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Post by Citris on Aug 16, 2018 10:05:15 GMT -4
So recently there was a proposal to renovate the forum, adding a 3rd ice pad and fixing the place up in general, which would cost north of 60 million dollars. However, the plan was rejected, and I believe rightfully so. atlantic.ctvnews.ca/halifax-council-rejects-60m-plan-to-renovate-forum-1.4053117To put this in perspective, the Dartmouth-4 Pad (home to the Mooseheads practice facility) cost 43 million to build from scratch. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/dartmouth-s-much-anticipated-4-rink-arena-opens-this-evening-1.4281143In other words, as mentioned in the above article , it would likely be cheaper to tear the forum down and build a new facility than it would be to upgrade the dilapidated old building. What are your thoughts on this? Personally, I know I have some fond memories there, but let's face it, the place is a dump, the pillars are a joke in 2018. I just don't think fond memories justify dumping cash into it, especially when a new modern facility could be built in it's place. |
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Post by Reesor on Aug 16, 2018 10:13:27 GMT -4
If Halifax could build another 4-pad, with one of the rinks having ~3000 seats, for 60 mil, I would say good bye Halifax Forum. Yes it's nostalgic, but logic should take a back seat to nostalgia. Even with the 60 mil in upgrades, it would make more sense to put that money towards a project that allows for multiple uses. Another 4-pad would give local leagues more ice / ice time, and a 3000-seat arena would be perfect for Moose exhibition games, and provide a great atmosphere if the Moose had to move there due to conflicts with the Scotiabank Center. Could also be used for high-profile CIS games. Hell the Halifax Hurricanes could move there if they wanted to cut their operating costs.
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Post by Beaver Banker on Aug 16, 2018 10:17:00 GMT -4
This came up a few years ago, and I said (and still believe) that the Forum needs to be replaced with a facility similar to the Hershey Centre in Mississauga. One main arena, and 2-3 other ice surfaces for community use. If the main arena seats 5-6,000 like the current Forum, it can handle all the events the current building does (and then some, likely).
That building cost 22m to build. That was 20 years ago, and there's certainly cheaper construction costs in the GTA, but I can't imagine the Halifax cost in 2018 dollars is triple.
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Post by Citris on Aug 16, 2018 12:08:36 GMT -4
This came up a few years ago, and I said (and still believe) that the Forum needs to be replaced with a facility similar to the Hershey Centre in Mississauga. One main arena, and 2-3 other ice surfaces for community use. If the main arena seats 5-6,000 like the current Forum, it can handle all the events the current building does (and then some, likely). That building cost 22m to build. That was 20 years ago, and there's certainly cheaper construction costs in the GTA, but I can't imagine the Halifax cost in 2018 dollars is triple. Yes that seems like the direction I would like to go. It doesn't necessarily need to be a 4-pad. Have one main arena with 5000-6000 seats like you said. It can facilitate smaller events (like the upcoming WWE House show), or as @reesor said, even the Hurricanes. It can have other rinks/side areas for other events as well. Based on those numbers, I mean I imagine you could demolish, clear away, and reconstruct a new facility for ~70 million or so? The pricetag would be slightly higher than the renovations but I'd rather spend the extra money on a brand new car than throw a few band-aids on my old 1990 Chevy Lumina  |
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Post by Beaver Banker on Aug 16, 2018 12:28:23 GMT -4
This came up a few years ago, and I said (and still believe) that the Forum needs to be replaced with a facility similar to the Hershey Centre in Mississauga. One main arena, and 2-3 other ice surfaces for community use. If the main arena seats 5-6,000 like the current Forum, it can handle all the events the current building does (and then some, likely). That building cost 22m to build. That was 20 years ago, and there's certainly cheaper construction costs in the GTA, but I can't imagine the Halifax cost in 2018 dollars is triple. Yes that seems like the direction I would like to go. It doesn't necessarily need to be a 4-pad. Have one main arena with 5000-6000 seats like you said. It can facilitate smaller events (like the upcoming WWE House show), or as @reesor said, even the Hurricanes. It can have other rinks/side areas for other events as well. Based on those numbers, I mean I imagine you could demolish, clear away, and reconstruct a new facility for ~70 million or so? The pricetag would be slightly higher than the renovations but I'd rather spend the extra money on a brand new car than throw a few band-aids on my old 1990 Chevy Lumina I think you'd want to see at least 2 other ice surfaces (maybe DND can get in and have priority use on one sheet). There are efficiencies in having three ice surfaces under one roof versus maintaining separate facilities. I know SMU has already announced a new arena on campus at a pricetag of about $15m. It's too bad they couldn't have coordinated, gotten Dal to pitch in some cash, and cost shared the Forum project. |
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Post by Reesor on Aug 16, 2018 12:28:27 GMT -4
I had heard a while back that the plan on tearing down the Forum was due to the huge operating costs of keeping an old building like that up to snuff. But the reason it came up at the time was that a developer was planning on a huge condo complex for the land. If the Forum came down, I bet that specific piece of land between Almon and Young would have a few 17 story high-rises on it in 5 years.... similar to the ones already on Young, and like the one going on Robie where Eastlink used to be.
Did the open piece of land on the corner of Young and Windsor get sold? I heard that was a tentative location for a new rink.
