Raise the Hammer

Funny, I found the same report on Friday and have been browsing through it as time permits this weekend.

I have pretty much read it back to back (158 pgs), and although some of it's over my head with regards to the load bearing reports and what not, I found it intriquing.

As you mention, Pigskin PPP, about $14M whas estimated for repairs to the concrete slab stadium seats, stairs, and other parts of the steel structure, then the second half of the report goes into everyting from ventillation fans, floor and ceiling tiles, water heaters to door hardware and bathroom vanity items. Just under $2M was estimated bringing our total to $16M before inflation.

Now everything has an estimated date of repair, with some of the items planned to be complete before the report was released in 2007. Most items seemed to be recommended for repair and replacement by 2006, with other items scheduled mostly for 2010 and 2012, up to 2014. So, say an even $20 with inflation and whatever else added on, minus how many millions already spent to repair the more critical items, it would be interesting to know what is left.

Even if there were $20M remaining. I swear I have seen a number around $74M to repair IWS, and other numbers that estimate $100M+, but we are being generous in saying it seems, that it will $20m to repair and make sure it's safe.

No need for a stadium to be built other than now we need a track for the Pan Am games. As one poster suggested, a temp stadium cleans the area of WH up, without the stadium. A nice track and park area for the locals to run/bike on, brownfield lands cleared up, add another $20M to the Ivor Wynne project to add some seat backs to a majority of the seats, or anything else the Cats org thinks will make IWS a more attractable venue for both football, and other events - like tearing down Scott Park secondary and creating more field space (aka parking).

What is IWS zoned for? A stadium? Time to start booking Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. Perhaps it's time for a little Footloose style return of music to Bomont (er IWS).

We need to sell why we can make the Cats and IWS, successful businesses and say no to EM, yes to WH, but the Cats live on at IWS. I think a cleaned up west harbor without all the exhaust fumes, and a repaired IWS without a boat load of steel and concrete going to a landfull, is the right choice environmentally and saving that money for the future fund and using government and pan am dollors. This costs tax payers $0 as money for IWS is part of the budget to keep one of it's buildings operationally so no need to raise our taxes.

Seems like a win, win all around.

I am sure there are some creative ways to raise some of the $20M above as well. Look at items on the report like bathroom vanity items. What if it was going to be $65,000 to replace all the bathroom vanity items in all the public washrooms at IWS. What would exclusive advertising for the lifespan of those items, be worth to a company in those bathrooms? Same with seats with seat backs all over the stadium?

Just makes me wonder how we could make buildings such as this cheaper to run.