[Richmond] Olympic Oval | Completed

[memememe76]

$60 per month for a gym membership is over 3X my Fitness World membership. I wonder why community centres are so expensive, especially if subsidized by taxpayers.

In terms of Olympic venues turned community centres, I prefer the Hillcrest Centre. Seems more welcoming, and fits the neighbourhood better. The Oval is kinda far away from everything. Is that area supposed to be like Olympic Village (which I love)?

[libtard]

Originally Posted by mr.x

If we started selling off everything that was subsidized by taxpayers, we wouldn't have much left.

The Oval's use will only go up from here with the new immediate neighbourhood taking shape. And then there's the other developments nearby.

Silly article, really.

A couple more condos nearby isn't going suddenly sky rocket the Oval's usage

It's already in Richmond, and its neighbored by a ton of condos to the west and the Brighouse area to the south.

The Oval is a complete ghost town and its sad to see all the empty commercial space sit vacant when you drive by

Truely a boon doggle

[Echowinds]

It's not a couple of condos though. It's at least a dozen towers populated by people with disposable money. The area's not going to take off until the River Green complex is completed and populated. The area does need better transit access, however. It's a bit out of the way from the Canada Line.

You have to have concrete numbers before labeling something as a boondoggle. I'd like to know how much money the taxpayers are paying to subsidize it, compare to the other local public ventures like parks, community centres, libraries, etc. There's also facilities in the Oval not found in any other place in Richmond, not to mention the place is capable of supporting larger scale sporting events. There's also intangibles like civic pride that goes beyond its immediate economic concerns.

Really, most public taxpayer supported infrastructure are money losing. Do we sell off parks to build more condos? Do we sell the roads so they become private toll roads? Kind of stupid to sell it off unless the city is heavily in debt, which it is not.

[djh]

Originally Posted by Echowinds

It's not a couple of condos though. It's at least a dozen towers populated by people with disposable money. The area's not going to take off until the River Green complex is completed and populated. The area does need better transit access, however. It's a bit out of the way from the Canada Line.

Completely agree.
I went to the Oval once, with the family. We went on the Canada Line, as we heard it was "near the station". Only, when we got to the "nearest" station, we could see the oval waaaay off in the distance and had no idea how to get there (it would be at least an hour walk - and we had strollers, kids, all sorts). Finally found some teeny tiny local bus that came every half an hour. Decided we weren't going back.

Until there's decent public transit there for the "last-mile", that place, gorgeous as it is, will only be used by the locals and the car-culturerd Richmondites. Everybody else will find somewhere more convenient to use.

[wrenegade]

I think it's too soon to judge the Olympic Oval legacy. The neighbourhood is hardly half finished. No one has seemed to mention the ~$140M that Aspac paid Richmond for the land. That money goes a long way to subsidizing community facilities across the whole city, without considering that the subsidy is less than what Richmond puts into some of their other areas.

[stump]

Originally Posted by wrenegade

I think it's too soon to judge the Olympic Oval legacy. The neighbourhood is hardly half finished. No one has seemed to mention the ~$140M that Aspac paid Richmond for the land. That money goes a long way to subsidizing community facilities across the whole city, without considering that the subsidy is less than what Richmond puts into some of their other areas.

It's not even half done. The first phase of River Green isn't complete and neither is the Onni development next to it which will have hundreds of potential customers.

Also since I drive or walk past the Oval pretty much every single day, I see there are constantly cars leaving and entering the parkade, sports tournaments (like basketball that my coworker takes his son to and he comes from Surrey<Gasp>) and other events taking place there.

I do agree that transit to the site isn't good but hopefully will be improved eventually.

Far from being a boondoggle like some people like to post here ad nauseum.

[Zassk]

Originally Posted by libtard

The Oval is a complete ghost town and its sad to see all the empty commercial space sit vacant when you drive by

Truely a boon doggle

Do you actually visit the facility? I am a regular user, and the ice rinks and courts are full every evening and all day on weekends through most of the year. The conference space is heavily booked and parking has become a problem on certain days.

Based on those I know who play in the ASHL and Urban Rec, probably half of the adult users are from Vancouver. The people from Vancouver love the oval because it is closer for them than any other suburban facility. The Vancouver kids' leagues use the oval as one of their regular venues (at full market rates) and of course the Richmond kids' leagues use it as well.

Courses and camps are heavily booked despire the high prices, I have had terrible luck in getting myself or my kids into them. The one area that I never see well-used is the fitness centre - I have no idea how that pays for itself. In all other respects it seems to me like the oval must be exceeding expectations.

The new Fortius sports complex in Burnaby seems to me like a reactionary move in response to the success of the oval in Richmond.

[mr.x]

Couldn't have said it better myself.

It's certainly anything but a boondoggle and there's every indication usage and revenues will continue to climb in the years to come with everything being built in the area. And when that happens, I'm sure accessibility - i.e. transit - will also improve.

[stump]

Just one picture of the area to the east of the Dinsmore Bridge close to the Oval. Looks like this will be a new road coming off Gilbert Road linking to River Road.

Does anyone know if they are putting another intersection right there at the foot of Dinsmore bridge because that would be pretty awful location for a light; therefore it wouldn't surprise me for a second if that was the intention.