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Post by Beaver Banker on Aug 16, 2018 12:41:16 GMT -4
I had heard a while back that the plan on tearing down the Forum was due to the huge operating costs of keeping an old building like that up to snuff. But the reason it came up at the time was that a developer was planning on a huge condo complex for the land. If the Forum came down, I bet that specific piece of land between Almon and Young would have a few 17 story high-rises on it in 5 years.... similar to the ones already on Young, and like the one going on Robie where Eastlink used to be. Did the open piece of land on the corner of Young and Windsor get sold? I heard that was a tentative location for a new rink. The Forum site belongs to HRM. Even if they tore it down, the land would have to be sold before it were to be privately developed. |
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Post by nsvees on Aug 16, 2018 18:24:09 GMT -4
As nostalgic as the Forum is to many people, if you go back to the Voyageurs games there, or the Junior/Senior league games in the 1920s-1960s that drew sellout crowds, it's time for the Forum to go. The Boston Garden was torn down. The Chicago Stadium was torn down. The cost to upkeep the Forum are only going to keep going up, especially for an 80-90 year old building. You can only do so much with it. It served its purpose; it's time to move on. Build a 4-5,000 seat arena on the site that can house the Mooseheads when they have a scheduling conflict with the ScotiaBank Centre. You want to put another 1-2 extra ice pads in there with it, go for it.
Spending at least $60 million to fix a 90 year old arena just doesn't make any sense; that money can be better spend elsewhere.
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Post by guru on Aug 16, 2018 19:46:42 GMT -4
People here are forgetting it is a designated Heritage Property. www.halifax.ca/home-property/heritage-properties/heritage-property-programProtection - significant changes to the exterior of a heritage property require review by the Heritage Advisory Committee and approval by Regional Council. This measure of protection applies even after ownership of the property is transferred. Heritage properties are also protected from demolition by the Heritage Property Act of Nova Scotia.I don't find it a dump at all, I find watching sporting events in old buildings quite enjoyable so long as you can walk around and have good sightlines. I enjoy the windows on both sides. Fenway Park was always considered a dump, the Forum is no Fenway Park though. I get very annoyed at the posts obstructing the view. Is there any way to remove those? Has it ever been looked into? If there isn't a way to remove the posts, then this might be silly. If you can remove the posts, then game on. Cities of our size need a venue that seats as many as the Forum does as a secondary venue. |
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Post by guru on Aug 16, 2018 19:50:16 GMT -4
As nostalgic as the Forum is to many people, if you go back to the Voyageurs games there, or the Junior/Senior league games in the 1920s-1960s that drew sellout crowds, it's time for the Forum to go. The Boston Garden was torn down. The Chicago Stadium was torn down. The cost to upkeep the Forum are only going to keep going up, especially for an 80-90 year old building. You can only do so much with it. It served its purpose; it's time to move on. Build a 4-5,000 seat arena on the site that can house the Mooseheads when they have a scheduling conflict with the ScotiaBank Centre. You want to put another 1-2 extra ice pads in there with it, go for it. Spending at least $60 million to fix a 90 year old arena just doesn't make any sense; that money can be better spend elsewhere. Man something was lost when the Montreal Forum, Maple Leaf Gardens, Chicago Stadium, and Buffalo Auditorium stopped hosting sport events or torn down. Each stadium had its own identity, were louder, etc. Ah well. |
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Post by MikeC on Aug 16, 2018 20:31:20 GMT -4
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Post by guru on Aug 16, 2018 21:18:24 GMT -4
Say they do demolish the building and put up a new 5000 seat arena, in theory it would be much better than watching a game at the Metro Centre.
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Post by Citris on Aug 16, 2018 21:31:38 GMT -4
Say they do demolish the building and put up a new 5000 seat arena, in theory it would be much better than watching a game at the Metro Centre. Not necessarily. It would be more modern, but not necessarily better. I'd like to see something similar to the 38m dollar pictou county wellness center, but maybe with a 3rd rink instead of the pool. Really nice main rink that seats a decent amount of spectators (tho it doesn't have seats at either end, which could increase the capacity by 1000 of so)... rath eastlink center wouldn't be a terrible model for a main rink either, tho that one has some issues that would have to be improved on. |
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Post by guru on Aug 16, 2018 21:40:27 GMT -4
Say they do demolish the building and put up a new 5000 seat arena, in theory it would be much better than watching a game at the Metro Centre. Not necessarily. It would be more modern, but not necessarily better. I'd like to see something similar to the 38m dollar pictou county wellness center, but maybe with a 3rd rink instead of the pool. Really nice main rink that seats a decent amount of spectators (tho it doesn't have seats at either end, which could increase the capacity by 1000 of so)... rath eastlink center wouldn't be a terrible model for a main rink either, tho that one has some issues that would have to be improved on. This is just one opinion, but I remember Waye Mason saying on reddit that Halifax needs a facility that can hold as many people as the Forum does. A lot of concerts are at the Forum, so it gives us that option for fun events that might be too small for the Metro Centre. Very recent example, the upcoming 90's concert, WWE (which has done well there the last two times). In sum, be it the Forum or a new building, we need 5000 seats. I also don't see the need for a 3rd rink unless they are looking to close a rink. As someone that played hockey growing up, it pains me to say this, put up more soccer fields, basketball courts, and tennis courts. Unless something changes, the amount of youth playing hockey isn't going to see a big resurgence. |
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Post by devinm on Aug 19, 2018 22:05:43 GMT -4
An upgraded forum/or new facility would be ideal place to be the home for major lacrosse events as well. A few years back we hosted the Jr B nationals and it really just felt like a 2nd class location. On this subject as well a good location for winter soccer/lacrosse would be good on the Dartmouth side. Once upon a time there was a spot in Burnside but that has been gone for years.
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