When does CalgaryNext break ground?

[Vulcan]

That the city is taking the first step by hiring a firm to look at the cleanup costs, makes me optimistic that the ball will get rolling.

[hockey.modern]

Like it was said earlier, the first process is cleaning the creosote, which the city is looking at right now and is likely to hire the firm by the end of the month.

[polak]

I voted 5 years but it wont be anything like the presentation. I just think that they'll give up the field house and build a new arena.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by hockey.modern

Like it was said earlier, the first process is cleaning the creosote, which the city is looking at right now and is likely to hire the firm by the end of the month.

By the end of the month, they'll have hired the company that will investigate the site and make recommendations for the cleanup. Who knows how long it will take before an actual cleanup plan is approved.

I think that's the biggest question mark over this whole project. If everyone can agree to clean up the site ASAP and go after Domtar for payment after the fact (or while cleanup is taking place), things could get moving on the cleanup by the end of 2016.

If they wait until they get a ruling and payment agreement from Domtar, it could spend a few years in court before anything happens.


My guess is that in a big picture sense, the project will be built as proposed, although small details will change from what we've seen so far. By big picture, I mean that somewhere west of 14th St and north of the CPR tracks, a large multi-use sports complex will be constructed. It will include an NHL arena used by the Flames, Hitmen, and Roughnecks, as well as for concerts and other "arena" events. The arena (or Events Centre) will be attached to a multisport fieldhouse that will be available for public use and will serve as the home stadium for the Stampeders.


I predict that the creosote cleanup will start in 2017, with groundbreaking on the new sports complex in 2018. The Flames will play their first game in the new building in the fall of 2021. Construction will continue on the fieldhouse after the Events Centre is open, with the Stamps playing their first game in 2022 and the fieldhouse opening for public use also in 2022.

[jayswin]

^^^^^^^^

Oh man, that's so depressing. I know it was unrealistic but when the announcement was imminent I was thinking like 3 - 4 years til we were sitting in a new arena, with 4 years being annoying. As a 30 year old it's pretty crazy to think I'll likely be closing in on 40 before we see a game played there.

[Dion]

The fly in the ointment for me is the 200 mil the city is supposed to cough up for the field house. If the city can't or won't come up with that amount it puts the whole project in jeopardy. I think the plan will be revised with just an arena as the Flames can't wait, with the possibility of a feild house at a future date.

[calgarywinning]

Poll question is clear, but there is confusion. Break ground is the start of construction. I can't see that a decision isn't made within 2 years and work begins. Then several years construction.

The City is wealthy and can't afford not to attempt to clean and create this area of town at this point. The contamination has to be cleaned regardless at this point as it's leaching into the river and across the banks.

[RougeUnderoos]

This might be a stupid question, and I'm okay with that, but how does the football stadium become a "field house"?

There is only one field, and it will be the Stamps home for training camp, practices and of course games (as few as they are) for several months of the year. If they build this thing and call it the field house, will it alleviate the shortage of sports facilities in Calgary?

I think the answer to my own question is "no", because I'm positive the addition of one part-time soccer field isn't going to do that.

So it seems like that it will be a "field house" in name only, but calling it a "field house" is a way to get some public loot.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

This might be a stupid question, and I'm okay with that, but how does the football stadium become a "field house"?

There is only one field, and it will be the Stamps home for training camp, practices and of course games (as few as they are) for several months of the year. If they build this thing and call it the field house, will it alleviate the shortage of sports facilities in Calgary?

I think the answer to my own question is "no", because I'm positive the addition of one part-time soccer field isn't going to do that.

So it seems like that it will be a "field house" in name only, but calling it a "field house" is a way to get some public loot.

It's not a stupid question, but it's probably more appropriate for the main CalgaryNext thread. I posted my thoughts in that thread here: http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?p=5414686

I think it's definitely a question that needs to be asked.

[Northendzone]

i voted 5+ yrs. I think the flames need a plan b and i also think the economy here in clagary needs to stabilize/get fixed

[GGG]

I voted never,

However I do think that an arena will be started on the west village site within 10 years.

Free land from the city, CRL funds clean up and infrastructure for new district. Bow trail gets moved. Ticket tax and flames pay for arena.

I don't see the interest in spending an additional 250 million for a CFL stadium until The old one is structurally unsound

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by zyzz

Never. The Dome is fine and nobody cares about the Stamps or Katy Perry skipping town.

Hey wait a minute


Why you little

[BigFlameDog]

Flames will be playing in the rink they own in Balzac in 5 years.

West village will still be undeveloped.

Still no field house.

In 10 years Stamps begin playing in their new multi purpose stadium in Balzac.

West village will still be undeveloped.

Still no field house.

Just a guess.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

Poll question is clear, but there is confusion. Break ground is the start of construction. I can't see that a decision isn't made within 2 years and work begins. Then several years construction.

The City is wealthy and can't afford not to attempt to clean and create this area of town at this point. The contamination has to be cleaned regardless at this point as it's leaching into the river and across the banks.

What do you mean by bolded part? The citizens are wealthy or is there a civic reserve of some type waiting to be used?

[Fighting Banana Slug]

I'm as optimistic as they come on the current plan, but I still voted 5+. Feels like a few years of studies, plus a few years of design tweaks plus a few years of funding problems. I realize some of that stuff can occur concurrently, but it will still be an annoyingly long time before we see shovels in the ground (outside of the creosote issue).

[calgarywinning]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

What do you mean by bolded part? The citizens are wealthy or is there a civic reserve of some type waiting to be used?

The City as a corporation is wealthy, multi-pronged taxing regime that has the populance and business tax base in the City of Calgary to do many things and does do many things. It's not a judgement, but more of an observation.

I have been told by the city they have 65 lawyers on staff. Which tells me they may not do so many things well, but thats 10-15 million a year in in-staff legal, not to mention they have Bennett Jones on contract for litigation. Probably another 10 million a year. Just in lawyers alone that's a new field house every ten years.

The reality is the land is contaminated and owned by the City, so the cleanup has to occur. It's a legitimate expense and the liability exposure for not doing so is huge as areas across the river have tested positive.

Then there has to be a budget and a plan to activate or purpose use this cleaned up grade A land to create more tax revenue for the city. Whether they sell the land, rent the land, use portions of the land to sell to be developed, it makes a lot of sense for the municipality to do this if the cleanup is a necessity.

[Howie_16]

Quick question that may have been asked somewhere else that I can't find:

"If the Liberals win the election, would CalgaryNEXT be a project that could benefit from Trudeau's plan to spend federal money on infrastructure? How would/could this be affected by a majority or minority Liberal government?"

[Howie_16]

Double post. My bad

[Coach]

Soon.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Howie_16

Quick question that may have been asked somewhere else that I can't find:

"If the Liberals win the election, would CalgaryNEXT be a project that could benefit from Trudeau's plan to spend federal money on infrastructure? How would/could this be affected by a majority or minority Liberal government?"

Probably just another empty promise by a politician trying to get the big job.

I doubt much will change in terms of arena funding no matter what happens on Monday.