Friends of Soccer Whitecaps Stadium Meeting

[Vancouversoccerman]

Hello,

First off, thank you for your ongoing support for the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium through the Friends of Soccer movement. Support like yours is the primary reason the stadium project has been able to make this far. The next stage of public consultation is coming upon us soon, and it's vital that we keep the momentum going and send a clear message to City Staff and City Council that the time for the stadium is now.

I'm writing to let you know of a unique opportunity Friends of Soccer is about to pursue on the stadium front. Throughout the month of February, City of Vancouver Planning Staff will be organizing meetings with various community groups and stakeholders to present the Stadium proposal and request feedback.They will also be presenting a plan for the overall development of the Central Waterfront Hub. Whitecaps staff will be in attendance at these meetings to answer any questions and to hear your thoughts on the proposal. Meetings like these, along with a series of proposed Open Houses in March, will be the key components of Public Consultation that City Staff will be conducting as the stadium moves towards the next and final stage.

As we know the soccer and sports community are major stakeholders, Friends of Soccer will be requesting a meeting with City Staff to take place within the next two weeks. We would like to have as many supporters of the stadium in attendance as possible. This will be a chance for you to speak directly to the people who will be writing the next report to City Council and to give feedback to the Whitecaps as well. I urge you not to pass it up. Although our opponents have dwindled in numbers, and no longer have a big PR Firm working on their behalf, they are trying to amplify their miniscule support by infiltrating the workshops and working groups the City is holding on the stadium. The best way for us to counter this destructive strategy is to once again show the City the overwhelming support the Whitecaps stadium has among the citizens of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

I would like to get an idea of how many people are interested in attending this meeting, so I can book an appropriate date & meeting space. If you would like to attend, or know supporters who would, please contact me as soon as possible at friendsofsoccer@hotmail.com . Once the arrangements are made, I'll fill you in on the details regarding time and place. Once again, thanks for your help and your wonderful support!

Yours in Sport,

Bill Currie

Friends of Soccer

www.friendsofsoccer.org