Comment 48722

By jason (registered) | Posted October 04, 2010 at 09:38:49

Vod K, I'm sure that Graham would be best to answer your question, but from my understanding the funding gap comes from the fact that the acquisition and clean-up of the CP rail site is 3-4 times more expensive than the cleanup of the WH stadium site. The city already owns the WH stadium land. There are no relocation costs at WH for a company like Steelcare. There is no need to start widening highway ramps and major streets like Aberdeen in the WH - there are 44 lanes of east/west traffic on major roads within 800m of the WH site.

And yes, as the above poster mentions, there were several possible partnership options to be explore at the WH that may have resulted in less cost being borne by the taxpayer. Of course, these builders/developers are bullish on the WH because they don't employ 1970's consultants. They understand cities, urban economies and what makes for successful (profitable) development ventures. Not surprisingly those developers haven't mentioned any interest in the CP site. The WH might be one of the most exciting pieces of urban land left in Canada. That our only pro-sports team wants to pass on being part of the action is stunning and sad.

I'm now starting to believe that we can do something far better at WH without a stadium. But only if we convince council to preserve the future fund for WH projects instead of blowing it all on a stadium.

From the reading I've done of council minutes/agendas etc.... they are pushing WH development forward with or without the stadium. This needs to remain as the far more important focus of this debate, because it is.

Comment edited by jason on 2010-10-04 08:39:11

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