Waterfront: Portlands Sports Complex (8s?, RDH Architects) DEAD

[Mongo]

Indeed. If I were to write a complete list of $50 million to $100 million projects that the City could reasonably fund and that were worth the money, this one would probably not make the list at all. (Sorry, hockey parents.) On the other hand, if a 4-rink arena absolutely had to be built in the Portlands, this version would be far preferred to the suburban-mall version proposed earlier.

The best option in my opinion? Build a standard 4-rink arena somewhere nearby, but not in the Portlands and not on the waterfront, and either save the difference in cost or use it to help fund a big cultural project at the Hearne.

 

[sixrings]

Downsview park

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

sixrings:

Federal project - won't touch it with a ten foot pole. I suggest St. Lawrence Market North instead.

AoD

 

[sixrings]

Thats true, BUT The Hanger (Downsview Parks sports facility - Basketball/Soccer/Vball/Floor Hockey) easily the best part of the PARC. A Hockey arena would be a welcomed addition. Possibly they could build it like a traditional style, all rinks on ground level with about 8 floors of Condos on top.

 

[Oliver Tweed]

I'm torn on this one. We shouldn't build something cheap here. We have to begin the development at the waterfront by setting a good example. It's worth it in the long run.

That said, the city really can't afford to go so over budget on this. But hey, it's government. Overspending is what they do. I say go for it.

 

[tkip]

Sadly, governments love to overspend and it seems that they're completely incapable of getting things built on time and on budget. For the most part.

 

[Brans89]

Retard Rob Ford says he is going to kill this wonderful project. I hope everyone is happy voting for an idiot like Rob Ford, who has no vision for this city or city building. This F*cking asshole. I am pissed.

 

[Tulse]

Retard Rob Ford says he is going to kill this wonderful project.

Does the mayor actually have the power to do that? I would think it is up to City Council -- at best the mayor could attempt to persuade, but he doesn't have the final say, does he?

 

[Brans89]

He says when he becomes Mayor he will kill this project. This is the idiot people want to be mayor. He is a disgrace.

 

[Tulse]

I know he says that, and I agree that it is appalling a) that he wants to and b) that people would vote for him. But I think he's wrong if he's claiming he can kill it on his own.

I will leave it to others to determine if he is actually intentionally lying or just profoundly misinformed about the mayor's power, and which alternative would be more comforting. (Of course, Miller made a similar sweeping-yet-incorrect claim about his ability to unilaterally stop a bridge to the island airport.)

 

[dahusbandofbath]

Downsview park

I read somewhere that one of the purposes of this project is to address the relative lack of rinks in the old city of Toronto compared to the old suburbs.

 

[dahusbandofbath]

Does the mayor actually have the power to do that? I would think it is up to City Council -- at best the mayor could attempt to persuade, but he doesn't have the final say, does he?

He doesn't, but if he becomes mayor on this platform, it'll be more difficult politically for city councillors to vote against him.

 

[valkoholic]

Does anyone else see this new design as an overreaction? I honestly don't see how a well designed building couldn't accomodate rinks (and even some parking) at grade without ruining the portlands.

 

[junctionist]

It may sound implausible in the climate of the Miller administration, but Rob Ford could put together the kind of executive to push through a lot of his agenda, though some things like slashing council would never be adopted without a strong mayor system. I'm sure that many of the 44 member council's "backbenchers" who you never hear about would love to suddenly become influential.

 

[tkip]

He says when he becomes Mayor he will kill this project. This is the idiot people want to be mayor. He is a disgrace.

Why? Because he thinks spending almost 100 million dollars on a sports complex that we probably don't need at a time when the city is sinking into a financial blackhole is insane? Is this why you think he's a disgrace?