Halifax Stadium Discussion

[Keith P.]

That's due to getting their games on TV all the time.

[Nilan8888]

I think part of that is also a general affinity of the Maritimes for the Maine/Massachusetts region. It's not unusual, I think, for Maritimers to go to a Toronto/Bruins Hockey game and be cheering for the Bruins.

[Antigonish]

I would absolutely buy as much Maritime CFL merch as possible if it were available. I'd almost guarantee you'd see tons of jerseys and hats at Eskimo games out here similar to the Roughriders when they are in town.

I think the key is to design something that stands out from the rest, and pick colours that people are familiar with. I'd go with the Maroon (Saint Mary's) or for a Crimson, Gold, and White design via Citadel High (or Florida State for a broader example). Something other teams don't have and that we are already accustomed to.

[teddifax]

All I want for Christmas is a new stadium
A new stadium, yes, a new stadium...

[ILoveHalifax]

Hello Fenwick,
The man who knows all things stadium.
I am guessing the Armoury and parking is too small for our new stadium?
Possibly it could be accomplished with a slight diversion of North Park St towards the commons?

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

Hello Fenwick,
The man who knows all things stadium.
I am guessing the Armoury and parking is too small for our new stadium?
Possibly it could be accomplished with a slight diversion of North Park St towards the commons?

Leaving aside that the armoury ain't going anywhere, that would mean dropping a stadium directly adjacent to a dense residential area. Like, literally within a few feet of people's houses in some cases. Never happen.

[Empire]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

Hello Fenwick,
The man who knows all things stadium.
I am guessing the Armoury and parking is too small for our new stadium?
Possibly it could be accomplished with a slight diversion of North Park St towards the commons?

Dimensionally, you "might" be able to fit 1/2 of a football field on the Armoury site.

That doesn't leave much room for the required 20,000 seats.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

Hello Fenwick,
The man who knows all things stadium.
I am guessing the Armoury and parking is too small for our new stadium?
Possibly it could be accomplished with a slight diversion of North Park St towards the commons?

That popped into my head when I heard that the Armoury land was becoming surplus. But when I looked at the map I could see that the Armoury land area was smaller than the Metro Centre land area.

Personally I think that the Commons area would be a great location for a stadium.

In any case, I would be saddened to see the old Armoury demolished.

[xanaxanax]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

That popped into my head when I heard that the Armoury land was becoming surplus. But when I looked at the map I could see that the Armoury land area was smaller than the Metro Centre land area.

Personally I think that the Commons area would be a great location for a stadium.

In any case, I would be saddened to see the old Armoury demolished.

The commons is the worst horrible suggestions that shows lack of consideration, there are far more reasonable places on the peninsula if you are going to use recreational land, like in point pleasant, needham park, Seaview Lookoff Park, even near africville road beside the Container Terminal or build over one of the many cemeteries. In all honestly lots of cities have large public facilities in their parks the vancouver aquarium in Stanley Park for example. The commons is used by thousands of more people than will ever attend a cfl game.

Personally I think the Holy Cross Cemetery along queen and south is the best spot for a stadium if we had one in a central location for the city, aside from the fourth Prime Minister being buried there its probably the cemetery with the least historical significance to the city spread across more than 8 acres or 350000. They could name stadium after the fourth Prime Minister, call it the John Sparrow David Thompson stadium or some abbreviation of it. Maybe that could get it some federal founding with the current government since he was a Conservative Prime Minister.

(This is mostly satire as I really don't care about a stadium and will never attend a game in one.)

[RyeJay]

It's okay if you don't outright support a stadium, xanaxanax. The discussion about where one could be constructed is still a conversation worth having.

With all the new residential buildings proposed and underconstruction in the North End, I'm wondering if the population that migrates to this area will help make a business case for a stadium in this area as well.
These residential projects are intended and marketed to young professionals, mostly, I believe.

Should these 6, 7, 8-storey developments (and around the 20-storey range on and around Young St.) change our considerations for a stadium's location?

This very central destination is about to get richer with residents, many of whom will be of the age to attend games, hopefully in extremely high frequencies; this, and the university students via public transit; this, and HRM suburbanites and out of town guests via the MacKay and Macdonald bridges and the Bedford Highway and the 102.

