Calgary Event Centre | 36.85m | 11s | CSEC | HOK

Do you support the proposal for the new arena?

  • Yes

    Votes: 91 65.5%

  • No

    Votes: 39 28.1%

  • Maybe

    Votes: 9 6.5%
  • Total voters
    139
Surrealplaces said:
I'm not sure I dig it, but I don't hate it. The biggest problem for me is the mishmash of materials, and the large wall on the 12th ave side. Like many, I wish the design was more cohesive, but in the end for me what matters most is how functional it'll be inside, and how it interacts at the street level.

My thoughts summed up:
-The Olympic Way portion is what I would hope for.... straight wall that's not too high running parallel with the street, and generous sidewalk space to allow for retail with patios etc.. Lots of glass window area that runs two levels up, giving it an open feeling to the street. The Olympic Way frontage design allows for the other side of the street to develop something that compliments it, and possible create a decent retail canyon.

-We haven't seen much of the inside, but for the average person if they have plenty of washrooms, it will have already beaten out Rogers Place. Most people don't pay attention to the interior details of an arena and are happy as long as they can see the A) concert stage, see the ice, B) can easily grab some food or easily go to the bathroom. C) exit and enter the building easily. One thing I don't like about Roger Place is the huge vertical gap between the lower bowl and the upper bowl. If they don't don't that here, that will be another thing that makes the interior better and keep people happy.

-The 12th ave side is a fail for me. If they could have done a nice job on 2 of the 4 sides, I would be 95% happy. In the renderings it looks like they have a lot of space on the south side of the arena, and if they shifted the arena south by 50' maybe they could have have more to work with on the 12th ave side?

-The overall design would be better if it was more uniform or cohesive, but it's a huge concern for me.

-One last minor thing. Does anyone else hate those little corner bends they've put on some of the materials?
Click to expand...
Rogers Place has a loge section on the lower half of seating in the upper bowl creating two levels of premium seating between the upper and lower bowls. Calgary's arena has what appears to be regular seating in the lower half of the upper bowl meaning there should be only one level separating the upper and lower bowls. Speaking of suites, Rogers Place has 57 suites, 24 theatre boxes, and a ring of loge seating. Calgary's arena will have 48 suites, 28 theatre boxes (12 on the East club mezzanine and 16 on the south side of the suite level,) loge seating on the north and south sides of the suite level, and club seating on the east side of the lower bowl. There is enough room to expand the number of suites or theatre boxes on the north side of the suite level and there appears to be standing room around the upper bowl.
 
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I was hoping as time passed I would find some redeeming qualities about the design but it's getting worse, not better.
 
The Familia said:
MichaelS basically summed my feelings about the arena. What does it say when I think Rogers Arena in Edmonton has more personality and flare. You may not like the futuristic design but it is cohesive and follows a unique vision. While it’s street front presence is brutal, it does contain a community rink, public indoor gathering spot, and leads directly to their entertainment district (which I think is a bit bland and sterile but functional).

CEC vs. Rogers Place

Street front retail - Calgary
Community rink - Edmonton
Indoor Winter Garden - Edmonton
Seat capacity - Edmonton
Cohesive design - Edmonton
New Parkade in a sea of parking - Calgary
Overuse of cheap screens and tin siding - Calgary
Use of Glass - Edmonton
Digital display board - Edmonton
Mix mash of materials - Calgary
Quality of materials - TBD but leaning to Edm.
Proper outdoor plaza - Edmonton
Better run organization - tie, they both suck
Getting less while spending more - Calgary

ok I’ll stop now. Going to take a break from this thread as I think I’ve made my point and I’m just beating a dead horse! I’ll come back once interiors are released……
Click to expand...
You’re not wrong.
 
Some observations I've made...
1. The upper bowl has more rows of seats and is closer to the ice than Edmonton's
2. The perforated parts that hang off the building might become an icicle hazard in the winter. Especially if we get a wet snowfall followed by freezing weather.
3. We still don't know where the Saddledome mask will be featured on/in the new arena. It'll likely be in the concourse or over one of the entrances though.
4. The name of the arena will cover a large portion of the metal paneled north wall making it a bit less of an eyesore.
5. With CSEC taking over as development manager and the project crew stating that there's still design work to be done my guess is the inside is being Flamesified. CMLC would have preferred a neutral interior like what's in the renders of the BMO Centre Expansion to match with their mandate of the facility being a multipurpose "Event Centre." CSEC on the other hand would much rather the inside be Flames focused.
 
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I remember some insiders giving us a few verbal details of the exterior months before we actually got any renderings.

So, do they have any juicy secrets to spill as to what the interior might look like??
 
Based on what I've seen it will be similar to this, even a touch nicer, but who knows at this point - they might cut a lot based on budget constraints.
 
I know stuff like lumber has been falling in price a whole lot lately, and I assume it'll be the same for other materials (at least I hope). So maybe 'if' they're any cuts in place, they'll at least be mitigated.
 
I wrote a letter to every city councillor regarding my disdain of the proposed renderings that have been released. I outlined all the faults and provided a list of suggestions that would improve it. I implored them to somehow send this back to the drawing board and get some major revisions, or if nothing else, to enhance a few key things. The only councillor liaison who wrote back was Joyti Gondek (not even my ward). She was firmly against having CMLC dropped and only voted in favour of the arena because they were in charge at the beginning. She promised to take my feedback to other councillors. Lip service? Most likely, but i appreciate the fact that she was the only one who bothered to respond. She has my vote moving forward!
 
So one thing that hasn't come up yet is the jumbotron. Are the Flames going to go modern and put a 40' 4K screen there, or use the Energy Board they have now? The reason I ask is I remember that they said the energy board would move to the new facility when they first announced it 10 or so years ago.
 
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