[News] CalgaryNEXT Announcement. New arena details emerge.

[Enoch Root]

HartAttack:

I want answers to some of those questions as well. But the bottom line is that the reasons that most cities are building downtown now include:

1) it helps revitalize the core

2) parking already exists

3) public transit is readily available

4) traffic flows are already built to handle rush hour (can handle far more than the traffic from an event), and traffic flows out in every direction (as opposed to situations outside of the core, where basically everyone is leaving in the same direction or a very limited number of directions).

I don't personally have all the answers you are looking for. But everything I have experienced elsewhere suggests that the area should be able to handle the parking requirements.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Woah. There are a number of studies that show the containment system is working fine pre and post flood. The levels of toxins are all TSTM or below acceptable levels downstream from the site. It was concluded that anything found in the water is what had leeched to the bank before the containment system was installed.

It needs to be cleaned up for sure but it is contained for now.

Also, our water source is the Elbow.

I believe there's an online study available that I read a few months back that says occasionally the levels climb above acceptable levels. Again it goes back to what you think is more important building some new roads that may get a handful of people to work 10 minutes faster or cleaning up a contamination problem that we all know needs to be addressed.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I believe there's an online study available that I read a few months back that says occasionally the levels climb above acceptable levels. Again it goes back to what you think is more important building some new roads that may get a handful of people to work 10 minutes faster or cleaning up a contamination problem that we all know needs to be addressed.

<insert pic of girl saying "why can't we have both? here>

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Woah. There are a number of studies that show the containment system is working fine pre and post flood. The levels of toxins are all TSTM or below acceptable levels downstream from the site. It was concluded that anything found in the water is what had leeched to the bank before the containment system was installed.

It needs to be cleaned up for sure but it is contained for now.

Also, our water source is the Elbow.

Unless you live in the North, then it comes from the Bow (granted upstream of W. Village). Or if you live in one of the many downstream communities of Calgary who take water from the Bow to drink...

[Tyler]

I think Calgary needs to start coming to grips with the fact that no; you can't always JUST DRIVE EVERYWHERE you want. Sometimes you have to take transit, walk or grab a Car to Go.

Welcome to the reality of living in a big city. Embrace it.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Unless you live in the North, then it comes from the Bow (granted upstream of W. Village). Or if you live in one of the many downstream communities of Calgary who take water from the Bow to drink...

Obvious solution: If Medicine Hat wants clean drinking water, they can pay to remediate the creosote site.

Problem solved.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

I don't see parking as a major problem, but for context, does anyone know how many spots are available on the Stampede grounds?

[DionTheDman]

Originally Posted by RM14

We have enough down town million dollar river front condo neighbourhoods. It would be nice to see this area become something different for the sake of variety.

Disagree. Downtown could use some densification. Get people living there first. Then the shops, restaurants and cafes will follow. Otherwise downtown will remain a graveyard evenings and weekends, which is really kind of depressing.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

I don't see parking as a major problem, but for context, does anyone know how many spots are available on the Stampede grounds?

Or McMahon Stadium. Much less parking there, for a much larger building.

[MissTeeks]

Originally Posted by getbak

Or McMahon Stadium. Much less parking there, for a much larger building.

And there is no parking without a pass and they don't even take people on the wait list for passes anymore:

http://www.stampeders.com/faq#Directions

Parking is sold out and the waiting list for future years has been capped, which means no more names are being taken for addition to the list.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

No parking without a pass and they don't even take people on the wait list for passes anymore:

http://www.stampeders.com/faq#Directions

Yeah, but they have parking at the stadium. I'm more interested in the count than availability.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I believe there's an online study available that I read a few months back that says occasionally the levels climb above acceptable levels. Again it goes back to what you think is more important building some new roads that may get a handful of people to work 10 minutes faster or cleaning up a contamination problem that we all know needs to be addressed.

I think it should be cleaned up yesterday and don't particularly care about the roads as I rarely use them but do see that the area could be improved. There's a lot of assumptions being thrown around on the building, financing, etc. I would just hate to see people start thinking that the Bow is full of creosote.

There was 1 monitoring well that found levels high enough to warrant further investigations. The important thing to note though is any contamination on the north bank is coming from groundwater traveling along below the river not the river itself. Cleaning up the site will stop this from happening further but how much of it has already settled to bedrock and traveled via groundwater in areas outside of where cleanup will be happening. Once the site is cleaned, this problem doesn't necessarily go away.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

I don't see parking as a major problem, but for context, does anyone know how many spots are available on the Stampede grounds?

The problem with parking that I see (and someone mentioned it before) is that if the stadium is a field house also, and you have hundreds of athletes/families there rushing to get to games/practice after work and school, it could turn into a cluster eff. Nobody is going to want to lug their athletic gear on a C-train during rush hours.

[taffeyb]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

I don't see parking as a major problem, but for context, does anyone know how many spots are available on the Stampede grounds?

