critics

Thursday December 6, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Thursday December 6, 2012

Designing the Pan-Am Stadium

A confidential report says City staff is working with the team designing the new Pan Am stadium to make sure the facility meets its design standards.

Members of the Ontario Sports Solutions consortium are meeting with staff “all the time” to alleviate concerns, said Robert Johnston, designer with the Cannon Group.

These concerns include having a public-friendly civic square, a unique aesthetic and enough of a covering behind the stands that the neighbourhood isn’t exposed to beams and the rough underside of the seating.

Those were among the concerns councillors brought up during a city planning committee meeting Tuesday, when Johnston showed the latest renderings of the new Pan Am stadium, scheduled to replace Ivor Wynne in its east-end location in July 2014.

The committee heard that the space behind the stands will be masonry at the base, and screens extending over a large portion of the sides of the mostly outdoor stadium.

This will produce a “light and airy” feeling, and the screens can be changed depending on the event being hosted, Johnston said after his presentation to the committee.

Large solid walls would have overpowered the residential neighbourhood, he said.

The screening “produces the effect of hiding all the structure, but it’s light and airy, so it’s more festive,” Johnston said. Councillors had plenty of questions about the $147.5-million stadium, of which the city is paying 40 per cent. The stadium will host 32 men’s and women’s soccer games for the 2015 Pan Am games, and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats starting with the 2014 CFL season. (Source: CBC News) 

 

Sunday August 16, 2004

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, MacLean's Magazine Ð Sunday August 16, 2004 Olympic Grief ATHENS Ñ When Nicolas Gill carries the Canadian flag into Olympic Stadium for today's opening ceremony, he will be leading Canada's smallest Summer Games team in 32 years. It is a team reduced in numbers Ñ down to 267 from 311 four years ago Ñ and some might say in expectations. Canada captured 14 medals, including three gold, in Sydney four years ago, a showing that caused much hand-wringing and set off a national debate on the kind of support we provide our amateur athletes. Nothing substantive has changed since 2000, raising the question of what the next two weeks will bring. How much sporting mettle will be turned into medals? Estimates from athletes and others in Athens run the gamut from unbridled optimism to grim pessimism. Most reckon an improvement on Sydney is possible, with the most starry-eyed figuring Canada can win more than 20 medals. For world champion kayaker David Ford, however, it's possible to have too much of a good thing. Ford has been to four Olympics and has a gut feeling Canada is in for something special this time, but it's not a feeling with which he's entirely comfortable. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) Canada, Olympic, grief, 5 stages, Canadian, expectations, medals, gold, arm chair, critics, sports

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, MacLean’s Magazine – Sunday August 16, 2004

Olympic Grief

ATHENS — When Nicolas Gill carries the Canadian flag into Olympic Stadium for today’s opening ceremony, he will be leading Canada’s smallest Summer Games team in 32 years. It is a team reduced in numbers — down to 267 from 311 four years ago — and some might say in expectations.

Canada captured 14 medals, including three gold, in Sydney four years ago, a showing that caused much hand-wringing and set off a national debate on the kind of support we provide our amateur athletes.

Nothing substantive has changed since 2000, raising the question of what the next two weeks will bring. How much sporting mettle will be turned into medals?

Estimates from athletes and others in Athens run the gamut from unbridled optimism to grim pessimism. Most reckon an improvement on Sydney is possible, with the most starry-eyed figuring Canada can win more than 20 medals.

For world champion kayaker David Ford, however, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. Ford has been to four Olympics and has a gut feeling Canada is in for something special this time, but it’s not a feeling with which he’s entirely comfortable. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)