It saddens me the people of HRM are less than enthusiastic about the Canada Games Oval. Finally, something we can get excited about! People are being active – in winter no less!
To those who say the Common isn’t the place for this venue I ask – where would you put it? If it was in Cole Harbour, would the people of Fall River use it? It you put it in Eastern Passage, would the people of Bedford take advantage of it? By their very nature, downtowns are where people congregate to work, eat, shop, and play. Therefore I can think of no better place than the heart of our city.
To those who complain about a lack of parking around the Common, I suggest one of the many side streets in that neighbourhood. Sure, you might have to walk a couple minutes, but so what? Get out of your suburban bubbles! Just because you can’t park at the front door doesn’t mean parking isn’t available nearby.
Kudos to the city for embracing the oval! —KG
This article appears in Jan 6-12, 2011.
I agree wholeheartedly. No, it’s not a cure all for our current obesity rates, but is sure is nice to see people getting out, enjoying the fresh air, and sneaking in a little exercise.
I say keep the oval. You can use my tax dollars!
If Skid Rock was entombed alive in the ice, you’d probably see a lot more public support. Just sayin’.
“It saddens me the people of HRM are less than enthusiastic about the Canada Games Oval” Exactly which rock have you been living under? There are plenty of mindless dolts who have jumped on the “Save the Oval” bandwagon. Less than enthusiastic? And then you end your btich with “Kudos to the city for embracing the oval!”, seriously which is it? Are people less than enthusiastic for the over, or do they embrace it?
As for your suggestion of parking on side streets, please fuck off. As someone who lives in this area, I can tell you that the oval and it’s poorly parking patrons are more harm than good. I’m sick of seeing idiot drivers make illegal U-Turns at the intersection of North Park and Corwallis and (surprise surprise) that crosswalk is more dangerous than ever.
Get rid of it.
I haven’t heard a lot of criticism, actually. Most people I know (and yes A LOT of people on my FB) have been raving about the oval and want to keep it permanently. *shrug*
It’s in a great spot for bus access too. TONS of routes pass by. Too bad they couldn’t have a bus like FRED going to and from certain terminals to the oval to encourage people taking the bus there instead of driving.
Even if it’s just on weekends!
I live in the area too NL – don’t be selfish, that’s typical NIMBY attitude, right there. I like it. I think it’s good that there has been so much support for it. nice to see the kind of support rally around the oval that things like the fucking convention centre never got.
So – fingers crossed that interest stays high and it’s worth it in the end.
Rather than take up valuable city real estate, up in To. the technology has been applied to a walking trail making it a skating trail. Tres cool!
http://thestar.com/news/article/917950–ic…
Not sure if it would work here, say, one per community, making it more accessible and lessening carbon expense for travel. Skating through nature trails seems far more attractive than circling aimlessly. The success of the winter games oval has proven that people love outdoor skating given a good place to do so.
Yep, and while they research those trails, budget for them and then holds endless consultation sessions, I think the oval should stay as long as there is interest. Then, when there is a good option like that OC, they quietly shut it down and find another good use for the space.
Too hilly OC, people would go skating off into the ocean.
NIMBY attitude – agreed, ralmn.
“would the people of Fall River use it?” – Yes. Being from there (until 2 years ago), I can assure you that there is great frustration at the open lakes.
The oval is great, the idea of making it annual is definately worth considering.
NL’s, you can always go to the next meeting about the oval, and express your concerns.
I am 100% in support of the oval. I also live on one of the afformentioned side streets and haven’t noticed a surplus of traffic at all. I think it’s great that we have the oval in the heart of our city…it’s about time Halifax has something to do outdoors during the depressing winter months. It would also be nice to see the oval used as a running track during the warmer months – i know Citadel High would certainly benefit from that. 🙂
NL, it would seem you’re exactly the type of person the OP is talking about. God forbid the city try anything new or different, right? Why such a Debbie Downer?
I too live within a 5 minute walk to the Commons. Yes, the traffic has been a little heavier than usual on my street, but I certainly haven’t witnessed any of the antics you’re talking about.
I think the oval is great. When is the last time anything has generated such a (positive) buzz in this city? People are excited, and feeling engaged in their city. In my books, that’s a great thing.
I think it best to also take some preventative measures here for future potential bitches…
If you’ll lend me your eyes for a moment.
shit like this…. this oval thing…
this is the place to go out and meet new people/schmooze.
ESPECIALLY in winter where there’s less people out and about.
If you hate bars ‘n pubs… hate singles dances…. all that tripe,
GO SKATING AND MEET SOMEONE.
help someone up off the ice.
compliment them on their skating abilities… or even just the lack of crashing.
mingle it up.
That’s actually not a half-bad idea. Except for the fact I haven’t owned skates in many years and can’t skate worth a damn. 😛
Then find a pretty lady and ask her to to link arms with you for stability. I wonder if PF is a good skater ;p
I’m going skating on the Rideau Canal in a couple days! Yeehooo! another example of outdoor skating being awesome (ya, ya, a totally different level, I know, but ti’s the same general idea)
I took my 3 year old little man on the oval over the holidays. He begged me to take him home…lol. It was a little cold…and he just wanted to be carried around the ice…not so safe. I’m going to try the indoor arena’s next time and slowly work him into it.
