[Moncton] Centre Avenir Centre | 26.65m |~6 Fl | Completed

[Monctoncore]

I agree with l'homard and David99, it won't hurt people to have to walk, it's healthy and it forces people to get moving.... In addition to walking, if they had a few parking structures right there, people would just arrive by car and leave by car, they wouldn't have to walk through downtown, they wouldn't have to walk past all the businesses etc.. Walking will be great because after a game, someone walking down main to the parking garage or wherever they parked will see one of the many bars or restaurants and say, hey let's go in for a beer, or something to eat. We will be able to have shops actually stay open because people walking through downtown will be interested to stop in and possibly buy something... There are a lot of advantages to having to walk, I for one agree with it.

They do plan on having onsite parking for the disabled who really are the only people who need to be taken to the door.

[MonctonRad]

I certainly don't disagree with promoting increased density for the downtown and promoting an active lifestyle.

The demographic of people attending Wildcats games however tends to be older than the general public, with lots of attendees being men in their 50's-70's. I think it would be a hard sell to get them to walk 10 minutes to the arena in the dead of winter. These individuals might not be "disabled" per se, but some of them are borderline infirmed and this could be somewhat of a hardship for them, perhaps to the point of deciding to give up their season's ticket or not.

Now, I see that Taeolas mentions the possibility of a "parking pass" for some events. If Irving is able to negotiate a parking pass system with some of the bootable parking lots in the core for Wildcats season ticket holders, I could see this as being a viable alternative to building a parking structure, but I still think a modest structure near the events centre might be preferable.

[David_99]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I certainly don't disagree with promoting increased density for the downtown and promoting an active lifestyle.

The demographic of people attending Wildcats games however tends to be older than the general public, with lots of attendees being men in their 50's-70's. I think it would be a hard sell to get them to walk 10 minutes to the arena in the dead of winter. These individuals might not be "disabled" per se, but some of them are borderline infirmed and this could be somewhat of a hardship for them, perhaps to the point of deciding to give up their season's ticket or not.

I think this new Events Cntre will be focussing more on the younger generation to bring life back to downtown. Those who can adapt will really change the whole downtown experience from what it is now. Hell, maybe the older crowd will start going to games with their adult children, who can drop them off at the door and go find parking. Humans have adapted to bigger hurdles. This isn't such a big deal, imo. Yes, winter storm Wildcats games will suffer in attendance, but I believe that's a small price to pay for the city as a whole. Plus a sold-out, Summer Metallica Concert would erase any attendance deficits in the end

[Nashe]

If you read the comments on CBC article on this, you'd swear that 95% of the people of Moncton didn't want this because they think the city & province can't afford it. Or they think all of the "bureaucrats" involved at the city & province levels are corrupt. Those forums are frankly, a cesspool of negativity on just about every issue. Never read them unless you are prepared to "not want to live on this planet any more..." You'd swear the population was completely sideswiped by this project and it's being "rushed through" when in fact it's been discussed for over 5 years. There has been public consultation, tons of it. In the special meeting yesterday, they had extra chairs and live display in the lobby for the anticipated overflow of people wanting to watch/discuss the meeting. Not a single chair was occupied (there were several used in the chambers themselves).

The nay-sayers are a very vocal minority who don't think a project of this scope should be started unless we have the money in the bank ahead of time. Wow.

[L'homard]

Yes Vorkuta, and the Facebook groups are even worse.
That is why, while I whole-heartedly agree that the parking issue is almost a non-issue, for a great many potential patrons who believe they HAVE to see the front door from their drivers seats, this is going to be a very hard sell indeed and the sooner that city hall starts softening these people up on the question, the better.
Ask 10 people right now, and at least 9 out of 10 will tell you there is no parking downtown, when in fact an astounding 42% of the downtown land mass is slabs of pavement (or dirt) with parking lines marked on it. Just take a look via Google Earth, it's pathetic the amount of parking downtown, yet most, yes most, people think there's no parking downtown because they can't see the front door of the place they are going to. They'll park half a km away from the front door of Wal-Mart and swear the parking is so much better than downtown. It's laughable, if it wasn't so sad.
This will take years to change these attitudes so the sooner the change gets started, the better.

