Halifax Stadium Discussion

[brettinhalifax]

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[brettinhalifax]

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[brettinhalifax]

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[brettinhalifax]

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[fenwick16]

Finally we agree on something.

I don't understand the HRM. It is not just Halifax but also Dartmouth. Once the King's Wharf project started to look as though it really would happen a few months ago, almost immediately there was a councillor who started working to ensure that it doesn't happen again with expanded viewplanes bylaws. In some other cities the response might have been some feeling of pride and some thankfulness that such a large development was occurring. Likewise with the CFL, the city was granted a conditional franchise in 1983 at which time there should have been people in the government who should have supported it anyway that they could. But that didn't happen. Over the past few years CFL commissioners have stated that a team was desired in the Halifax area but it has gone almost unnoticed by Halifax and Nova Scotia area politicians.

Poor old Halifax. it could have been such a great major city. Why are politicians so different in the Halifax area that in general they don't want to promote the HRM and see it grow? I have increasingly become resigned to thinking that local area politicians just don't have any real desire to make things happen in the HRM. This unfortunately is the case with a stadium.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by brettinhalifax

I have read that Empire Field could be left up. It meets code and there are some permanent stadiums built by the same company using the same construction methods

Could you give the name of the company? I am interested in seeing what other projects that they have done.

I have read that the stands used in the Empire Stadium were stands that were left over from the Vancouver Winter Olympics, have you heard this also?

[brettinhalifax]

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[c@taract_soulj@h]

I just got back from Halifax last week and had a blast...I loved the city and want to come back! What I said to myself a couple of times, was that what would really "push to shove" me to move down there, would be if they had some sort of major sports franchise.

We just found out yesterday here during this disgusting Pan-Am stadium debate, that we're on the brink of losing the Tiger-Cats and relocation is very much possible.

As much as I wish our team to stay here after 130 years, it looks very cloudy. So Halifax, here's your chance for an owner to buy the team...upgrade Huskies stadium or build a new one, and I'll be down there in a couple of years. They say it's a small market, but look at the Riders. Halifax has a larger market than that and could easily support a team.

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by hfx_chris

I was curious, so I decided to try just that... so I took the stands from Molson Stadium in Montreal (before the renovations, mind you), and laid them over top of Husies Stadium at SMU. I moved the stands a bit closer to the field, eliminating the running oval, which my understanding is it's in rough shape anyway. Surely a new, better oval could be built at Gorsebrook Field.

Anyway, I don't see why this couldn't work. Or at least, something similar.




(Obviously that tower in the lower-left is in the way )

I have long been an advocate of this. I love Percevil Molson Stadium, and the organic way it nestles into the McGill Campus.

What you need to do is take your example above, but reverse the grandstands. The smaller seating goes on the west side where the current earthen berm and bleachers are. The main grandstand goes on the east side, with the upper tiers built above (and even integrated and accessed from) the Tower fitness complex. This will accommodate the seating pictured and keep the track in place.

I know that some people on this board want to see a pure football stadium, with no track to interfere, but I disagree. Especially in a small market like Halifax, we need to maximize the usefulness of this facility. As a university, SMU will not want to give up the athletics track at Huskies, and I wouldn't want to see that either. I would like to see us land some major international track and field events too.

[hfx_chris]

Originally Posted by terrynorthend

What you need to do is take your example above, but reverse the grandstands. The smaller seating goes on the west side where the current earthen berm and bleachers are. The main grandstand goes on the east side, with the upper tiers built above (and even integrated and accessed from) the Tower fitness complex. This will accommodate the seating pictured and keep the track in place.

Done sir!


I also moved the stands back, although I still don't like the running track

[Phalanx]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

(...)
Poor old Halifax. it could have been such a great major city. Why are politicians so different in the Halifax area that in general they don't want to promote the HRM and see it grow? I have increasingly become resigned to thinking that local area politicians just don't have any real desire to make things happen in the HRM. This unfortunately is the case with a stadium.

Popeye syndrome? ("I is what I is, and that's all that I is") Small town thinking, lack of vision, and being more concerned with protecting their own jobs than advancing the city. It's the same sort of thinking that gives us lighthouses for public art. There's a very definite idea of what Halifax is, and there's either no desire, or a fear of changing that or doing something different.

Yes, I'm a bit of a cynic. That said, the public seems to be growing tired of this, so there's some optimism that things will be different 5-10 years down the road.

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by hfx_chris

Done sir!