If you take MSVU into account in the grand scheme of universities and colleges in this city, this is one of the most central locations for post secondary students.

Empty fields and rundown industrial lands, galore!
Not only is there ample room for a stadium here, but this investment gives reason for future projects and proposals. A stadium in the North End would help stimulate redevelopment of all these underused and underappreciated sites. Kempt Road would be a developer's gold mine: a local population boom with new entertainment/community infrastructure -- and no downtown height restrictions -- no Citadel viewplanes -- no Friends of the Sidewalk Clover Patch.

Cranes in Halifax? Oh you just wait.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

It's okay if you don't outright support a stadium, xanaxanax. The discussion about where one could be constructed is still a conversation worth having.

With all the new residential buildings proposed and underconstruction in the North End, I'm wondering if the population that migrates to this area will help make a business case for a stadium in this area as well.
These residential projects are intended and marketed to young professionals, mostly, I believe.

Should these 6, 7, 8-storey developments (and around the 20-storey range on and around Young St.) change our considerations for a stadium's location?

This very central destination is about to get richer with residents, many of whom will be of the age to attend games, hopefully in extremely high frequencies; this, and the university students via public transit; this, and HRM suburbanites and out of town guests via the MacKay and Macdonald bridges and the Bedford Highway and the 102.

If you take MSVU into account in the grand scheme of universities and colleges in this city, this is one of the most central locations for post secondary students.

Empty fields and rundown industrial lands, galore!
Not only is there ample room for a stadium here, but this investment gives reason for future projects and proposals. A stadium in the North End would help stimulate redevelopment of all these underused and underappreciated sites. Kempt Road would be a developer's gold mine: a local population boom with new entertainment/community infrastructure -- and no downtown height restrictions -- no Citadel viewplanes -- no Friends of the Sidewalk Clover Patch.

Cranes in Halifax? Oh you just wait.

I would certainly prefer somewhere on the peninsula to anywhere else, including Shannon Park.

F*ck Dartmouth Crossing and it's lobbyists looking for the stadium out near it; which would basically be in the middle of a forested mudhill, with a couple strip malls. Which is what Dartmouth Crossing is.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by xanaxanax

The commons is the worst horrible suggestions that shows lack of consideration, there are far more reasonable places on the peninsula if you are going to use recreational land, like in point pleasant, needham park, Seaview Lookoff Park, even near africville road beside the Container Terminal or build over one of the many cemeteries. In all honestly lots of cities have large public facilities in their parks the vancouver aquarium in Stanley Park for example. The commons is used by thousands of more people than will ever attend a cfl game.

Personally I think the Holy Cross Cemetery along queen and south is the best spot for a stadium if we had one in a central location for the city, aside from the fourth Prime Minister being buried there its probably the cemetery with the least historical significance to the city spread across more than 8 acres or 350000. They could name stadium after the fourth Prime Minister, call it the John Sparrow David Thompson stadium or some abbreviation of it. Maybe that could get it some federal founding with the current government since he was a Conservative Prime Minister.

(This is mostly satire as I really don't care about a stadium and will never attend a game in one.)

yawn. If I want satire then I will read Tim Bousquet (but I don't and won't).

[counterfactual]

Dumb question, but what is the stadium for?

Is it supposed to be for a CFL team?

Or is it supposed to be a Metro Centre upgrade?

Because, it seems to me that we'll definitely make use out of a larger hockey stadium.

But if a CFL team never comes here, I don't see us making very great use out of a huge football stadium.

And, presumably, the space/real estate required for either of these are different.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Dumb question, but what is the stadium for?

Is it supposed to be for a CFL team?

Or is it supposed to be a Metro Centre upgrade?

Because, it seems to me that we'll definitely make use out of a larger hockey stadium.

But if a CFL team never comes here, I don't see us making very great use out of a huge football stadium.

And, presumably, the space/real estate required for either of these are different.

If Halifax gets a stadium it's basically guaranteed a CFL team.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Dumb question, but what is the stadium for?

Is it supposed to be for a CFL team?

Or is it supposed to be a Metro Centre upgrade?