[Nashe]

I agree on the parking. We have SO much parking and potential parking. And I think people tend not to understand that city planners don't just plop down buildings (generally). Transportation plans, especially as it relates to projects like these, are started when the idea even begins to float... like... 5 years ago. If there were not plans to handle the parking/circulation I'd be very, very surprised.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by L'homard

an astounding 42% of the downtown land mass is slabs of pavement (or dirt) with parking lines marked on it. Just take a look via Google Earth, it's pathetic the amount of parking downtown, yet most, yes most, people think there's no parking downtown because they can't see the front door of the place they are going to.

Yes, 42% of the core is surface parking (and this is truly an abomination), but 90% of that surface parking is private bootable parking!! People are afraid to park downtown because they don't want their car booted. The only place they will park is in the small number of municipal parking lots or on street.

There needs to be limits placed on the booters. If people could feel secure about parking downtown, then the lack of a parking facility as part of the events centre project would be much less of an issue.

To improve density in the core, we need to replace the scandalous amounts of bootable surface parking with new downtown residential and commercial structures, including multilevel parking garages. Charlottetown has no less than three large downtown parking garages. Surely Moncton can do the same......

[mctnguy]

I for one would be willing to take the bus to events at this new center. The bus will drop you off at the front door! It'll take more time but it will still be better than trying to find a parking spot, and at $2.25 (x 2), it'll be cheaper!

[Nashe]

I'd like to see a public, paid, parking structure downtown too. There's the one on Alma, but it's a bit far for this purpose.

[L'homard]

I don't believe that 90% of downtown parking is private bootable lots.
I do agree that too much of our downtown parking is private bootable lots.
I wonder what will happen when those private lot owners realize that on game night they can rent their spots out at $5 or $10 per car? Hopefully, they'll seize the opportunity. If not, there are public lots throughout the downtown, plus on-street parking on every street except for a couple.

[Steelcowboy]

Lets also keep in mind that VIA has plans for this area in 2016. With the possibilty of the daily trains from Campbellton and Halifax. You'll get more people to the venues that way as well. I think the transportation hub is suppose to be incorporated into the events center. Either way, its great news to hear this event center project will happen

[mylesmalley]

Originally Posted by Steelcowboy

Lets also keep in mind that VIA has plans for this area in 2016. With the possibilty of the daily trains from Campbellton and Halifax. You'll get more people to the venues that way as well. I think the transportation hub is suppose to be incorporated into the events center. Either way, its great news to hear this event center project will happen

Wait, what does VIA have in the works?

[David_99]

Originally Posted by Vorkuta

If you read the comments on CBC article on this, you'd swear that 95% of the people of Moncton didn't want this because they think the city & province can't afford it.

I'm doing my best to inform the posters on the new article for Robert Goguen on CBC.ca. I've replied to each negative remark with a different positive one. I have zero likes so far lol.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by David_99

I'm doing my best to inform the posters on the new article for Robert Goguen on CBC.ca. I've replied to each negative remark with a different positive one. I have zero likes so far lol.

I imagine that's because the CBC forums are for the haters only. All the more reasonable people avoid the CBC comment sections like the plague......

[David_99]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I imagine that's because the CBC forums are for the haters only. All the more reasonable people avoid the CBC comment sections like the plague......

I think they'd be happier in Bathurst. More retirement homes and no fun allowed! The city shuts down at 6pm and even the music station takes a break at 6 for Bingo...

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

Wait, what does VIA have in the works?

I imagine Steelcowboy is referring to mutterings from the VIA CEO several months ago about re-establishing a rail liner service to the north, and to have a similar daily service from Moncton to Halifax. I don't know if anything will come of this, and there likely won't be any huge modifications to the VIA station.

