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Post by Jack Bauer on Jul 11, 2023 9:00:22 GMT -4
More questions than answers: - Two new ice surfaces... will one have significant seating for medium-sized events? I'm thinking ~3000 would be suitable for that location. - They've said in general what is included but 110 million is a hefty price tag. Is this instead of the wanderers ground expansion or new permanent medium size stadium? What is making this so expensive? The Forum has a lot of historical significance but I'm not one to hold onto relics for the sake of history. It's not like there are visitors to the city that are flocking to the Forum because of its history. I'm a fan of making a community center that has something for everyone. I used to call bingo so I hope the Forum bingo is part of the new community center for the sake of all who enjoy it. The "Don't spend money on X while we're in a housing crisis" point will always be discussed whenever a major city spends money on something that isn't affordable housing. Cities need to move forward with capital projects that bring in money. They grow stale if they don't. There is a housing crisis and it needs to be addressed. I don't blame people for putting public pressure on council to improve that situation. Capital investments to improve the city can't stop because of it though. Housing also isn't a municipal government item. Like health care...thats on the province.
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Post by Reesor on Jul 11, 2023 9:17:25 GMT -4
More questions than answers: - Two new ice surfaces... will one have significant seating for medium-sized events? I'm thinking ~3000 would be suitable for that location. - They've said in general what is included but 110 million is a hefty price tag. Is this instead of the wanderers ground expansion or new permanent medium size stadium? What is making this so expensive? The Forum has a lot of historical significance but I'm not one to hold onto relics for the sake of history. It's not like there are visitors to the city that are flocking to the Forum because of its history. I'm a fan of making a community center that has something for everyone. I used to call bingo so I hope the Forum bingo is part of the new community center for the sake of all who enjoy it. The "Don't spend money on X while we're in a housing crisis" point will always be discussed whenever a major city spends money on something that isn't affordable housing. Cities need to move forward with capital projects that bring in money. They grow stale if they don't. There is a housing crisis and it needs to be addressed. I don't blame people for putting public pressure on council to improve that situation. Capital investments to improve the city can't stop because of it though. Housing also isn't a municipal government item. Like health care...thats on the province. I picture a lot of red tape surrounding building permits. I'm not an expert but I believe that while laws mandating affordable housing would fall on the province to implement and manage, the permits to build would fall on the city to manage. I heard there is a backlog of building permits due to the prioritization of permits relating to the Tantallon forest fires. Hire all the personnel needed to get through building permits and the investment probably pays for itself big time.
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Post by MikeC on Jul 11, 2023 16:52:33 GMT -4
$110M seems like too much for what they are building. The 2 4pads in HRM cost around $40-43M each and the 2-ice surface facility recently built in Dieppe was around $31M. That's a lot of coin for more seats and a community centre.
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Post by Citris on Jul 11, 2023 18:18:10 GMT -4
$110M seems like too much for what they are building. The 2 4pads in HRM cost around $40-43M each and the 2-ice surface facility recently built in Dieppe was around $31M. That's a lot of coin for more seats and a community centre. Yea it does seem like a lot. Now as someone who's gone to recent events at the Forum, like Geekquinox and other mini-convention type things, I can say it's woefully underequipped as a community center for any type of event, it's outdated, no AC, tiny with small ceilings (I've also seen a wrestling event or two there, it's comical watching the performers go to the top rope and have to duck down to avoid hitting their heads on the roof.) Or in the forum itself where they can't sell certain seats because of the support pillars being in the way of the view... (not to mention it's unbearably hot in the summer/fall) I'm all-for having an easily accessible space where community events can take place that's modern and comfortable.
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Post by nsvees on Jul 12, 2023 7:25:23 GMT -4
Inflation factors in higher cost than originally planned, according to a city staff report:
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Post by lirette on Jul 12, 2023 7:32:10 GMT -4
Crazy to think thats around the same price that Avenir Centre cost.
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Post by Citris on Jul 12, 2023 10:06:21 GMT -4
Crazy to think thats around the same price that Avenir Centre cost. It sounds like a good chunk of the money is going to preserving the facade, which... I believe they're legally obligated to do but if you asked most haligonians they'd probably tell you they'd be happy to bulldoze it to save several million. Preserving historical sites is definitely a nice idea, but in practice we're just leaving up a shell of the old building. It's 2023... it'd be easy enough to preserve it through photos, videos, hell, I bet you could even create a 1-to-1 3D model that could be explored digitally and it would cost you a few grand tops. It's definitely not the same, but in cases like this i think it'd be worth exploring more modern methods of documenting a historical site aside from leaving up some bricks on the outside of what is essentially a new building.
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