U of O Stadium | 3,500 seats | Completed

[c_speed3108]

Football field to be built at the 200 Lees Avenue campus. 3,500 seats plus standing room.

Plan has been approved by Sports services and is to be complete by Auguest and ready for next season.

Article from the sun:

http://www.ottawasun.com/2011/11/09/...football-field

Location:

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rk2...=b&form=LMLTCC

[kevinbottawa]

I understand the site is small, but building a 3500-seat stadium when they already average 5000 fans per home game is questionable. They're providing standing room but that's a major inconvenience. Who wants to stand for a whole game? The location is great but it feels like they'd be taking a step back by building a 3500-seater; capping their growth potential. Perhaps they're feeling a bit desperate because of the time constraints with construction at Lansdowne.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

It is a start. There is plenty of room to build more there in future, Don't be surprised if a new gynasium complex is built there in the next few years as well. Montepeit Hall is a bit outdated and over worked. It was not built to serve a community of 40,000, as uOttawa is now.

As an alumnus who keeps in touch with staff at Sport Services I am a bit surprised. I have known for several months that SS was asking for a Field Turf field at lees Av. , but for practice and intramural , not seating.

I guess the fact that Frank Clair is going to be unusuable for the next two seasons made them rethink their timetable and made it obvious that they need some seating now. 3500 will not be enough for the long haul, but it can be built up in stages, and as the articles says--Lansdowne will eventually be available for major games--panda, Yates Cup etc.

[c_speed3108]

While 3,500 is not huge, I think it will be enough when combined with holding bigger games at Lansdowne. While the average might be about 5000 I suspect from attending many games that there is a few huge crowds for big games like welcome week and some playoff games and other weeks the crowd is much lower so it fit into 3,500.

The other thing I recall getting mentioned several years back when they looked into doing this on Mann Avenue was that they build something they can pack. One it does not waste money constructing empty seats, but it also creates a better atmosphere with more demand and excitement.

And all that said, if they did get it wrong you can always add more.


I think imagine having another downtown field to rent out in the evening will be pretty lucrative for sports services.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

I attend Gee-Gee games as well and agree with c-speeds observations on the variance in attendance at games. Mind you with the new construction schedule, forced by the court challenges, the university has been told that FCS will not be available for both the 2012 and the 2013 seasons. It sort of put pressure on the uni to make a decison. They have been talking, but no action, about a campus stadium for years now.

The Sun article did not mention a bubble. I was told a while back that Sport Services had recommended that any field at Lees be bubbled in winter--as is done at Lansdowne. This would give the Gee-Gees a winter training facility, but also could mean that there could be hours open for rental year round, thus producing revenue to help run the place.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

I understand the site is small, but building a 3500-seat stadium when they already average 5000 fans per home game is questionable.

The Gee-Gees average 5000 fans per home game? Really?

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by Acajack

The Gee-Gees average 5000 fans per home game? Really?

Yes attendance wise they do ok there are some big games where they get 8,000 plus.

[phil235]

I like the location - hopefully it comes with better linkeages to the main campus. It's pretty inhospitable to pedestrians at the moment.

The capacity does seem a little small, but on the other hand, it can still fill a niche once Lansdowne is ready as it won't really compete with a 25,000 seat stadium.

I just hope it comes with some improvements to the bike link through that parking lot.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

You can walk it as I have ,but it is inhospitable.

Actually it is time the City gets going on the Nicholas-Mann Gateway Precinct redevelopement. That would provide better linkages no doubt.Personally I think that area should include some student residences and some nice landscaping that all of Sandy Hill can enjoy.

uOttawa does run a shuttle bus for students and staff . It goes from a couple of locations on the main campus -to Lees av---to the satellite campuses, Guindon and Alta Vista. For those who do not know, those campuses contain the health science faculty (medicine, nursing physiotherapy etc )at Guindon and bioscience research labs on the adjoining Alta Vista campus.

[c_speed3108]

I agree on the pedestrian things but there will be many changes coming to that area. The Lees overpass is one of the one's that is getting replaced as part of the highway construction. There will also be light rail to that location.

It is a crummy pedestrian area but it is walkable from the main campus and many students already walk that route along the transitway from the various Lees avenue highrises to campus.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

I just inquired at UO about a winter dome. I was told it will be domed.

[phil235]

Good news. There is definitely enough demand for year-round use of the field.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Can't seem to attach an image--you can see one if you go to

http://www.geegees.ca/node/741

[waterloowarrior]

[Ottawan]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

Not bad - a better use of that space than what currently exists - but as a spectator I'd rather have my back to the Queensway and be facing the Rideau than the other way around.

[waterloowarrior]

Originally Posted by Ottawan

Not bad - a better use of that space than what currently exists - but as a spectator I'd rather have my back to the Queensway and be facing the Rideau than the other way around.

on the other hand if you are high enough you may be able to get a decent view of the skyline

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

Do you know what that white building is at the far end?

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

reidjr asked

Do you know what that white building is at the far end?

I think all the buildings you see in that pic are the old Algonquin College Buildings.

From the little I have heard, I get the impression that home and visitor dressing rooms, offices and meeting rooms for the Gee-Gees and some training facilties (weight room?) will be housed in that existing white building. There already is an old gymnasium in there that is being used for uOttawa intramural sports. Perhaps a food concession to serve the stadium.

However, studies done by the university have determined that all these old algonquin college buildings are not very sound.Not worth spending the money to bring them up to standards. So you will probably see them all come down over the next ten years.

Montepetit Hall houses the main university gyms. It was built amost 40 years ago and not meant to handle the load imposed by 40000 students. Very good chance that you will see a new gym complex and upgrades to the stadium facilities built over the coming years at this site. I have even heard a suggestion that a boat house on the river to house an elite rowing club is on the wish list for some at the univertsity.

PS--the white buiding is currently larger than the one shown in the stadium pic. And it is currently completely square.I just learned that they are taking part of that old building down to fit the field in, and using the remainder of it for the dressing rooms etc. Boy they have a lot to do to get this done for next season.

[AuxTown]

Originally Posted by reidjr

Do you know what that white building is at the far end?

It appears to be all of the current buildings on the site, but the one closest to the field looks to be a different shape than it is in reality.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ll=...h&z=18&vpsrc=6

Edit: Just read the post above again. I don't know how I missed the part about them changing the shape of the building. So, yes, all existing buildings.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Ottawan

Not bad - a better use of that space than what currently exists - but as a spectator I'd rather have my back to the Queensway and be facing the Rideau than the other way around.

One can see a white ribbon on both sides of the field in the pic.I beleive it is an NCC right of way that is used as a bike path. The one on the highway side is in the way of a stadium. To build stands there the university would have to negotiate with the NCC to get the right of way. No time to do that now seeing as they wish to build for the 2012 football season.

I can see them trying to do so in coming years. Particularly when the powers that be get around to redeveloping the Nicholas-Mann Gateway Precinct on the other side of the 417. There are likely to be changes to bike and pedestrian paths in the whole area and that might be when the uni can negotiate building seating on the highway side of the field.