I also moved the stands back, although I still don't like the running track

Looks Great! Since they are already planning a big reno of the rink (building to the north of the field, it could be incorporated into a Stadium/Athletics complex. Connect the new rink complex directly to the tower, and incorporate end zone seating and/or a field access tunnel from the locker/equipment rooms into it. Rebuild the top floor of the Tower (beneath the upper tier of seating) to include concessions and a concourse area for the east grandstand. There is room to the south in front of the lowrise residences for a small set of endzone seats, and a nice big scoreboard/replay screen can be built on top of those buildings.

There is a parking lot north of the rink, on Inglis. A parking structure could be built here to handle extra cars during games, and students/faculty the rest of the time.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by c@taract_soulj@h

I just got back from Halifax last week and had a blast...I loved the city and want to come back! What I said to myself a couple of times, was that what would really "push to shove" me to move down there, would be if they had some sort of major sports franchise.

We just found out yesterday here during this disgusting Pan-Am stadium debate, that we're on the brink of losing the Tiger-Cats and relocation is very much possible.

As much as I wish our team to stay here after 130 years, it looks very cloudy. So Halifax, here's your chance for an owner to buy the team...upgrade Huskies stadium or build a new one, and I'll be down there in a couple of years. They say it's a small market, but look at the Riders. Halifax has a larger market than that and could easily support a team.

I am glad to hear that you enjoyed your visit to Halifax.

I agree that Halifax needs a sports team such as a CFL team to attract people to the city and to help retain people who are residents. However, I would not want to see the Tiger-Cats move out of Hamilton. If teams such as Hamilton move or shut down then the CFL will be diminished as a league. I hope that Halifax will eventually get an expansion team in a strong CFL.

[hfx_chris]

Losing the Ticats would definitely suck... What's the reasoning, are the locals just not supporting them?

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by hfx_chris

Losing the Ticats would definitely suck... What's the reasoning, are the locals just not supporting them?

There is a dispute over where to build the new Pan-Am stadium in the Hamilton area. The city and owner of the Tiger-Cats can't agree (I have a feeling that they will work it out). I wonder if they should just spend $50 million to renovate Ivor Wynne and use it for the Pan-Am Games and CFL. At 80 years old, it must be the oldest and most historic stadium in the CFL - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivor_Wynne_Stadium .

[hfx_chris]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

There is a dispute over where to build the new Pan-Am stadium in the Hamilton area.

Ah yeah, I'm quite aware of the stadium location dispute, I had no idea it might actually result in the owner of the team packing up and leaving though... Nuts

[Empire]

Originally Posted by hfx_chris

Ah yeah, I'm quite aware of the stadium location dispute, I had no idea it might actually result in the owner of the team packing up and leaving though... Nuts

Hopefully when the CFL game is played in Moncton the local media will take the opportunity to ask our mayor, premier, business leaders and councillors where they stand on promoting a stadium for Halifax. The media has been just as slack on this issue as the local politicians.

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by Empire

Hopefully when the CFL game is played in Moncton the local media will take the opportunity to ask our mayor, premier, business leaders and councillors where they stand on promoting a stadium for Halifax. The media has been just as slack on this issue as the local politicians.

That is a question that I too want to hear the answer too...

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by hfx_chris

Losing the Ticats would definitely suck... What's the reasoning, are the locals just not supporting them?

Because it's Hamilton and they don't support their sports teams, that's why the AHL Bulldogs are moving and why the Ticats are playing their last year in Hamilton and why the NHL never wants to see a team there!

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Because it's Hamilton and they don't support their sports teams, that's why the AHL Bulldogs are moving and why the Ticats are playing their last year in Hamilton and why the NHL never wants to see a team there!

The main reason that the NHL doesn't want a team to locate there is because it is less than an hour from Toronto and Buffalo (in opposite directions) and would draw fans from both teams (I am sure that the Toronto Maple Leafs would survive but it would hurt Buffalo more).

Based on what I have read ( http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...rticle1264739/ ), the downtown portion of Hamilton need to be renewed with new investment since the steel plants have significantly downsized. It seems like a good idea. In my opinion the owner of the Tiger-Cats is being unreasonable. Since the owner is a resident of the city, he should want to do all that he can to improve the fortunes of the city. They are already located in an industrial east end location (Ivor Wynne) so it seems to me that a west downtown location would be a step up. Personally, I think that the owner is out of touch with reality, the downtown is relatively close to highways but it sounds like he wants to be directly next to a highway. I would think that there would be better and easier connections to the downtown location and it is much closer to McMaster University. (just my personal opinion, I lived there for several years but that was 20 years ago).