Toronto 2015 Pan American Games

[jn_12]

That's strange, I must have accidentally clicked the quote button on your post or something. In any case, the Olympics have events all over the UK - Glasgow is farther from London than Montreal is from Toronto. And it's not just London - the Beijing Olympics had events as far away as Shanghai and Hong Kong. I really don't see any reason to refer to the Pan Ams as anything but the Toronto games.

You didn't read my entire post. In these London Games, only football is being held as far away as Glasgow, and that was for stadium requirements that they imposed. Likewise, for Beijing the only events outside of Beijing were football matches, and the equestrian, which was only held in Hong Kong because of issues having to do with quarantines.

Obviously in London's case there are some events being held outside London simply because they can't exactly do a sailing or white-water event in the Thames. But these are the exceptions, whereas in our Pan Am Games, there are nearly 2 dozen events being held outside the city.

Anyways, it doesn't really matter how they're labeled. Just think that it's more appropriately described as a Golden Horseshoe Games.

 

[Tewder]

The execution has everything to do with the Pan Am games. Do you really think the entire thing would have been fast-tracked with such full and complete co-operation from every level of government if it wasn't for the games? Do you think IO would be involved like this otherwise?

Agreed. Without a deadline they'd still be testing soil for the next fifty years.

 

[TOperson]

Agreed. Without a deadline they'd still be testing soil for the next fifty years.

(sigh) I 100% agree that our governments should be more effective, competent, etc but it's not like hosting a large athletic event is the only way to make that happen. Infrastructure got built before, it will be built in the future, it gets built in other places that never host big events.

 

[nfitz]

Who or what is IO?

Infrastructure Ontario - the provincial government crown corporation that builds/finances hospitals, highways, transit, etc.

If you look at their list of projects - http://www.infrastructureontario.ca/What-We-Do/Projects/Current-Projects/
you'll see the Pan Am Athletes' Village, Pan American Aquatics Centre, Field House and Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, Pan Am Games Venues – Markham Pan Am Centre, Etobicoke Olympium and Pan Am Field Hockey Centre, and the Pan Am Stadia and Velodrome.

You'll notice a complete absence of projects like the Athletes' Village on their project list. I don't believe the Ontario government would be so heavily involved with the West Don Lands if it weren't for this project.

 

[MisterF]

You didn't read my entire post. In these London Games, only football is being held as far away as Glasgow, and that was for stadium requirements that they imposed. Likewise, for Beijing the only events outside of Beijing were football matches, and the equestrian, which was only held in Hong Kong because of issues having to do with quarantines.

Obviously in London's case there are some events being held outside London simply because they can't exactly do a sailing or white-water event in the Thames. But these are the exceptions, whereas in our Pan Am Games, there are nearly 2 dozen events being held outside the city.

Anyways, it doesn't really matter how they're labeled. Just think that it's more appropriately described as a Golden Horseshoe Games.

I did read your entire post. Most of the Pan Am events are being held in Toronto or its suburbs, just like the London games. And the farthest venues are for soccer and events that don't really work in the city. Other than that only a couple venues are outside the GTA. "Golden Horseshoe Games" is just silly.

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

Infrastructure Ontario - the provincial government crown corporation that builds/finances hospitals, highways, transit, etc.

If you look at their list of projects - http://www.infrastructureontario.ca/What-We-Do/Projects/Current-Projects/
you'll see the Pan Am Athletes' Village, Pan American Aquatics Centre, Field House and Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, Pan Am Games Venues – Markham Pan Am Centre, Etobicoke Olympium and Pan Am Field Hockey Centre, and the Pan Am Stadia and Velodrome.

You'll notice a complete absence of projects like the Athletes' Village on their project list. I don't believe the Ontario government would be so heavily involved with the West Don Lands if it weren't for this project.

http://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/explore_projects2/west_don_lands/2015_pan_american_games

Oh, for Pete's sake. WT had a three phase buildout planned for WDL, starting with River City and the TCHC building on King. Those are already under construction. Stages two and three were to be built over the next 10 years. Instead, they're being built in three years to serve as the Pan Am village. Consequently, we're getting faster construction of already planned projects, financed by the government instead of privately -- huzzah! Unless, of course, the condo market turns to dust and IO is stuck with them.

This has been one of my absolute favourite projects from the get-go, and hopefully the acceleration won't tank it. But to say that things wouldn't have been built here without a Pan Ams is to say that we're building housing Toronto doesn't need yet. I fear you're right, and this wouldn't have been built without the gov't push, and might unravel all the many years of careful planning of WT by delivering a white elephant just as the condo market has gone cold.

