Hamilton - Pan Ams Games 2015 - Page 34

Hamiltowner · #**661** Posted: **Jul 10, 2011, 4:39 PM**

An excerpt from an article by Emma Reilly on thespec.com back on June 2, 2011 partly reporting on the status of the Pan Am velodrome proposal:

"Councillors must approve a location for the velodrome before the RFP is issued at the end of July, Adames said. His team has whittled down 20 site possibilities to the one option that will be presented to council for approval."

The west harbour — initially proposed for the location of both the Pan Am stadium and velodrome — is still technically designated as the city’s preferred site for the track. However, council will not need a two-thirds majority vote to overturn that decision since that vote was ratified last term.

Current plans for the velodrome call for an $11.4-million temporary facility. However, the city hopes to build a permanent velodrome, a facility that’s rumoured to come with a price tag as high as $50 million.

The possibility of partnering with Mohawk College opens the possibility of new funding flowing to the velodrome, both from the college itself and from the upper levels of government."

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...l-fall-of-2012

The City of Hamilton now has 21 days remaining to submit a Pan Am velodrome location and funding commitment to Toronto 2015 and Infrastructure Ontario in time for the issuance of the Request For Proposals.

The meetings calendar on hamilton.ca does does not list any July GIC meetings on the velodrome and the only city council meeting in July has already occurred.

http://www.hamilton.ca/CityDepartmen...calendars2011/

Does anyone have any up-to-date information on whether the City of Hamilton has decided or will decide the final location and funding commitment for the velodrome before the end of July? If not, hopefully one of the reporters from the Spectator will soon do a follow-up on the velodrome proposal.

DC1983 · #**662** Posted: **Jul 10, 2011, 7:07 PM**

^^ Oh Christ, here we go again. I guarantee you (since Bratina is 'in charge' now) WestHarbour will be cut as Velodrome site.

The NEN (NorthEndNeighbours) hate any development near their hood, and despite not being a part of their jurisdiction, they still managed to successfully lobby Bratina (Ward 2 Clr at the time) to block any PanAm Plans at West Harbour.

Mark my words (as Bratina once said at a NEN meeting ~ 1.5 years ago), THERE WILL BE NO PAN AMS AT THE WEST HARBOUR (or progress for that matter).

markbarbera · #**663** Posted: **Jul 11, 2011, 9:49 AM**

It is now very likely that the velodrome won't be located in the West Harbour, but that should not come as a surprise to anyone following the story. The National Cycling Association was saying no to West Harbour long before any other group. If the amateur athletic association that will be its primary user didn't want it there, that opinion would be considered above all others by the Pan Am committee.

DC1983 · #**664** Posted: **Jul 11, 2011, 11:47 AM**

From my understanding the NCA wants it in Dundas/McMaster area. Seeing as PanAm2015 has veered from it's (and McGuinty's aimless Libs) mandate, who's to say this will even end up in Hamilton? Doesn't YorkU need a velodrome?

Yes, all is lost for the WestHarbour. Hence my undying support for said land for the failed stadium. There is no Fed/Prov $$$ to clean it up, and now our Future Fund is being slowly chipped away.

Does everyone now understand how important landing a stadium for WestHabour actually was for this City? Far beyond image, reputation and crumbling infrastructure.. it was about getting a new lease on an old, central, IMPORTANT neighbourhood. Another lost opp; this City has a whole closet full!

markbarbera · #**665** Posted: **Jul 12, 2011, 11:19 AM**

There are developers such as White Star that are chomping at the bit to begin redeveloping the West Harbour area as per the Setting Sail plan for the area. The only thing that has been holding them back is CN's OMB appeal of the plan. Once that appeal is settled, development will take off like a shot.

The idea that WH will languish as a wasteland because a stadium wasn't built there isn't just wrong, it betrays the kind of self-defeatist attitude that holds this city back from moving forward.

mattgrande · #**666** Posted: **Jul 13, 2011, 12:06 PM**

I thought this was already posted, but I didn't see it. Also, I know RTH is a four letter word around here, but joeycoleman.ca appears to be down...

http://raisethehammer.org/blog/2217/..._for_velodrome

Quote:

Hamilton City Council may need to hold at least one special meeting before the end of July as external deadline for the velodrome Request for Proposals process is July 28.

