Count me behind this plan, with caution of course. The Spec's Emma Reilly reports on a most intriging plan for the West Harbour, which even Bob Young could get behind. The full plan created by Marino Rakovac is presented on his blog. It features in full detail, his vision for a West Harbour stadium, so comprehensive that you are going to have to see this one for yourself.
Of course there are challenges to this vision, the foremost being whether or not CN would allow this to happen. CN doesn't want any homes within 300 metres of their tracks, eventhough the city would probably be very enthusiastic about this plan which will use the sale of condos to help pay for this venture and could create an interesting scenario for those who want to buy into this.
After all, how would you love a stadium on your condo? And what would you want for it? How about a view of the game? Office buildings, relocation of the Football Hall of Fame (a long time coming!), a recreation center and a RETRACTABLE ROOF to do things all year round! Woo hoo! It's an ultrasonic technicolour climax baby! (PWEI said so.) Anybody want to say no?
Okay, how about "not so fast"? Well that's the case here. Matt Jelly, a regular contributor to Raise the Hammer, has inadvertently done that without even knowing. You see, we need an adult conversation about the real cost of building on the West Harbour and the biggest one will be that clean up! And let's face it folks. It's a mess! Knowing what's there right now, can you blame Bob Young now? The clean-up will be expensive, there's no doubt, but at the same time, there won't be anyone living there as long as it's on ground level.
Now the Bayfront Park, was a triumph in itself, considering it was built on industrial land too and I think they can do something substantial and I have to say that this is the most vision I have seen throughout the whole debate. There would have to be a geological survey to map out the solid underlying layers underground to determine the viability and the cost associated with such an undertaking.
The vision shown by Mr. Rakovac is something significant and something potentially exciting to sports and entertainment fans in the GHA, especially those who would like to see a quality Monster Jam show somewhere other than the Rogers Centre. We could even host some major sporting events. This vision shows the way. This has legacy potential written all over it. This is the best vision of a stadium I have seen in a long time. This is one that can outdo Toronto's Rogers Centre.
To say the least this is an intriguing notion, but will the businesses and the potential condo buyers pony up or will this be another Hamiltonian case of "if you build it, they will come" gone wrong? There is only one thing that can make this happen: the right people in the right places at the right time. Once that happens, how can Bob Young say no then?
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