[Monctoncore]

CBC comments are the best thing online to read, I'm sure it's the same person who just made multiple accounts and emails. It's quite obvious that most of these people don't actually understand how taxes, growth and the world works... I just wish people would understand that it's costs the province much more money to keep open all these schools, hospitals, service nb centres etc... It doesn't help that the media portrays the closing of these rural schools as the end of the world... But it's cheaper to bus the kids 15 minutes to the other school than it is to bus them 5 minutes to one that has no students what so ever... 21 million dollars the government can loan to Moncton and then get back in time... Or give money to something that won't make them any money... They will always choose the one that makes money.

[Taeolas]

Exactly. That's also why it should be the governments that should be the main backers/owners of the arenas and not a private company. As I said earlier (a few dozen pages back I'm sure), a private company would only earn back on the immediate use of the building. Governments profit from all the improvements the buildings bring to the neighbourhoods; as well as the knockon effects from all the events they hold.

It's good to see this happening finally, and to see the Concert loop solidified between SJ, Moncton and Halifax.

Personally, I'm beginning to think it's coming time that Freddy started thinking about its own Events Centre as well. Politically, after the Convention Centre and Grant Harvy and Willie O'Ree, it'll never fly in the short term; but in the mid-term (10-20 years) future, Freddy should seriously be looking at a larger scale event venue that is independent of the University; we've piggy backed off of the Aitkin Centre for a long time but maybe it's time we had a proper location mostly independent so if we (for example) wanted to get into the QMJHL we wouldn't have UNB holding us hostage. (From what I've heard that's one of the main reasons we don't look for sports teams; UNB tends to block it to prevent conflict with their teams... But I could be wrong in those hearings)

[JHikka]

TD Place in Ottawa has a brand new parking garage beneath the structure to accommodate fans during sporting events and to allow for parking for the shops on non-game days. On purpose, the developers did not build enough spaces to accommodate all football fans (only season ticket holders) and created incentives for people to take the bus (free fare with game tickets). It's better than building a parking garage, IMO. This would be a good decision if money is not limiting. Parking garages are usually eyesores and operate just as easily.

Originally Posted by Taeolas

Personally, I'm beginning to think it's coming time that Freddy started thinking about its own Events Centre as well. Politically, after the Convention Centre and Grant Harvy and Willie O'Ree, it'll never fly in the short term; but in the mid-term (10-20 years) future, Freddy should seriously be looking at a larger scale event venue that is independent of the University; we've piggy backed off of the Aitkin Centre for a long time but maybe it's time we had a proper location mostly independent so if we (for example) wanted to get into the QMJHL we wouldn't have UNB holding us hostage. (From what I've heard that's one of the main reasons we don't look for sports teams; UNB tends to block it to prevent conflict with their teams... But I could be wrong in those hearings)

Like you stated, Fredericton blew their generational opportunity to build a centre like this. Try again in 20 years. Only way I can see this happening is if the City of Fredericton loop in taxpayers from New Maryland and Oromocto (amalgamation), otherwise the money isn't going to feasibly be there, nor the demand.

Also, it's a waste of everyone's time to discuss and read CBC comments. I'm tired of reading about them here.

[Scarface]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

As Budyser alluded to in his above post, Aquillini owns the whole damned Crowne Plaza block. They are a major BC based development company and own the Vancouver Canucks as well as the arena they play in. The potential for synergy between Aquillini and our new events centre could be quite fabulous.

I seen that afterwards This would mean Because of the convention center we would end up with a massive amount of commercial, and office space in that small area of the city. I know others have said it but I do hope they think about parking, and the people who work in that are as well.

Originally Posted by mctnguy

It's a no-brainer and guaranteed to make money, I'd think.
I still like the idea of having parking structures built across the tracks and connected to the arena via pedway or underground tunnel.

I seen another comment saying that the TD center had underground parking, but I do agree with you that parking, and accessibility to the venue are still a concern.

I think there is still some old unused land on Albert St. own by the CN. If so maybe the parking garage could be built there with either a pedway, and or underground tunnel it would be a straight pass from the parking structure to the Convention center.