Stadium Updates

[rdavies]

Tim Hortons Field July 5/2014



Ticat home game still a go - for now
Scott Radley thespec.com July 3/2014

Last week, everyone involved in the stadium project said the plan was to have Tim Hortons Field ready for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' first Canadian Football League home game July 26.

A week closer to D-Day, that hasn't really changed.

A four-hour Pan Am Games facilities meeting in Toronto on Thursday involving all the principals ended with those involved still saying they're doing everything they can to make that happen.

"We're still in negotiations trying to get the game in," says Gerry Davis, general manager of public works, adding there's another meeting scheduled Monday in Toronto to continue figuring it all out.

Citing the confidentiality of the meeting, he wouldn't offer any details of what exactly was being negotiated. However, he acknowledged there are challenges.

"There are a number of issues that have to be resolved," Davis says.

They revolve around the race to get enough done to be ready for inspection toward an occupancy permit, a process that's scheduled to begin in just 12 days.

The city's building code requirements about what must be done to receive such a permit are clear but a little complicated due to the uniqueness of the project. Distilled to its most-simple form, whatever area is going to be used must be completely finished before the city will sign off on it.

The absolute minimum, therefore, would be the installation of 24,000 seats — the backs are in place but not the actual seat — as well as all hand railings and other safety features in the public area. Entrances and exits must be marked and clear, and all areas not being used must be securely blocked by walls or gates.

It gets more complicated if private boxes, the press box, concourses, washrooms and other enclosed areas are to be occupied.

For those to be OK'd, the rooms must be completed, sprinkler systems must be in working order, plumbing, sewage, lighting and electrical must be operational. This includes all hallways and stairwells.

Essentially, the building department must be satisfied that anyplace someone might be while in the facility is safe. And no, there's no leeway for being nearly ready.

"It's either done or it's not," says Ed VanderWindt, the city's chief building official. "We will sign off when it's complete."

Not on the list of areas needed to be inspected for the permit are the grounds, including the scoreboard, which also still has to be erected. Also not on the list is the field itself.

One of the areas that's been a topic of much discussion is the installation of the turf, with good reason. FieldTurf's website says it takes the company 27 days from the time the turf arrives on site until completion. This sounds like a significant problem since it only arrived Wednesday and the first game is just 24 days later.

But FieldTurf's Darren Gill says the time frame on the website is "a casual estimate" and should be seen as a guide rather than gospel.

"We've installed fields in a very, very short period of time," he says.

Rollout and installation of the turf began Thursday.

But, back to the stadium itself. Last week, at that briefing on the state of the project, it was made clear the request for inspection would be made on July 15 with a goal of having a permit granted by July 21. Any later and the Ticats wouldn't have enough time to move in and get ready for showtime.

That means the builders have 18 days to have all the required work done if there's to be a game.

[AngeloV]

Tim Hortons Field July 5/2014

LOL, that looks like a Computerized printout, and not an actual photo.

[Argocister]

LOL, that looks like a Computerized printout, and not an actual photo.

You are probably right there AV.......https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J_hOCuHcQYA

[rdavies]

LOL, that looks like a Computerized printout, and not an actual photo.

It's very real

[rdavies]

TD Place Ottawa

[argofandave]

Just heard on the Fan590 that the Tiger-Cats will play their first two home games at McMaster. Bob McCown interviewed Scott Mitchell of the Ticats at 5pm today.

[shayman]

Just heard on the Fan590 that the Tiger-Cats will play their first two home games at McMaster. Bob McCown interviewed Scott Mitchell of the Ticats at 5pm today.

They still have a better stadium plan than we do :-)

[ArgoRavi]

Just heard on the Fan590 that the Tiger-Cats will play their first two home games at McMaster. Bob McCown interviewed Scott Mitchell of the Ticats at 5pm today.

That would put off their first home game at THF to Saturday, August 16th against Calgary.

[Will]

That would put off their first home game at THF to Saturday, August 16th against Calgary.

That's the first game I selected for my flex-pack. I'll have to keep a close eye on any additional developments.

[argofandave]

CHCHtv in Hamilton is reporting that the stadium might not be ready until Labour Day.

[Will]

CHCHtv in Hamilton is reporting that the stadium might not be ready until Labour Day.

I heard that was a possibility.

[rdavies]

It's looking like the first three games will be at Mac. No guarantee that the Labour Day game will be at THF, they would like that, but the scenario looks like a still unfinished stadium but close enough to stage a game.

[ArgoZ]

I heard that was a possibility.

That is amusing. Just until yesterday, it was all a go, despite what the stadium looked like. Now maybe not even ready by Sept 1st and they were trying for July 26! So they were blowing smoke up everyone's asses? What an embarrassment. I feel bad for the Cats and their fans, especially since this was going to be their year. New players, new stadium. Hasn't started off too well.

[ArgoRavi]

The July 31st game between Winnipeg and Hamilton was supposed to be televised on the main ESPN network but it doesn't appear as though it will be now as it has been removed from the U.S. TV schedule. I am guessing that the league does not want a game played at McMaster televised on ESPN.

[AngeloV]

I can't believe they are playing at McMaster anyways. 6,000 seats is not CFL caliber. They should have had a contingency plan in place to either play back at Guelph or at Western, somewhere where you can at least add temporary seating. Did they not learn anything from the Winnipeg delays?

[argolio]

Did they not learn anything from the Winnipeg delays?

Sounds to me like the Ticats were told repeatedly the stadium would definitely be ready.....until it was too late.

[Gill The Thrill]

Maybe they should play at Skydome instead of Mac, but I'm sure the schedule of the Blue Jays would prevent that.

Anybody remember when the dome first opened, many things were not completed. There was plastic electrical chord coverings for unfinished lights popping out of the ground and concrete potholes all over the place. They did not have to put gates or warning signs, the thinking back then was watch where you're walking and you'll be fine...Today's younger generation with all their ipods and androids would need neon warning signs in 162 languages for such a development to be considered safe...heck, don't we need to hold hands for those under 30 to cross the street...it's much too much to expect them to look for motor vehicles...I know I'm being facetious but I wonder if all the coccooning that been done has really made things safer.

That being said, exit signs and seat backs would be something that you'd think would be completed by now....oh well, it sounds like a government project done under mandatory union labour. Timelines be damned except for overtime..lol.

[AngeloV]

Today's younger generation with all their ipods and androids would need neon warning signs in 162 languages for such a development to be considered safe.

I think the biggest fear is that too many people in this day and age are looking for an opportunity to sue someone. I call it the Celino and Barnes effect.

[Argocister]

Maybe they should play at Skydome instead of Mac, but I'm sure the schedule of the Blue Jays would prevent that.

.............

I actually looked it up awhile back, the dates are open but depending how long it takes for the change to football I'm sure is the determining factor.

I think the biggest fear is that too many people in this day and age are looking for an opportunity to sue someone. I call it the Celino and Barnes effect.

I think this is the case ..... Fear of a lawsuit will cause the contractors, the Ticats and the city of Hamilton to be extra cautious.

[ArgoRavi]

That being said, exit signs and seat backs would be something that you'd think would be completed by now....oh well, it sounds like a government project done under mandatory union labour. Timelines be damned except for overtime..lol.

From what I read on CHCH's Facebook page, part of the problem is that the city did not use the city's union contractors that they should have used. The consensus on there is that everything would have been done on time if they had done that.