Parliament Hill Rehabilitation Project

[zzptichka]

Thank god.

[zzptichka]

[HighwayStar]

Originally Posted by ars

Not sure if this is the right thread for this news, but the feds have killed the idea of the Sens hosting an NHL game on Parliament Hill:

Right call... as intriguing as the idea was... the beer and toilet requirements alone should have made this a non-starter.

[McC]

Originally Posted by HighwayStar

Right call... as intriguing as the idea was... the beer and toilet requirements alone should have made this a non-starter.

Exactly, I hope this doesn't get remembered as "big ideas never fly in Ottawa, because bureaucrats and rules will stifle every one of them." Rules or no rules, this great big idea fails to land in the practical world. Please keep dreaming big, but do a bit more homework on the implementability before going public.

[ars]

Originally Posted by HighwayStar

Right call... as intriguing as the idea was... the beer and toilet requirements alone should have made this a non-starter.

I agree, plus the parking and traffic nightmare that it would cause.

Don't really understand the Sens opposition to Lansdowne, sure it doesn't have the novelty factor of the Parliament buildings as a backdrop, but it's not as if the backdrop over at Lansdowne is an eyesore

[AndyMEng]

Originally Posted by ars

I agree, plus the parking and traffic nightmare that it would cause.

Don't really understand the Sens opposition to Lansdowne, sure it doesn't have the novelty factor of the Parliament buildings as a backdrop, but it's not as if the backdrop over at Lansdowne is an eyesore

I go back to the better idea, and perhaps craziest/most awesome:

Put the rink out in the middle of the Ottawa River in front of Parliament. Spectators line the river on all sides, similar to a fireworks event. Free for all, thousands of spectators, absolutely amazing optics.

The only issue is the time of year, if the ice is formed on the river makes it tough to do. If there's no ice, a floating barge should do the trick.

[zzptichka]

Originally Posted by AndyMEng

I go back to the better idea, and perhaps craziest/most awesome:

Put the rink out in the middle of the Ottawa River in front of Parliament. Spectators line the river on all sides, similar to a fireworks event. Free for all, thousands of spectators, absolutely amazing optics.

The only issue is the time of year, if the ice is formed on the river makes it tough to do. If there's no ice, a floating barge should do the trick.

You'd probably have to drain the Ottawa River to do it in December.

[eemy]

On Dows Lake? Like a game of shinny!

[McC]

I've never understood why there aren't already epic shinny tournaments on Dow's Lake.

[J.OT13]

Government rejects plan for NHL game on Parliament Hill in 2017

By Don Butler

First posted: Friday, November 04, 2016 02:45 PM EDT | Updated: Friday, November 04, 2016 03:32 PM EDT

The dream of an outdoor NHL game on Parliament Hill next year has evaporated.

In a statement Friday, a spokesman for Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly said the government has rejected the idea of staging the Heritage Classic game on the Hill as part of Canada’s sesquicentennial celebrations.

Pierre-Olivier Herbert, Joly’s press secretary, said the Liberal government had been working closely with public and private sector partners for 18 months to determine the feasibility of staging the outdoor game on Parliament Hill to mark the NHL’s 100th anniversary in the context of Canada 150 celebrations.

However, he said, “In the highly complex environment regarding events on Parliament Hill, including the need for uninterrupted operations of parliamentary business, public access and security, a full-stadium NHL game was deemed not feasible and is no longer one of the options being considered.”

There's a lot of cup in finalists' designs for Stanley Cup monument
The idea was to stage the game on Parliament Hill in December 2017 as a memorable exclamation point to the year-long celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday.

Instead, Herbert said the department is exploring other options to close the celebrations, “including a variety of free public events to celebrate Canadians’ love of winter” on Parliament Hill and across Canada.

The Ottawa Senators have been pushing hard for the game on Parliament Hill. Team president Cyril Leeder said in September the Hill was the only location the team and the league were studying.

“That would be a fantastic way to really highlight for (the Senators 25th anniversary season) and to have a national celebration of the game on Parliament Hill would be really exciting,” Leeder said at the time.

While the NHL supported the idea, league commissioner Gary Bettman admitted earlier this year that making it happen would be “complicated and expensive.”

The former Conservative government first approached the NHL and the Senators about staging the Heritage Classic on the Hill, but wanted limited temporary stands with fewer than 10,000 seats.

For the idea to be financially viable, however, the league and the team said a pop-up stadium accommodating 30,00-to-40,000 fans would be required.