 

[nfitz]

Oh, for Pete's sake. WT had a three phase buildout planned for WDL, starting with River City and the TCHC building on King. Those are already under construction. Stages two and three were to be built over the next 10 years. Instead, they're being built in three years to serve as the Pan Am village. Consequently, we're getting faster construction of already planned projects, financed by the government instead of privately -- huzzah!

Yes. As you point out, they have been significantly expedited by the Pan Am games.

However, your earlier point that I objected to was "The plans for, and execution of, the West Don Lands have NOTHING to do with the Pan Am Games." (emphasis is yours). That the execution is not unrelated to the Pan Am Games is the only point I was making. In addition to the infrastructure side of it, there has been significant pressure brought by the government (and Waterfront Toronto) to fast-track a lot of issues - such as the sign-offs for the environmental clean-up.

I'm not sure WT would be stuck with the condos. I though the developer (DundeeKilmer) they brought in would be on the hook if they didn't sell. But I haven't studied the issue.

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

Yes. As you point out, they have been significantly expedited by the Pan Am games.

However, your earlier point that I objected to was "The plans for, and execution of, the West Don Lands have NOTHING to do with the Pan Am Games." (emphasis is yours). That the execution is not unrelated to the Pan Am Games is the only point I was making. In addition to the infrastructure side of it, there has been significant pressure brought by the government (and Waterfront Toronto) to fast-track a lot of issues - such as the sign-offs for the environmental clean-up.

I'm not sure WT would be stuck with the condos. I though the developer (DundeeKilmer) they brought in would be on the hook if they didn't sell. But I haven't studied the issue.

We're quibbling over details. Yes, DundeeKilmer is on the hook for the units; I was speaking of the broader issue of force feeding the units into the market resulting in undesirable buildings and vacant units, causing perception of WDL as a WT failure. I really, really hope that doesn't happen. It would be such a shame.

 

[current]

Site prep at York University for the Pan Am Games Track and Field stadium, photos from Aug 3.

"The new stadium, which will be built just south of the current Toronto Track and Field Centre, will replace the current East Office Building (EOB). It will cost approximately $40 million to $50 million, with York footing 44 per cent of the cost while the provincial and federal governments will subsidize the rest. The project is not in a core area of campus but rather in the north area where subway constructions are already taking place.

The new track and field centre will include seating for 12,500 for the duration of the Pan Am games period from July to August 2015, but only 5,000 of those seats will be permanent and will remain after the games have concluded. The construction of the site is set to commence October 2012 and the area will be turned over to the project lead, Infrastructure Ontario. The stadium will be complete by 2014, well before the start of the Pan Am games."

Read more: http://www.excal.on.ca/news/york-to-pay-up-to-20-million-for-pan-am-games-stadium/

 

[ChesterCopperpot]

Good to see work underway finally.

I'm wondering which of the 3 Project Co's won the bidding. This work isn't being done by the winning bidder

 

[intoronto1125]

I am personally affected by the construction. I always walk through there getting to my summer job lol (I also study there). And now I have to stop at another stop and walk from there.

 

[Torontovibe]

I found this list/pics of all the Pan-Am venues, quite interesting.
http://www.gamesbids.com/forums/top...an-games-venues/page__pid__362142#entry362142

 

[ticky]

So, now that the Canadian women's soccer team are Olympic bronze medallists, how do we reach Tourism Toronto to vent our anger about their stupidity over signing an exclusivity agreement for the Pan Am Games, thus denying any Women's World Cup games to be played in Toronto?

 

[MetroMan]

If nothing else comes out of these games, at least the region will have become equipped with the venues to train Olympic level athletes, something very lacking in this province. The legacy for kids and existing athletes is going to be the most significant of all.

One thing that strikes me when looking at the venue plan is that some of the out of city venues don't need to be hosted outside Toronto at all. Take this:

Baseball, Softball: Ajax Sportsplex Park (Capacity:Two 5,000 and Two 1,000 stadiums) 45 minutes from Athlete Village

This just sounds like Provincial officials trying to be fair to other cities. The goal of hosting the PanAm games isn't to be fair. It's to be efficient. Why are we sending athletes, media and spectators to Ajax to play and watch softball and baseball? Hmm.... was the SkyDome not available? How about one of the dozens and dozens of baseball diamonds in parks all over the city?

 

[Red October]

If nothing else comes out of these games, at least the region will have become equipped with the venues to train Olympic level athletes, something very lacking in this province. The legacy for kids and existing athletes is going to be the most significant of all.

No no no, see... who cares?? They should fund themselves. Just ask Riverdale Rink Rat