I found this interesting but yet disturbing read on Yahoo Sports...
NDP MPP Paul Miller: “They’re still cutting reinforcing rod. They are doing that right in front of us that’s all the noise. My understanding is that a lot of the plumbing is not done the change rooms, that takes weeks of work and the electrical is huge the electronics for the scoreboard. Well the handrails it’s iron working and welding and that takes time. Usually the handrails are pre-fab they bring them in sections. I can’t give you a time limit on that because they haven’t even started them on the east stand.”
Miller should know. Before venturing into politics he worked in the trades as an industrial mechanic, welder and iron worker. And that’s why he says he is so puzzled about the reasons being given for the delay especially the weather.
Paul Miller: “Well this is Canada. We ran many steel plants for many decades and kept the machines going and plants running and they do have things called propane heaters they could have brought in to pre and post heat things they were working on whether it’s electrical or plumbing.
As of today the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are still advertising tickets for an August 16th game to be played at Tim Hortons Field. But Miller has doubts that can happen: “It’s not ready. It’s not going to be ready for August 16th and most likely I can’t say for sure it won’t be ready for Labour Day.”
We spoke with a representative from the company that is building the stadium. Ontario Sports Solutions said they are doing everything possible to meet their deadline obligations.
But that’s not what workers on the ground told me. One who did not want to go on camera said the site pretty much shuts down at five because the builder doesn’t want to pay overtime. He also said he doubts very much the field will be ready for the Labour Day Classic.
That's remarkable if work's shutting down at five, as OSS
has publicly said they're doing double-shifts and working six days a week. Of course, the field is in a residential neighbourhood, so there may be noise restrictions at issue here rather than the costs of overtime, but that still doesn't seem positive. It's the chances of the stadium not being ready for Labour Day that are really problematic, though. The Labour Day Classic between the Ticats and Argos is one of the CFL's most famed games (even if it
hasn't always been played in recent years), and it's a huge draw and money-maker for the team. If that can be their opener in the new stadium as well, it will really be a game to remember, but if that game also has to be moved, that will truly be a blow for the Ticats.
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