Toronto BMO Field Renovations | ?m | ?s | MLSE | Gensler

Now that BMO Field has been "Phase 1" upgraded how does it compare to Tim Horton's Field in Hamilton? What is the feedback from players and spectators?

Thanks
 
Edllguy said:
Now that BMO Field has been "Phase 1" upgraded how does it compare to Tim Horton's Field in Hamilton? What is the feedback from players and spectators?

Thanks
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It still feels unfinished, but definitely more polished than before. The new East grandstand is massive and they often struggle to fill it. I am sure that won't be a problem should TFC make the playoffs (this looks to be the year…), also MLSE was talking about having an NHL winter classic there. They expanded the rogers club and it is very nice and modern. I wonder how long TFC will have to be on the road for the phase two work to be completed next season.
 
I really enjoy the BMO but after every match I have the same thought....if someone other than the city owned this facility they would never have been granted permission to expand it by +/- 50% and not make improvements to the public access such as the GO tunnel...it not only takes increasingly longer to get through the tunnel after the matches...it is (IMO) a bit of a safety concern.
 
Still not finished with the elevator shaft cladding on the west side:

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TOareaFan said:
I really enjoy the BMO but after every match I have the same thought....if someone other than the city owned this facility they would never have been granted permission to expand it by +/- 50% and not make improvements to the public access such as the GO tunnel...it not only takes increasingly longer to get through the tunnel after the matches...it is (IMO) a bit of a safety concern.
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The tunnel has been an issue for years, and it is frustrating to see no progress on it, or Exhibition station in general. It is absolutely ridiculous and has become so much worse this year.

Another problem is the lack of Presto readers. If you are going westbound, there are maybe 2 readers in front of the entrance to the tunnel and one a little west of the tunnel vestibule. When there is a crowd, it is difficult if not impossible to tap on or off. This station services thousands of people on a regular basis during the summers for TFC, Indy, CNE, concerts, etc. What the hell kind of thinking is that?

Given that a new tunnel is still ages away (has there even been planning done on this?), a good interim solution might be to add another train after the match. So in addition to the regular westbound 6:20, add another westbound at 6:35. The 6:20 WB usually has last-call for the doors at 6:30 and there are still tons of people coming through the tunnel.
 
wopchop said:
Given that a new tunnel is still ages away (has there even been planning done on this?), a good interim solution might be to add another train after the match. So in addition to the regular westbound 6:20, add another westbound at 6:35. The 6:20 WB usually has last-call for the doors at 6:30 and there are still tons of people coming through the tunnel.
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Not everyone using the tunnel post TFC matches is boarding a train it can also be a quick way to get to a bar post match to either celebrate or drown your sowores with a beer
 
wopchop said:
The tunnel has been an issue for years, and it is frustrating to see no progress on it, or Exhibition station in general. It is absolutely ridiculous and has become so much worse this year.
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Yes but the issue has gotten much, much worse with the expanded capacity of the stadium.


wopchop said:
Given that a new tunnel is still ages away (has there even been planning done on this?), a good interim solution might be to add another train after the match. So in addition to the regular westbound 6:20, add another westbound at 6:35. The 6:20 WB usually has last-call for the doors at 6:30 and there are still tons of people coming through the tunnel.
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I don't even think that you need an elaborate (expensive) tunnel solution.....maybe just a old fashioned iron bridge over the tracks to the foot of, either, fraser or Jefferson.....it would not take long for people who are going somewhere other than the train to realize they are better off going over the bridge to LV and the tunnel would then just handle people actually going to the train.
 
TOareaFan said:
Yes but the issue has gotten much, much worse with the expanded capacity of the stadium.
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Yes, that's what I said.

I don't even think that you need an elaborate (expensive) tunnel solution.....maybe just a old fashioned iron bridge over the tracks to the foot of, either, fraser or Jefferson.....it would not take long for people who are going somewhere other than the train to realize they are better off going over the bridge to LV and the tunnel would then just handle people actually going to the train.
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Yeah, I'm not precluding other options. I was thinking a temporary bridge similar to the one for the Indy might work.

But what I was getting at is that adding another train could be done almost immediately, while planning for a permanent tunnel or bridge gets underway. Whether you go with an elaborate tunnel or a simple iron bridge, the issue is still the same, as there is still going to be a large delay due to EA, tender, design and construction. Obviously a tunnel will take longer, but a bridge will still take a fairly significantly amount of time.
 
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EastYorkTTCFan said:
Not everyone using the tunnel post TFC matches is boarding a train it can also be a quick way to get to a bar post match to either celebrate or drown your sowores with a beer
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You're right and there are people crossing over to Liberty Village. However, the vast majority are boarding a train.

And considering it can take 15+ minutes to cross through the tunnel (and that's assuming no one starts to block it on purpose), I wouldn't consider it particularly quick ;)
 
wopchop said:
You're right and there are people crossing over to Liberty Village. However, the vast majority are boarding a train.

And considering it can take 15+ minutes to cross through the tunnel (and that's assuming no one starts to block it on purpose), I wouldn't consider it particularly quick ;)
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I think you might be being generous with the 15 minutes ;). Last Wednesday was a fairly typical night for me.....crowd was 26k (so +/- 87% of capacity).......after the match, we waited about 15 minutes before leaving the stadium.....walked to the tunnel, saw the mass of humanity and waited another 15 minutes or so to let the crowd dissipate......so, entering crowd outside the tunnel 30 minutes (+/-) after the match ended it still took us over 20 minutes to emerge on the other side.......with trains going each way on that line, there are people using the tunnel coming back from LV to get the eastbound train..those poor folks must feel like (very intimidated) salmon swimming against the tide.

I understand your point about an additional train.....but, really, the solution is another access point......and if it were a bridge or tunnel that bypassed the station and went right to LV then I think the crowds would very quickly figure out which was best for their purposes.

In any event, to my original point, I seriously doubt that anyone could have obtained approval to expand the stadium without addressing this...unless, of course, the owner of the stadium is also the body issuing the approvals.....ie. the city.
 
TOareaFan said:
I think you might be being generous with the 15 minutes ;). Last Wednesday was a fairly typical night for me.....crowd was 26k (so +/- 87% of capacity).......after the match, we waited about 15 minutes before leaving the stadium.....walked to the tunnel, saw the mass of humanity and waited another 15 minutes or so to let the crowd dissipate......so, entering crowd outside the tunnel 30 minutes (+/-) after the match ended it still took us over 20 minutes to emerge on the other side.......with trains going each way on that line, there are people using the tunnel coming back from LV to get the eastbound train..those poor folks must feel like (very intimidated) salmon swimming against the tide.
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Yes, it can easily take longer. I say 15+ minutes because I've crossed in 15 minutes before, but sometimes it's taken a half hour or more.

I understand your point about an additional train.....but, really, the solution is another access point......and if it were a bridge or tunnel that bypassed the station and went right to LV then I think the crowds would very quickly figure out which was best for their purposes.
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I don't disagree that a second access point is the real solution. I was simply suggesting that in the interim that extra trains could be added immediately as those trains already exist and are not doing anything on weekends. A second access point takes time for construction.

Strangely enough, last Saturday, we got on the first LSW scheduled for after the game, and the CSR announced that there was an "extra train following shortly behind". I checked the schedule and there was supposedly nothing for another half hour.

In any event, to my original point, I seriously doubt that anyone could have obtained approval to expand the stadium without addressing this...unless, of course, the owner of the stadium is also the body issuing the approvals.....ie. the city.
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Totally agree.
 
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