But it’s a great idea…as long as it can be paid for by advertising and other sponsors.
I’m not in support of the oval.
I’m not against it either… Basicly my idea of fun out door recreational activity ,has water, sand & sun in it !
rc, get a chair he can skate with.
I support physical activity intiatives, but not the oval.
1) What about the communities the broken down cold units were supposed to go to? They could have had full use of outdoor skating in their own community, they will now have to come into the heart of the city for this usage. So instead of 5-6 communities that would have had local access one community will have that and the others will have to travel to it.
2) What of the baseball users affected? I agree the commons should not be strictly for baseball and nothing else, but that still does not solve the problem of placing 60 or so displaced organizations that will not be able to function. There are no alternative diamonds for them to be scheduled at because they are all used to max capacity. It is disingenuous to say this is great for HRM’s physical activity strategy, while eliminating a recreational sports program/league that was useful to those participating in it.
They have those red stand-up thingy’s to teach him how to skate – and I brought a chair. But the ice is so slippery that when he puts his full weight on it – it slides out & he falls on his face. I have to hold him up completely. My brothers going to go skating with me to teach him how to skate hopefully.
It’s tricky the first couple of times. You’ll need a strong back and try just holding both his hands and skating backwards too. tiny little steps is all that he’ll feel comfortable doing. It’s like learning to walk all over again 🙂
Beezy – the city came in way under budget for the generators – it will be factored into the expense/cost/budget/approvals to get those locations the equipment they were promised. So don’t worry your pretty head over that.
As for baseball – I think maybe you’ll find that there was free time and some shuffling could fix the schedules easily.
if those are your only two worries, then frig, sign the city up!
o.p., you have to remember one thing here, not everyone wants to do what you do. saying that, if i want to go kill someone, would you also want to?
people have a right to how they wish to think in this country, last i heard, and also a riht to opinion, such as this is. if you try to dictate to someone, that doesn’t want to be dictated to, you are liable to end up with a snoot full of soneone’s fist.
so saying that you support this idea is fine, just don’t go all fucking crazy, and start calling people stupid, because they don’t support it. me, i care less, one way or another. because i get my exercise in other ways, some are real fun for me, others are not, but still exercise. i have to take what i can get, but not what i really want for exercise, follow me there ladies?
that’s an interesting segue suckulous…skating-kill^^^i keep trying with the skating but i just don’t feel it. i keep waiting for that ahh moment, ya know like swimming or riding
NL’s greatest export…go the fuck back to your shithole of a province.
Ahem…Newfoundland is ‘God’s Country’.
I think it is a joke, alot of good for someone who can not skate. Waste of space, and free skating could be had if the forum smartened up or any of the arena around the ‘rm. how about the city re thinking metro transit, open up more route to more than a hour wait.
It’s nice to have for the year of the Winter Games but it should not be permanent. The parking issue is not important. The real problem is the expense. One year is enough for this, then get rid of it.
doesn’t the top of the citadel have a loop around it?
It’s shaped kinda like a star but still … how sweet would it be to ice that thing up and whip around…
‘course, when you wipe out, sliding all the way down the hill would be excellent!
ralmn,
In case you have not heard, while the city came in under budget for the oval, they are over budget for the fiscal year. Doesn’t really seem fiscally responsible to spend another million on equipment, just because that was what was originally alloted, especially considering the budget shortfall. Furthermore, there is still more money to be spent if the oval is made permenant, as it will need to be lifted so that a concrete base can be put in, so were not even done spending on it yet potentially. Lastly, it will not be free forever.
As for Baseball, there is no free time available, I know this for certain. If you wish to find out as well, call and try to schedule a baseball game on one of the diamonds. Since there is no free time, then no shuffling can be done.
So my original two points still stand.
Thank you OP. My thoughts exactly. I’ve been down there each day to skate…well except for when it was closed because of foul weather conditions. The oval is great! Finally something to do IN the city in the winter. Whereas most people would just sit on their asses, watch TV, and push food down their gullets like a seagull….it’s good to see people out being active for once instead of becoming an obese burden on the health care system.
I can’t help but wonder how many of the people who are complaining about the loss of space on the Common ACTUALLY use it…
HGL,
I do not use the commons at all, as I do not play baseball. That however, does not stop me from thinking its wrong to disband several baseball groups to make something that was supposed to be temporary permenant. By your logic, unless you have had racism impact you, you should do nothing about it; only those directly effected by actions should be the ones to speak on them? Hope that helps to clear things up for you.
BW that’s a ridiculous comparision and I will not justify it with a response.
HGL,
I fail to see how that is not analogous to your wonderings about the those of us complaining about the oval. Even if you eliminate the part regarding racism, my point still makes sense. So revise my statement to say, “Should only those people that are impacted by decisions be the only ones allowed to speak on said decision”. Would you care to comment now, or are you going to hide behind a trumped up charge of me making a ridiculous statement again? I must say I love how you didn’t explain how my comparison was ridiculous either, but I guess it must be just because you said it is.