"Kevin McCrann, spokesman for the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, said the developers will spend $30 million to bring a Canadian Football League team to Ottawa.Granted, when someone is speaking extemporaneously, things get left out. It's kind of notable Carleton is mentioned but not the University of Ottawa. Then again, I tend to overthink.
" 'We're building the retail component and parking and we’re contributing to the front lawn,' he said. 'We’re also inheriting the losses of operating the stadium for years to come.
" This is Ottawa’s world-class open-air stadium. It will host Carleton University football games, soccer games, concerts. It’s a public facility. We think it’s a fair proposal.' " (italics mine)
Football: Gee, what about the team already playing there?
One couldn't help but notice which university was mentioned with regard to what role Canadian university football would have at a new Lansdowne Park in Ottawa.
I see both teams playing their home games there... similar to Waterloo playing at Laurier for so many years.
ReplyDeleteBlech. Neither team should play their home games there.
ReplyDeleteI heard Carleton built a new turf soccer field with football lines on it?
ReplyDeleteV,
ReplyDeleteThe Ottawa Sooners of OVFL play on that field, actually ... it doesn't really have the locker room or media space, but it's a quality field.
My facebook profile pic was actually taken on that field.
As for no teams should play at landsdowns down i don't agree.To make the most and best use of the stadium both teams should play there along with the 2 jr teams the semi pro team the 5 midget teams.But there is rumers the geegees want to build a 5500 seat dome stadium
ReplyDeleteuOttawa has dropped the idea of building a stadium at King Edward and Mann. They will build other athletic facilities there, including a new gym complex.
ReplyDeleteThey are in talks with Lansdowne Live to make a deal with them for football. Apparently Mr.. McRann is not directly involved in those talks.
uOttawa is looking at the possibility of a stadium on Lees avenue. That would come after the aforementioned new athletic facilities. So we it is unlikely to happen before ten years fifteen years, if ever.
If Carleton football is to take the field by 2012, they need to get there application in within the next couple of months. OUA football rules requires a two year waiting period from the
time the application is approved and the team commences league play. If they do decide to come back, it is not certain they will play at Lansdowne. They may wish to control their own facilities and spend the money to upgrade the present stadium, build dressing rooms and training facilities.John Ruddy has stated that his financial support for bringing Raven's football back is not contingent on the team playing at Lansdowne, even if it is his preference.
So both teams may eventually play at Lansdowne for a while, if Raven's football returns. It is unlikely that both would play there indefinitely, as one or both could opt for a campus stadium in the long run.
Any idea when there looking at building this new gym complex and how many seats. etc.
ReplyDeleteAnon @ 11.40 .
ReplyDeleteThe plans for this should have been announced last summer. However, this past June the university decided not to build the stadium part.Essentially they gave in to the opposition of the Sandy Hill community that did not want it in their neighborhood but agreed to not opposing the other facilities. So now they have been changing the whole design of the complex. No idea of the seating capacity of the gyms.. I have been told that an artificial playing field for Varsity teams to practice on, and for intramural use will also be part of the complex.No seating to speak of (i.e. not a stadium). uOttawa has one such field now and badly needs more to service such a large university.
The financing plans are in place and will not hold up the complex. uOttawa needs to finalize the architectural design and present it to the City of Ottawa Planning Committee for approval.Then they can start building. What the new time-lines for getting approval have not been revealed.
You would think that with all the hammering Ottawa is taking about coaches quitting and about university wide problems such as lack of space , they would want to announce something positive for a change Something like letting the public in on their plans for new athletic facilities. Maybe as part of an update on all their building plans to show the public that they are going to do something to remedy their infrastructure problems. They seem to have little feel about how to go about spinning things out to the public in a positive light.
ReplyDeleteI think there smart not to say anything now it will just add fuel to the la landsdownlive debate.The anti live people will say why do we need another sports complex why is it not part of the ll etc.
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