Another possible venue in Ottawa for the NHL game is TD Place at Lansdowne Park. The stadium will be will be prepped for the Grey Cup, able to accommodate more than 30,000 fans, in November 2017 — weeks before an outdoor hockey game would take place.

While Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson strongly supported the idea of staging the game on Parliament Hill, he said earlier this year that Lansdowne Park “is the next obvious choice” if the Hill option didn’t work out.

But until now, the Senators have shown little interest in staging the game there. In September said TD Place “is not an option we’ve looked at, at all in any detail, and we’ve been really focused on the Hill.”

dbutler@postmedia.com

http://www.ottawasun.com/2016/11/04/...t-hill-in-2017

Better get moving on plan "B". Lansdowne makes a lot of sens anyway; additional seating for Grey Cup will already be up, stadium is on top of the modern Sens fist home at the Civic Centre, built for the centennial in 67'. On top of all that, it's a stone'ss throw away from the site of the Sens 1904 Stanley Cup championship, the Aberdeen Pavilion.

[AndyMEng]

Originally Posted by McC

I've never understood why there aren't already epic shinny tournaments on Dow's Lake.

ummmm...

http://www.beavercuppondhockey.ca/

[Richard Eade]

Or the City could put up its own property for events like this instead of expecting the Feds to do it all. How about the City closes Wellington in front of Parliment Hill and uses that for the rink. The stands could be up against - but not touching and separate from - the buildings along the south of the street and, if the Feds are then willing, along the south side of the hill. There would also be end-zone seats on Wellington, east and west of the rink. Cameras could be set up on top of the government building along the south of Wellington, if the Feds allowed it, so that the Parliment Buildings were in the back ground.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by ars

I agree, plus the parking and traffic nightmare that it would cause.

Don't really understand the Sens opposition to Lansdowne, sure it doesn't have the novelty factor of the Parliament buildings as a backdrop, but it's not as if the backdrop over at Lansdowne is an eyesore

It's completely possible that the league could host the event without the help of the Senators, if they decide to not play nice. It's a league event either way, so having the Senators on board isn't a requirement. With the Grey Cup seating already in place, Lansdowne makes a lot of sense. It also doesn't even have to be the Senators play, a Montreal - Toronto game would likely be even more popular.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

Or the City could put up its own property for events like this instead of expecting the Feds to do it all. How about the City closes Wellington in front of Parliment Hill and uses that for the rink. The stands could be up against - but not touching and separate from - the buildings along the south of the street and, if the Feds are then willing, along the south side of the hill. There would also be end-zone seats on Wellington, east and west of the rink. Cameras could be set up on top of the government building along the south of Wellington, if the Feds allowed it, so that the Parliment Buildings were in the back ground.

The city has an outdoor stadium already, at Lansdowne. Conveniently, the outdoor classic would be less than a month after the Grey Cup, which will already have massively expanded seating installed.

[waterloowarrior]

Isn't Wellington federal property?

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by McC

I've never understood why there aren't already epic shinny tournaments on Dow's Lake.

Because Parks Canada's lawyers would crap pucks.

[eemy]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

Because Parks Canada's lawyers would crap pucks.

Have you ever posted anything that isn't completely steeped in cynicism?

You think that Parks Canada would have an issue with a shinny tournament on Dows Lake? They already host a bevy of activities on the canal in winter including, as already posted by AndyMEng a few posts above yours, a pond hockey tournament.

[AndyMEng]

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

Have you ever posted anything that isn't completely steeped in cynicism?

You think that Parks Canada would have an issue with a shinny tournament on Dows Lake? They already host a bevy of activities on the canal in winter including, as already posted by AndyMEng a few posts above yours, a pond hockey tournament.

Sorry, i thought shimmy tournament and pond hockey tournament were the same thing...

[McC]

Originally Posted by AndyMEng

ummmm...

http://www.beavercuppondhockey.ca/

yeah, "tournaments" was the wrong word choice on my part, I meant on a more informal and ongoing basis.

[Horus]

Originally Posted by Catenary

It's completely possible that the league could host the event without the help of the Senators, if they decide to not play nice. It's a league event either way, so having the Senators on board isn't a requirement. With the Grey Cup seating already in place, Lansdowne makes a lot of sense. It also doesn't even have to be the Senators play, a Montreal - Toronto game would likely be even more popular.

I don't think the league would set up a neutral site game in an existing NHL team's backyard. There would be a lot of toes stepped on in that instance. An outdoor game in Ottawa includes the Senators. Full stop.