That's when Toronto 2015 CEO Ian Troop stated he plans to issue the RFP for the new facility. In order to issue the RFP, a site is required.

When last updated by city staff, Council was looking at a partnership with Mohawk College to build the velodrome at the Fennell campus.

Unless Toronto 2015 delays the RFP process, we should expect City Council to meet in the next three weeks to decide the location.

Hamiltowner · #**667** Posted: **Jul 17, 2011, 3:45 PM**

Good work by Joey Coleman in finding out that July 28 is the actual date on which Toronto 2015 and Infrastructure Ontario will issue the Request for Proposals for the Pan Am Velodrome.

The City of Hamilton now has 11 days to decide:
1. Whether the velodrome will be a temporary or permanent structure;
2. How to fund it;
3. The location.

The meetings calendar on the City of Hamilton website still does not display any July meetings on the velodrome issue.

David Adames, former head of Tourism Hamilton and the city representative on the Pan Am facilities file, became the CEO of the Hamilton and District Chamber of Commerce on July 11. Is Adames still involved in the velodrome file on a transitional basis or is his replacement at Tourism Hamilton now solely responsible for finalizing the velodrome plans and submitting them to Toronto 2015 and Infrastructure Ontario in the next 11 days?

DC1983 · #**668** Posted: **Jul 18, 2011, 12:06 PM**

Looks like another Lost Opportunity.
If there's a 'lack of clamour' for anything in this City, it's Cycling! What a joke!
How did we go from hosting the Canadian, then WORLD Cycling Championships to passing up an opportunity to be a Centre of Cycling Development?

Montreal deserves to host the Canadian Road Cycling Champs every year as they are a true cycling city (despite their harsh, freezing winters and mountainous terrain). The fact that they're cycling lanes downtown are actually separated by concrete medians goes to show how dedicated they are to said mode of transportation.

mattgrande · #**669** Posted: **Jul 19, 2011, 1:51 PM**

http://twitter.com/#!/Councillor_Far...04341342355457

Quote:

Expect word to come in soon. RT @davidc83: What's going on w/Velodrome? 11 Days til Deadline! @TedMcMeekin @BernieMorelli @TourismHamilton

Sounds like we might hear something soon? Also, I just realized that @davidc83 on Twitter is probably DC1983 on here. Neat.

DC1983 · #**670** Posted: **Jul 19, 2011, 5:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattgrande

http://twitter.com/#!/Councillor_Far...04341342355457

Sounds like we might hear something soon? Also, I just realized that @davidc83 on Twitter is probably DC1983 on here. Neat.

You sir, are correct

Hamiltowner · #**671** Posted: **Jul 24, 2011, 1:25 PM**

Four days now remaining until the issuance of the Infrastructure Ontario/Toronto 2015 Request For Proposals on the Pan Am velodrome on July 28th.

The City of Hamilton website lists no meetings at all during the week of July 25th to July 29th.
http://www.hamilton.ca/CityDepartmen...calendars2011/

There are no recent Hamiilton Spectator articles on the velodrome. Does anyone have any updates on this velodrome project?

DC1983 · #**672** Posted: **Jul 24, 2011, 2:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hamiltowner

Four days now remaining until the issuance of the Infrastructure Ontario/Toronto 2015 Request For Proposals on the Pan Am velodrome on July 28th.

The City of Hamilton website lists no meetings at all during the week of July 25th to July 29th.
http://www.hamilton.ca/CityDepartmen...calendars2011/

There are no recent Hamiilton Spectator articles on the velodrome. Does anyone have any updates on this velodrome project?

Ask Ted McMeekin, MPP for AFDW. He seems to be spearheading the Velodrome mission, which to me would suggest it's going to be built @ Mac or somewhere in the west end (maybe Mohawk College as rumoured).

Don't you know, if it's not the Tiger Cats, Hamiltonians don't care about sports (ie: Bulldogs - just to toot my own horn; I actually went to more BD's home games this past season than there are total TiCat home games in a regular season - and the games ARE very entertaining!)

SteelTown · #**673** Posted: **Jul 25, 2011, 12:13 PM**

Well council did select West Harbour for the velodrome, as well as the stadium. So I guess they'll stick with West Harbour if there is no upcoming meeting.

