Calgary field house project

[speedog]

Surprised I can't find any discussion on the proposed Calgary field house in these forums, certainly a project worth discussing.

Links - the society that spearheaded this (http://www.calgaryfieldhouse.ca/) and the city of Calgary's associated page (http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Recreation/Pages/Research-and-development/Concept-plan-Foothills-and-Glenmore-Athletic-Parks.aspx).

Certainly our city of a million plus could use one of these and it is quite surprising that smaller cities like Edmonton, Kamloops and Saskatoon already have field houses in place.

[kw5150]

Oh boy, we better approve this! I can see the sun newspaper now......"Sore loser city picks homeless bridges vs poor young children wanting to play sports"

I think they should build this one. Either that, or the other ones that are proposed for other areas of the city.

I approve sports funding as long as there is an equal or relative investment in the arts. Were not all good at sports! I believe we have a had a good run of urban infrastructure and 'arsty fartsy' stuff so maybe it is time for some great sports facilities. ;)

Hopefully the bids come in nice and competitive.

It would be cool to have a downtown sports facility as well. Stampede?

Oh, one can dream. :)

[suburbia]

Surprised I can't find any discussion on the proposed Calgary field house in these forums, certainly a project worth discussing.

Links - the society that spearheaded this (http://www.calgaryfieldhouse.ca/) and the city of Calgary's associated page (http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Recreation/Pages/Research-and-development/Concept-plan-Foothills-and-Glenmore-Athletic-Parks.aspx).

Certainly our city of a million plus could use one of these and it is quite surprising that smaller cities like Edmonton, Kamloops and Saskatoon already have field houses in place.

Love it.

While things are somewhat back on the drawing board with the baseball stadium now in-play on the Foothills site, what would the most optimistic times lines be to getting the actual field house up and running? It was listed as phase 5 in the report, without any indication of timeline.

Those trusses are going to be massive!

My input to to the designers would be to maximize facility exits and over design washrooms. The problem with a lot of our current facilities, like the Olympic Oval, is that they were designed in such a sport/event specific way, that it is difficult to use for other purposes. Here you have potentially a 250,000sf clear-span indoor space that could have massive potential for other things, like having 25,000 people for an event. With washrooms, the building codes are okay for events where people need washrooms over a program that lasts a few hours, but programs have specific breaks and/or end at some point, and the designs need to consider the added rush over a smaller period. Plus, back to the even for 25,000 people. Over design now, or have plans for how things can easily be augmented for future.

Personally, I would prioritize the Foothills plan over the Glenmore plan, rather than phasing both and not having the crown in the jewel (main Foothills field house) for 15 years as a result.

BTW - where is Edmonton's field house? Is it the same, IE 400M track + more all indoors in a single space, or is it a mini-me version?

[speedog]

Edmonton's is the Butterdome at the UofA - believe it's been there since the 1983 World University Games (Universiade).. Wikipedia info on the Butterdome here (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universiade_Pavilion).

[Nudrock]

Edmonton's is the Butterdome at the UofA - believe it's been there since the 1983 World University Games (Universiade).. Wikipedia info on the Butterdome here (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universiade_Pavilion).

The Butterdome is 30 years old. The one at Commonwealth is quite new.

http://www.edmonton.ca/attractions_recreation/sport_recreation/commonwealth-amenities.aspx

[speedog]

Didn't know about that one at Commonwealth.

So two field houses in Edmonton and zero in Calgary?

[suburbia]

Edmonton's is the Butterdome at the UofA - believe it's been there since the 1983 World University Games (Universiade).. Wikipedia info on the Butterdome here (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universiade_Pavilion).

That's what they call a field house? Doesn't compare at all. The Butterdome is a 200m track, not 400m, and in total only about 66K sf. What was depicted at Foothills was four times that in a single clear-span.

[suburbia]

Didn't know about that one at Commonwealth.

So two field houses in Edmonton and zero in Calgary?

Depends what you're going to call a field house. The Olympic Oval has a 400m track and you can convert the inside to fields and/or courts. Over 2.5 times anything in Edmonton too.

Seems like in Edmonton they call a gymnasium a field house (though no doubt among the best gymnasiums you'll find anywhere).

[speedog]

I don't believe the speed skating oval has ever been used a true field house. Yeah, it may have the space but it was never designed to be used as such - if it was, then why would there be a move afoot to build what many consider to be a true field house in Calgary.

[speedog]

That's what they call a field house? Doesn't compare at all. The Butterdome is a 200m track, not 400m, and in total only about 66K sf. What was depicted at Foothills was four times that in a single clear-span.
The fact is that Calgary really doesn't have anything that could be truly considered a real field house even on the smaller scale of the Butterdome.