You have to count all of the independant parking lots that are set up surrounding the Stampede Grounds as well. Also, lots of street parking. The West Villiage area is not even close in terms of parking availabilty. Most anything South of there is zoned residential parking.

When I take the LRT after a Flames game, two trains (one North and one South) clears out most of the platform. So that's about 1500 passagers. Let be generous and bump that up to 4 cars or 3000 passengers. That still leaves 15,000 people who walk or car it. Not sure how forcing the majority to take transit will work. How do you get enough LRTs on the line? There's no siding tracks near by...

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by taffeyb

You have to count all of the independant parking lots that are set up surrounding the Stampede Grounds as well. Also, lots of street parking. The West Villiage area is not even close in terms of parking availabilty. Most anything South of there is zoned residential parking.

When I take the LRT after a Flames game, two trains (one North and one South) clears out most of the platform. So that's about 1500 passagers. Let be generous and bump that up to 4 cars or 3000 passengers. That still leaves 15,000 people who walk or car it. Not sure how forcing the majority to take transit will work. How do you get enough LRTs on the line? There's no siding tracks near by...

It's laughable to think one train each way clears the Saddledome crowd after a Flames game. Or that the next 1-2 trains each way aren't also jammed.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by HartAttack

I would be interested to see some kind of map or table outlining the "park downtown and walk" options you outlined above. How long of a walk (distance & time) for each of the closest public parking spots within reasonable distance to accommodate 20,000 people. Even for the argument of "park downtown and hop on the c-train for a couple stops" doesn't really make a lot of sense to me because the c-train cars will already be full with other people choosing to use public transit to take to the game.

What this boils down to, is that you're basically saying there are 2 options to get to the new arena: walk or take public transit. If we can get a reasonable answer to these 2 questions, I can take back my stance on parking:

1) how many people can fit on each train (include all 3/4 cars) and how many trains would it take to get all 20,000 people to the game, and how much time would that take (assuming 10-15 minute train intervals which is common in the evenings)... IE does our transit system have the capacity to accommodate the number of riders required in the short period of time.
2) how many public parking stalls are within a reasonable walking distance to the new arena, # of stalls, distance to the arena

I just don't think using Winnipeg as an example is really that fair. It's a smallish downtown, with plenty of public parking within a few blocks on ALL sides of the arena. In Calgary all users would likely be parking downtown (East) and all walking West towards the arena.

These are good questions. About the only info I can gather is that a c-train car can hold 200 people, so currently a train can now hold 600 which should go to 800. I am guessing that is absolutely packed, but I suppose that is no different than games now, or rush hour downtown.

I would guess that the 1500 parking spots is less than what Stampede park provides, but if the current plan only includes the fieldhouse and arena, there will likely be room for other surface lots until the development takes shape.

[MissTeeks]

Calgary Transit says McMahon has 700 stalls in the Park & Ride.

https://www.calgarytransit.com/park-ride-locations

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

It's laughable to think one train each way clears the Saddledome crowd after a Flames game. Or that the next 1-2 trains each way aren't also jammed.

You are either waiting for a train or you are waiting to get out of the parking lot at the Saddledome. The common denominator is that you have to wait to get out regardless. I find personally it's significantly quicker to get out on a train than it is to get out of the Stamped grounds in a car after a Flames game.

Quite frankly I'm very surprised that of all the issues for debate that a big deal is made about parking.

[craigwd]

Originally Posted by bax

What this boils down to, is that you're basically saying there are 2 options to get to the new arena: walk or take public transit.

Car pool, taxi, Car2go, Uber (most likely), bike etc.
It is 2015, time to ditch the car once in a while.

Plus, there is nothing wrong with waiting a few minutes if one train is full. They don't have to expect to clear out thousands of people on the first train.

It's already done with the Stampede, and McMahon's one train station is sufficient to move several thousands of people within 20-30 minutes of a game ending.

Originally Posted by bax

I think these situations would be few and far between. 1500 parking spots for an amateur Fieldhouse should be more than enough. I don't think people will need to take their gear on the train.

I'm not sure why everyone is thinking that everyone carries so much gear. This isn't hockey, there are no giant hockey bags.

Most of the amateur athletes I know tote around a small backpack and water bottle and they are used to transit or riding their bikes.

Personally on the train, I carry a backpack and badminton racquet and it isn't a inconvenience to anyone.

A centrally located Fieldhouse with access to transit and bike paths is an absolute necessity.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

You are either waiting for a train or you are waiting to get out of the parking lot at the Saddledome. The common denominator is that you have to wait to get out regardless. I find personally it's significantly quicker to get out on a train than it is to get out of the Stamped grounds in a car after a Flames game.

This, plus it's significantly cheaper to park in a heated underground lot in, say, Bankers Hall or under Holt Renfrew after normal business hours or on the weekend than parking at the Dome.

If they extend the free zone one stop, it'd be great.