Because, it seems to me that we'll definitely make use out of a larger hockey stadium.

But if a CFL team never comes here, I don't see us making very great use out of a huge football stadium.

And, presumably, the space/real estate required for either of these are different.

A new stadium would likely be geared towards CFL, and would probably be adaptable to some other outdoor sports (soccer, lacrosse, rugby, baseball, and/or track&field). HRM also mentions a possible Metro Centre upgrade or replacement from time to time, but this would be an arena accommodating indoor sports/events. The media occasionally uses the two terms interchangeably, but generally when people talk about a new stadium they mean an open-air facility.

[robotropolis]

Omg NIMBY! Don't put a stadium in the north end. The traffic, the drunk dip*****, the traffic, the parking, the traffic, the drunk dip*****, nightmare! Downtown is already unbearable during a mooseheads game. I used to live right next to the Alouettes stadium and it was THE WORST. And that was a small stadium.

Have you walked around many downtown areas near a stadium? They are not generally nice places to be. I believe stadiums are neighbourhood killers. Build it if you have to but NImBY.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Hali87

A new stadium would likely be geared towards CFL, and would probably be adaptable to some other outdoor sports (soccer, lacrosse, rugby, baseball, and/or track&field). HRM also mentions a possible Metro Centre upgrade or replacement from time to time, but this would be an arena accommodating indoor sports/events. The media occasionally uses the two terms interchangeably, but generally when people talk about a new stadium they mean an open-air facility.

I think an arena worth building (i.e. significantly larger and nicer than the Metro Centre) is likely to cost more than $150M. A stadium could be built for a lot less than this, and the net benefit could be higher depending on what it's used for.

The question of how a stadium could be immediately useful for is a good one and I think a lack of clarity on the cost vs. purpose is a big part of why the project has struggled. The city needs to settle on a location and a public plan for different levels of construction or upgrades with cost estimates linked to different uses.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by robotropolis

Omg NIMBY! Don't put a stadium in the north end. The traffic, the drunk dip*****, the traffic, the parking, the traffic, the drunk dip*****, nightmare! Downtown is already unbearable during a mooseheads game. I used to live right next to the Alouettes stadium and it was THE WORST. And that was a small stadium.

Have you walked around many downtown areas near a stadium? They are not generally nice places to be. I believe stadiums are neighbourhood killers. Build it if you have to but NImBY.

I love that you literally self-identified, correctly, your post as a NIMBY complaint. Saves us from having to point that out.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by robotropolis

Omg NIMBY! Don't put a stadium in the north end. The traffic, the drunk dip*****, the traffic, the parking, the traffic, the drunk dip*****, nightmare! Downtown is already unbearable during a mooseheads game. I used to live right next to the Alouettes stadium and it was THE WORST. And that was a small stadium.

Have you walked around many downtown areas near a stadium? They are not generally nice places to be. I believe stadiums are neighbourhood killers. Build it if you have to but NImBY.

A stadium in the North End wouldn't be near any of the established neighbourhoods. We're talking about the undeveloped regions beyond Young Street, on Kempt Road and Windsor Street. The empty sites and warehouses.

People don't live there. (Yet.)

Established residents will appreciate the increased number of amenities a short walking distance away.

Parking garages will be built, perhaps underground options for some projects. This central location means a reduction in traffic as more people will be able to walk.

Traffic fears shouldn't kill developments. We need to be saying yes to development, as we wisely invest in more and better public transit options to accomidate a growing city.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

A stadium in the North End wouldn't be near any of the established neighbourhoods. We're talking about the undeveloped regions beyond Young Street, on Kempt Road and Windsor Street. The empty sites and warehouses.

People don't live there. (Yet.)

Established residents will appreciate the increased number of amenities a short walking distance away.

Parking garages will be built, perhaps underground options for some projects. This central location means a reduction in traffic as more people will be able to walk.

Traffic fears shouldn't kill developments. We need to be saying yes to development, as we wisely invest in more and better public transit options to accomidate a growing city.

Agree. The WORST stadiums/arenas for traffic, are ones located in the suburbs, where EVERYONE has to drive. Driving to an Ottawa Senators game is hell on earth.