lol





















Brazil ? ahah



Advertising the bay of Fundy at intermission









Scoring on the empty net



BC wins it






7-4 for BC






Sad Quebec



Hand shakes



BC



Handing out the medals, Alberta got bronze by the way




This was a very entertaining game with lots of talent, team Quebec came out flying scoring the first goal but after that team BC just started throwing highlight reel hits and grinding them along the boards, it also helps to have the tournaments top scorer curtis lazar. (and yes he does live up to the name)

oddly enough the biggest cheers were from BC fans
all together it was great for the city, definitely the biggest crowd ive seen at the metro centre in awhile