Brampton City Lands Cricket Stadium | ?m | ?s | City of Brampton

rdaner

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I know the idea has been floated before but it appears that things are crystallizing around a Brampton owned site called City Lands in south Brampton along the 407. Part of a much larger proposal that envisions a new city centre, the opening of the Hurontario lrt will make it much more attractive.

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Yes, yes, yes. A decent cricket stadium, with transit connections, and very importantly, better than decent food options for purchase, and pavilions to eat, whether purchased or carried in. It’s all part of the experience and not to be skimped at. This could be a haven for street food vendors and heaven for those of us who would show up to take in a match. Good stuff Brampton.
 
I know we have info on this already somewhere, though I think a couple of the renders are new. It should all be merged in a single thread. I can't find the older stuff. But it would be from February I think.
 
I can't find any past dedicated thread on this either. Let's merge if it does exist.
There's been a mixed reaction to this proposal. It was a key platform promise that helped secure significant election support for Mayor Brown.

The vocal opposition is saying:
- The CAA Centre currently in the area is considered a failure with 2 hockey teams (often finished last in division) leaving town. Fears that stadium could see same fate as an expensive white elephant with track record here.
- The location is far away from most Brampton residents further north and difficult to reach by any method, car/transit currently.
- The initial $35M costs will be footed by taxpayers better used on more urgent projects.


The advocates for it state
- The CAA Centre recently secured a winning basketball team (Honey Badgers), which has more popularity than Hockey in the city, there's been an uptick in ethnic events, monthly MMA/boxing cards that can draw in a reasonable 2-3k attendance
- The stadium is multi-use,: Cricket is also extremely popular among the south asian demographics, options for soccer games (Brampton is the soccer capital of Canada based on the National Team). Kabaddi is a "grapple" sport among Punjabi's that could use a home in the city. There's a demand for larger scale summer concert/festival venues which can draw between 10-20k at the fairgrounds, ching park and Go station lots in the past.
- There's millions in Federal Grants setup by a former CPC Brampton Sports Minister Bal Gosal that can be unlocked to foot some of the bill.
- Can attract international matches to the city, good proximity to YYZ and highways.
- A lot of new residents in high density is coming to the new "Uptown" centred nearby. Additional growth around the area could breathe life to the space, The golf Course nearby included in this potential growth.
 
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The arena for the OHL Battalion 20 years ago was a poor location, far from transit and even road access despite visibility from the 410 and 407. This was before Brampton Transit was reorganized with Route 7 reconfigured to provide direct north-south service. An OHL arena should have gone closer to Downtown, especially when it was competing with Mississauga’s OHL expansion team.

But the new plans make a lot more sense, especially if they’re integrated with new urban development. But there’s a need for better east-west access, especially walking/cycling which is going to be hard with two golf courses (one private, one public) in the way.
 
...and they have a cricket stadium up there? There's lots of cricket pitches around...I wasn't aware of any stadium dedicated to this sport around these parts. Maybe I should get with the times more?
 
I don't have much knowledge on cricket field dimensions, but it would be interesting if this were to become the first mixed-use cricket and soccer stadium in North America. This would provide a strong impetus to bring a CPL team to Brampton if an investor could be found.
 
I don't have much knowledge on cricket field dimensions, but it would be interesting if this were to become the first mixed-use cricket and soccer stadium in North America. This would provide a strong impetus to bring a CPL team to Brampton if an investor could be found.
I just remember cricket pitches as being BIG, and we had to use one for a time as a practice pitch

So a cricket field (oval) is officially 140-150 meters in length x 110-130 meters in width and the oval fits into that framework. But there are many anomalies with the pitches due to location, league, age of the pitch etc.

A football field (soccer) is by fifa rules 90-120 meters long by 45-90 meters wide, plus technical areas alongside. Lots of ability here to fit in smaller pitches for differing age groups or site dynamics.

But you would not necessarily think that the two fields would be good partners, especially if you are building spectator stands, and also recognizes the need for cricket 'pavilions' to serve tea, those lovely crustless cucumber sandwiches, and an outlet or two for more thirst quenching beverages....cricket matches can go on for some time.

A better mix might be football and rugby..

But you are correct, I have not heard much new on the subject, but asked a few buddies in the sport for some updates. we'll see what comes back.
 
For several years the Blue Jays and Argos shared the SkyDome and exhibition stadium together, would be the closest example I could think of with baseball and football.
 
For several years the Blue Jays and Argos shared the SkyDome and exhibition stadium together, would be the closest example I could think of with baseball and football.
New York City FC rotates between playing out of the Yankees and the Mets stadium currently, for which they are considered a laughing stock. Watching games there are absolutely brutal and the viewing experience on TV is absolutely horrendous, and it is questionable if the field dimensions even meet regulation but the league has brushed that question mark aside for practical reasons. The good news for them is that they are building a soccer-specific stadium at Flushing Meadows that will become their new home.

Providence Park, where the Portland Timbers play and are the primary tenant, was also originally used for baseball. Significant upgrades were made there however, so it is more of a historical note.

However, my impression is that cricket fields are actually quite a bit bigger than baseball fields, and based on @just east of the creek post, these may well be compatible uses.
 

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