Bxl Boy Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 The Saputo stadium will be built in 12 months So, go ahaed and don't waste time with expansive committees and useless studies... Could a Varsity project come to the first rank of the scene again ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnipeg Fury Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 Utter disaster ! KP said there was no Plan B, because the stadium would go ahead. I'm waiting for the CSA's response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoyleG Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 quote:Originally posted by Jarrek Lamport holds 9,000. 4,500 per each side. The stadium as it is - does not meet any FIFA standards. To make the stadium FIFA approved the pitch would have to be slightly widened - meaning one of the stands would have to come down and be rebuilt. The surface would also have to be replaced, and a whole host of other upgrades - media room, lockers, etc, etc. If you still have the cash from the levels of gov't, upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarrek Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 quote:good nuff for the pope and the stones ... DOWNSVIEW ... Another good location !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarrek Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 quote:If you still have the cash from the levels of gov't, upgrade. The location is poor. The site is really unsuitable for crowds of 9,000 let alone 20,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Boy Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 The only question now is whether that Gov't money is still available. If Montreal can do with $15 M,then $35 should still get the CSA a decent facility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youllneverwalkalone Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 quote:Originally posted by Danny Boy The only question now is whether that Gov't money is still available. If Montreal can do with $15 M,then $35 should still get the CSA a decent facility. You'd think the 27m from the feds has to still be on the table for other cities/projects. I saw on one of the V-Day shows that the Alaska Highway was built in a few months. Surely 2 years is enough time to build something decent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 The first thing thats crossed my mind when I read this was not so much concern over the 2007 tourny. Hell, the tourny can survive even without Toronto. I'll just have to go to Montreal or Ottawa to see to see games involving ( hopefully) Canada. The WYC was more of a short term shot in the arm or fix for us soccer fans. But the real body blow is to soccer in canada and our prospect for qualfying for the WC as a result of not having the MLS as an carreer option for aspiring players to develope in a professional environment. This will mean that for the forseeable future, our qualifying efforts will consist of airlifting ALL our players from European jobs scattered accross the european continent to come accross the Atlantic and cross 10-13 time zones to play important games. Meanwhile our opponents wont face these obstacles. Sorry, but we won't qualify even for 2010 under these circumstance. Makes you wonder what is the point of being a supporter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 This is disastrous news for Canadian soccer, and for Toronto in particular. Jack Warner said that the tourney would stay in Canada. But let's consider. Kevan Pipe said that the stadium would be built. York said they would help build the stadium. The Argo's said they would help build the stadium. It seems everyone is capable of going back on their word, so why not Jack Warner, of all people? So yes, he's said that it will stay, but I won't be surprised in the slightest if it doesn't. I hope I'm wrong and we don't lose it. If this doesn't sink Pipe, then nothing will. Its not his fault nor the CSA's that the Argo's bailed to cause this whole mess - but as a number of us have mentioned, he can be blamed for publicly insisting afterwards that the stadium will be built and stating there is no plan B when there was no longer a guarantee that it would be built. He's going to look unbelievably foolish unless there is a plan B for a stadium (that has some land that comes with it, since York has now taken theirs away). While this is embarassing to the CSA, above all this is so incredibly embarassing for Canadian soccer, the city, the country and Canadian soccer supporters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhitecapsFCFan Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 quote:Originally posted by youllneverwalkalone You'd think the 27m from the feds has to still be on the table for other cities/projects. I saw on one of the V-Day shows that the Alaska Highway was built in a few months. Surely 2 years is enough time to build something decent. In Vancouver with Kerfoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 quote:Originally posted by Winnipeg Fury Utter disaster ! KP said there was no Plan B, because the stadium would go ahead. I'm waiting for the CSA's response. Yeah, it should be interesting, to say the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 quote:Originally posted by Free kick But the real body blow is to soccer in canada and our prospect for qualfying for the WC as a result of not having the MLS as an carreer option for aspiring players to develope in a professional environment. I don't know if its possible at this stage, but I'd be happy for the Feds to give the $27 million to Vancouver to help them build a real stadium (as opposed to the temporary crap they are planning to build) and help get Kerfoot & the Whitecaps to the MLS. As a Torontonian I'd prefer we start with the MLS here, but I'd rather we get in somewhere than not at all. We had better drink up & drown our sorrows at the pub this Saturday night, because its going to be like a funeral at Centennial on Sunday. Its supposed to rain, the team is 0-4-2, and we're stuck with no stadium, crap owners and no top-level soccer in this city for who knows how long. Yeah, I'll be really excited about that! [xx(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC supporter Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 This is truly unfortunate for Canadian soccer development, although hardly a shock, but it's Toronto that receives the biggest black eye, IMO. The 2007 tournament will go ahead, and be a success, because other Canadian cities have stepped up; it's just regrettable Toronto is not to be one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca I don't know if its possible at this stage, but I'd be happy for the Feds to give the $27 million to Vancouver to help them build a real stadium (as opposed to the temporary crap they are planning to build) and help get Kerfoot & the Whitecaps to the MLS. Yes I concure totally. Perhaps a change in strategy by the CSA might be best. Getting Vancouver or Montreal into the MLS would be a big savior, because I don't think it will happen in Toronto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 Adding to the misery, the SSS at York U was THE carrot to dangle in front of Jonathan de Guzman, eligible for the 2007 U20s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 quote:Originally posted by Free kick Yes I concure totally. Perhaps a change in strategy by the CSA might be best. Getting Vancouver or Montreal into the MLS would be a big savior, because I don't think it will happen in Toronto. Doesn't sound like Saputo is interested though, from what I read somewhere recently. So I think the best hope is Vancouver now, unless there is a plan B for something in Toronto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussoccerfan Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 Couldn't Halifax host any games ? Here's a picture of Huskies Stadium on May 8th, 2005 It looks like Huskies Stadium is going to be upgraded too- http://www.smuhuskies.ca/master_stadium.