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Whitecaps Stadium Update


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http://www.whitecapsnewstadium.com/media_k...l.cfm?newsid=24

Jan 22, 2007

REPORT TO COUNCIL RECOMMENDS PROCESS WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY RESOLVE KEY ISSUES

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Today Vancouver city staff submitted a report to Council which recommends a process that could potentially resolve the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium’s five key requirements set out by City Council last July. In addition, the report outlines a procedure to integrate the stadium with the Waterfront Hub Study. The report will be presented at a City Council meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 1.

“Since the last City Council meeting in July, we have been actively working to address the five key requirements,” said Whitecaps Director of Soccer Operations Bob Lenarduzzi. “Through our discussions with the Port Authority, we are now proposing a revised stadium site which has the potential to resolve or mitigate the five key issues.”

The new proposed site is situated slightly west of the previously proposed site, just north of the CP Rail tracks, on the waterfront and near the SeaBus hub.

The five key requirements the Whitecaps are working with the City and stakeholders to resolve are the following:

Provision of an adequate street network

Resolution of the risks and liability associated with dangerous goods in the rail lands

Reconfiguration of the stadium structure to ensure a better fit with Gastown

Resolution of impacts on the liveability of residential areas south of the rail lands

Resolution of impacts on future Port Lands development

As part of the process there will be a number of opportunities for the public to provide input on the proposal through one-on-one meetings, public open houses and workshops.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the City, stakeholders and public to ensure that the stadium is an asset to the community,” added Lenarduzzi. “Although we are optimistic about the new proposed site, there is still a lot of work to be done between now and June in order to move forward to the rezoning process.”

The recommended process is scheduled to be completed in June 2007, at that time Council will decide whether the five key requirements can be resolved sufficiently to proceed to a rezoning process. If approved, the stadium will follow a timeline which would see it ready in early 2010.

The proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium would be located adjacent to Vancouver’s transit hub making it easily accessible from the new Canada Line, SkyTrain, SeaBus, West Coast Express, Helijet and numerous bus routes. The multi-purpose venue would accommodate year-round events including more than 30 Whitecaps Men’s and Women’s games, Canadian national team soccer matches, international sporting events such as rugby and tennis, concerts, and community festivals.

CLICK HERE for the Council's report.

http://www.whitecapsnewstadium.com/data/upload/csb6.pdf

I still think it's highly doubtful it will be ready by 2010, but this is still really positive news that they're at least getting the ball rolling.

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if you look at the pdf file, it appears the new location is going to be over the seabus terminal, rather than over the railyards. A project of that magnitude is probably going to take quite a while to get figured out, nevermind actually building it.

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Althought more expensive (no doubt), building the standium on reclaimed land over the Seabus terminal would give the oppertunity for expansion in the future. On the proposed railyard site, property would have to be purchased or disturbed in order for an expansion of the stadium to occur when Vancouver requires a larger venue.

It would also allow for a nice plaza linking it to Canada Place.

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^ the thing is the Whitecaps owner, Greg Kerfoot, already bought the railyard.....well not really, but he bought the rights to build over it. The original proposal was to build the stadium on pilings, on a 30 foot podium that would hover over the trains. He has already spent more than $30 million on buying the railyard as well as a building, The Landing, adjacent to the stadium site. This building was to be the main entrance to the stadium, was the former headquarters of the 2010 bid committee and VANOC, and is now the headquarters for the Whitecaps.

So I'm guessing we're gonna get a new SeaBus terminal as well?

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Call me ignorant, but what league is the Whitecaps belong to? I am saying that because, in Calgary, there has been some announcement of a new Canadian indoor soccer league that will have its 2 year test run in Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Winnipeg. I cannot verify it at this time, but I am trying to find the news I heard on TV not more than an hour ago. I have to say that this came as a surprise to me. Vancouver was mentioned as the fifth test market for this league, but the owner of it was said it was dropped for further consideration.

Edited by Guardian
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the position of that stadium will not contribute to magnificence of Vancouver. It will be a lasting statement to disasterous urban planning.

You seem to be quite anti-Vancouver in each one of your posts.

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I like the new proposal but I don't like the direction that the stadium is facing. In both proposals it's open on one side to allow the view of the mountains, however in the new proposal the buidling is facing in a more easterly direction and the view of the mountains isn't as spectacular. I realize that it's a stadium and the view isn't exactly top of mind but I think what makes this stadium so neat is the view and how it was encorporated into the design. I used google earth to simulate what the view would be and it's just not the same.

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This is likely the plan for the new stadium. The railyard between the buildings and the stadium will be built over with a platform (public space) and buildings....and Kerfoot will probably develop the railyard into a combination of office and condos (75 feet high city max.) as well as public space - which would pay off the stadium.

waterfront.jpg

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Waterfront stadium gains momentum

By BOB MACKIN, 24 HOURS | Feb. 2, 2007

Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium may have a retractable roof and a field big enough for Canadian football, according to Bob Lenarduzzi.

The proposed soccer stadium near Gastown would remain a 15,000-seater, with possible expansion to 30,000.

Lenarduzzi conceded the seating capacity remains too low to lure the B.C. Lions from B.C. Place Stadium.

Lenarduzzi hopes the project can go to the rezoning stage this summer after yesterday's unanimous council vote to integrate the stadium with the central waterfront hub study.

Jon Stovell, who led last summer's anti-stadium campaign, and Gastown Business Improvement Association manager Leanore Sali applauded the Whitecaps on the site change.

"It has the potential to be exciting for our neighbourhood," Sali said.

Whitecaps hope to open the stadium for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

wow.....i'm amazed and surprised......a retractable roof?!!!!!!!!! and field big enough for CFL????? if only they could increase expandable capacity to 40,000-50,000.

i'm also surprised that the NIMBYism to the stadium has dissapeared.

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