DC1983 · #**674** Posted: **Jul 25, 2011, 12:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Well council did select West Harbour for the velodrome, as well as the stadium. So I guess they'll stick with West Harbour if there is no upcoming meeting.

Until the Hamilton Cycling Committee (or whomever) insist they want to be able to Drive and Park their Cars at 'their' Cycling Centre! lol

SteelTown · #**675** Posted: **Jul 26, 2011, 11:19 PM**

Mohawk a favourite for the velodrome

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...-the-velodrome

Mohawk College is winning the race for the Pan Am velodrome.

Trish Chant-Sehl, the city’s Pan Am manager, says there are no other sites on the table that are being examined as intensely.

“Our efforts rights now are focused on Mohawk,” she said.

However, city council has yet to officially choose the site of the Pan Am velodrome. Meetings scheduled for council to officially pick a location have been postponed twice in the past several months.

And while the city was expected to name a velodrome site before the end of July, that deadline has now been pushed back an extra month.

Infrastructure Ontario, the arms-length provincial agency in charge of construction for the 2015 Games, planned to issue a request for proposals for the velodrome, Ivor Wynne stadium and York University stadium on July 28. Their new date is Aug. 30.

The delay raises the spectre of last summer’s heated Pan Am stadium debate, when deadlines came and went without any agreement on location between the city and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

However, the decision to move the velodrome date had nothing to do with Hamilton, Chant-Sehl said. Infrastructure Ontario (IO) has several other Pan Am projects on the go and wanted to stagger their progress.

“It was not our decision — it was an Infrastructure Ontario and TO 2015 decision,” she said.

Terence Foran, project communications adviser at IO, said the new Aug. 30 deadline was firm.

“The initial date mentioned was a proposed date,” he said.

About 20 site possibilities initially on the table were narrowed to one option that will be presented to council for approval sometime in August.

The west harbour — originally proposed for the location of both the Pan Am stadium and velodrome — is still technically designated as the city’s preferred site for the track. However, council will not need a two-thirds majority vote to overturn that decision since that vote was ratified last term.

Current plans for the velodrome call for an $11.4-million temporary facility. However, the city hopes to build a permanent velodrome, with a price tag rumoured to be as high as $50 million.

Partnering with Mohawk College brings the possibility of new funding for the velodrome, both from the college itself and from the upper levels of government.

markbarbera · #**676** Posted: **Jul 27, 2011, 11:11 AM**

So it sounds like plans for the velodrome are progressing in a positive direction despite the wringing of hands by the hysterical class. TO 2015 must be thrilled that the partnership being negotiated with Mohawk will result in a permanent legacy facility here. I can't wait to see the final proposal when presented at one of the August meetings.

I know there is a small group of people clinging to the hope that this will fall apart so they can lay blame on the Mayor and Council. Unfortunately for them it appears that we are on track for another big win for the current administration.

SteelTown · #**677** Posted: **Jul 28, 2011, 2:26 PM**

Quote:

The college is currently in the planning phase for a multi-modal transportation hub at the corner of Fennell and West 5th that would serve as a transit hub for buses on the Mountain, said spokesman Jay Robb. A new fitness and recreation centre is on the drawing board and talks are ongoing with the City of Hamilton about locating a permanent velodrome at the Fennell campus.

http://www.hamiltonmountainnews.com/news/article/239463

SteelTown · #**678** Posted: **Jul 28, 2011, 2:33 PM**

I've seem to have lost the original athletic centre proposal that students voted against. It would have been located where the current day care centre is located, beside the back entrance of Mohawk College.

DC1983 · #**679** Posted: **Jul 28, 2011, 3:01 PM**

"Welcome to Hamilton, International Athletes. Now here are the keys to your rental car; and we've already programmed the GPS units to the various scattered locations across our sprawling city. We've also programmed directions to WalMart *wink*"

markbarbera · #**680** Posted: **Jul 28, 2011, 8:30 PM**

All Pan Am facilities are either within walking distance of a GO Train station, or are served by an existing HSR express bus line with direct connections to a GO Train station. Thank goodness top priority has been given to establishing all day GO Train service to Hamilton so it's in place in time for the 2015 Pan Am Games!