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 quote:Originally posted by BC supporter This is truly unfortunate for Canadian soccer development, although hardly a shock, but it's Toronto that receives the biggest black eye, IMO. The 2007 tournament will go ahead, and be a success, because other Canadian cities have stepped up; it's just regrettable Toronto is not to be one of them. Well I agree that its a humongous black eye to Toronto. But I am not sure that I would concure that other Canadian cities have stepped up. Aside from Montreal ( and to some extent Vancouver and Victoria), I haven't seen anyone really step up. Rememeber those stories just prior to the announcement of the cities chosen to host? I seem to recall community after community dropping out of the race. Therefore how can that be considered stepping up. Why did they drop out? probably because they were asked to invest in something to get the benefit of being host . But NO, they probably thought that this was just another sports event like Watterpolo or Volleyball where you can play in a rag tag facilities with 2000 seats. Never mind one of the most prestigous sports event in teh world. Ironically, these are some of the same communities that some proponents on this board are fond of naming as places where a fictitios pan-canadian pro league club can survive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Boy Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 quote:Originally posted by Ed Adding to the misery, the SSS at York U was THE carrot to dangle in front of Jonathan de Guzman, eligible for the 2007 U20s. You think he'd choose the Canadian squad because a new stadium would be built? A bigger carrot would be winning the tourney in front of 50,000 at Commonwealth. But who's to say what the real carrot for him is. Don't the Dutch play in a carrot coloured uniform..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 I'd love to be proven wrong, but I really don't see the CSA pulling a whole new stadium proposal out of a hat. You guys talk as if all you have to do is get a shovel, find an empty field and start digging. Of course you can build a stadium in 12-18 months. But construction is the least part of building a stadium. Before you even begin you have to a) have funding in place know who the owner and operator will be c) have a site d) own the site or have a leasing arrangement set up e) conduct an assessment on the land's suitability f) have blueprints drawn up g) conduct a transportation assessment (not just how you get to the stadium, but also how stadium events will impact traffic in the surrounding area) h) obtain the proper zoning changes and approval from various levels of government. You think those things are trivial? There is easily a year of work that has to be done before you turn the soil on these things. As for the federal funding, it was tied to specific proposal. Politically, you could easily make an argument that it should be available to another city or project if it's part of the WYC and a replacement for the York Stadium project. The Liberals are desperate to save their hides at the moment and have already shown they're willing to throw money around to do it. But if it's a drastically different proposal (and putting it in another city is pretty drastic) it would need to go through the appropriate government committees for approval. Unfortunately the time window is very small, not just because of the 2007 deadline. A non-confidence vote is scheduled for May 19. After that NO money will be available until after the election. If the Conservatives are elected, then the $27 million is off the table. IMO, the only reasonable option for the CSA at this point is to declare Edmonton's Commonwealth to be the venue for the final and for Canada's group in the first round. Scramble to find an existing facility in Toronto that can be expanded or upgraded or look into the feasiblity of a temporary facility. Give Toronto some of the first-round games. If nothing can be found in Toronto, award those games to one of the other cities that submitted unsuccessful bids (Quebec?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajax Jambo Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 Why not Lamport? Or Birchmount for that matter. These sites have had zero money put into them since they were built in the 60's / 70's. I was outside Lamport yesterday and can see potential there. 10,000 seats easy without the ends filled in - another 5000. It more than meets FIFA size requrements for playing surface - it's the biggest field in the GTA, throw some Fieldturf down and lets go. Same goes for Birchmount. Get rid of the track ( it's a disgrace anyway ) and build down, replace the bleachers with something more permanent, fill in the ends with temp seats and we're looking at 2 stadiums for the money that the gov't had committed with money to spare. For a city owned facility, Field turf must be the way to go to free it up for the peasants on off nights. God knows that Toronto commits more than it's share to the rest of the country, let's get some of it back to spruce up the facilities around the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussoccerfan Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 quote:Originally posted by Ajax Jambo God knows that Toronto commits more than it's share to the rest of the country Don't you have anything better to do than to create regional bickering ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 Lamport & Birchmount would have to be completely upgraded & re-vamped for it not to be an international embarassment to play the matches there. This includes in the case of Birchmount an entirely new press facilities, as the one currently in Birchmount is worse than a joke. I'm not expert but I supsect the cost of doing so might well exceed the cost of building a stadium from scratch, except for the fact that there is no land that would need to be purchased. If any stadium is going to be used temporarily in Toronto for the WYC, I would think it would be the Skydome with grass installed. Though it will be difficult, as you'd need to clear both the Jays and (as the CFL starts in the month of July) the Argos out of there for an extended period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bxl Boy Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 Maybe people in Canada should once in their lives think of taking care of the stadiums in order to... 1/ Build it 2/ Let it live... and die 3/ Abandon it (and destroy it... sometimes) 4/ Search a place for another stadium 5/ Cry I think Canada can have the world record of stadium bad treatments... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 quote:Originally posted by aussoccerfan Couldn't Halifax host any games ? Here's a picture of Huskies Stadium on May 8th, 2005 It looks like Huskies Stadium is going to be upgraded too- http://www.smuhuskies.ca/master_stadium.htm You know I'd love to see Jack Warner and his FIFA posse housed in such surroundings. Well done. K. Pipe could be put to use keeping the riffraff out and handing out bags of dulce to the dignitaries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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