[ibz]

Edmonton also has the city owned Kinsmen Field House

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinsmen_Field_House

[Chinook Arch]

Maybe someone can help me out here. What is the difference between a field house and say, the Olympic Oval or the Talisman Center? From what I can see, a field house looks like nothing more than a multi-use athletic facility.

[suburbia]

I don't believe the speed skating oval has ever been used a true field house. Yeah, it may have the space but it was never designed to be used as such - if it was, then why would there be a move afoot to build what many consider to be a true field house in Calgary.

Incorrect. I've even talked to Dave King directly about it. Having the ability to play soccer, track sports, and court games was a consideration right from the original design, and flooring for soccer was purchased right up front.

Here is an example when they used it for volleyball:
http://www.thegauntlet.ca/story/lots-rectangles-oval

It has space for I think 22 or 26 courts (can't remember which). While the track / long-jump pit, etc are available year round, there are only certain periods (three months per year or so) when all the ice is removed for the rest of it (though if needed they can do if for special events with enough time).

[Deepstar]

The fact is that Calgary really doesn't have anything that could be truly considered a real field house even on the smaller scale of the Butterdome.

It seems like semantics only. Does it really matter if we have something called a field house? A multi-purpose facility like the oval or Talisman center accomplishes the same thing in the end, no?

[speedog]

It seems like semantics only. Does it really matter if we have something called a field house? A multi-purpose facility like the oval or Talisman center accomplishes the same thing in the end, no?
So why then the push to have a field house here then if these other facilities will suffice? Is it the size of the track or is it something else that a field house offers that gives it an advantage?

[suburbia]

So why then the push to have a field house here then if these other facilities will suffice? Is it the size of the track or is it something else that a field house offers that gives it an advantage?

The sports that could be played in the proposed field house blow past anything already existing in Alberta. A proper FIFA game with 8K seating, full array of track sports, including things like javelin, amazing.

[Airboy]

Most "field houses" were built at a time when cities were small enough but wanted an indoor athletic facility. Long before the fitness boom in the 80s. Kinsmen was the first in Edmonton. Now cities like Edmonton, St Albert etc build large multi sport facilities. I don't think you will see the likes of Kinsmen field house built now days. Both the Butterdome and Kinsmen have 200 meter tracks which is the typical indoor track dimension.

The full track facility with a 400 meter track would be more akin to putting a roof on Commonwealth. A shit load of money.

[suburbia]

Most "field houses" were built at a time when cities were small enough but wanted an indoor athletic facility. Long before the fitness boom in the 80s. Kinsmen was the first in Edmonton. Now cities like Edmonton, St Albert etc build large multi sport facilities. I don't think you will see the likes of Kinsmen field house built now days. Both the Butterdome and Kinsmen have 200 meter tracks which is the typical indoor track dimension.

The full track facility with a 400 meter track would be more akin to putting a roof on Commonwealth. A shit load of money.

I'm assuming you've not actually clinked the link and seen the Calgary proposal. It is a lot larger than the common wealth field.

http://www.calgaryfieldhouse.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/FP_slider1.jpg
http://www.calgaryfieldhouse.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/FP_slider3.jpg
Images courtesy of http://www.calgaryfieldhouse.ca/

[Airboy]

No i could not get into the link. On the road using my Ipad. However that looks great, expensive but great. That is what the richmond oval should have been after the conversion.

[Doug]

Talisman at least partially fulfills this purpose.

Seems like a worthwhile project, but what would this cost? I'm guessing $300M plus which will be a tough sell in a City already under a crushing debt load with many competing projects.

[suburbia]

Talisman at least partially fulfills this purpose.

Seems like a worthwhile project, but what would this cost? I'm guessing $300M plus which will be a tough sell in a City already under a crushing debt load with many competing projects.

Doug - the phasing and dollars involved are in the links, so I'd encourage you to investigate.

Regarding "crushing debt load", I would highly recommend becoming a little more educated about financial planning and execution, differentiating between self-supported and tax-supported debt, etc. You've consistently trolled such as to generate negative feelings towards the municipal government. You might have a better chance getting your friends elected if constructive input was made. Else, the rhetoric just sounds particularly uneducated.

[Full Mountain]

Doug - the phasing and dollars involved are in the links, so I'd encourage you to investigate.

Regarding "crushing debt load", I would highly recommend becoming a little more educated about financial planning and execution, differentiating between self-supported and tax-supported debt, etc. You've consistently trolled such as to generate negative feelings towards the municipal government. You might have a better chance getting your friends elected if constructive input was made. Else, the rhetoric just sounds particularly uneducated.

While technically you are correct, all that money comes from the same pot, a pot which because of the council imposed limit is looking kinda dry lately.