Letters to Bob (Young) & the Save Ivor Wynne project

Dare I suggest that today is finally the day?

I am in council chambers as I type this, and I will be talking about the Save Ivor Wynne Stadium project throughout the day. I'll be tweeting under @ABNFF, and you can follow all those tweeting about the stadium today under the hashtags #HamOnt.

Forgetting that yesterday was a holiday (how was it Thanksgiving already?), I did not get a delegation request in for today, but I have a speach prepared should the floor be opened to walk up delegators.

Either way, I will post that speach at some point today. I will also update this post with other notes related to today's council meeting.

You can also join the discussion on RaisetheHammer.org, as Joey Coleman once again covers today's COW live starting at 1pm.

Nothing has been discussed with regards to the stadium as it stands now (11:03am). A delegate spoke on behalf of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame new board process, as well as security and firefighting personelle being laid off at the Hamilton Airport. Questions and talks for that delegation went on most of the morning.

Now, a representative is speaking with regards to the progress of Innovation Park thus far, as suggested by Brian McHattie.

More to follow.

Before the Save Ivor Wynne project began, I published a story sharing my affection and concern regarding our current stadium.

[url]Ivor Wynne Is Already a Great Stadium Location - Raise the Hammer

You're easily the winner of the futile goal award of the decade.

I respect your dedication to beloved IWS but honestly man.. it's never going to happen.

lol Thanks Zen. I’ll put that award beside my copy of the Spec article regarding the paultry turnout at my rally. :slight_smile:

From the story of why Ivor Wynne is already a great stadium, came the video. [url]http://tiny.cc/cup0e[/url] 'Our City, Our Future, at Risk.'

If deerhunter stops in this thread today, thanks for saying hi at the COW meeting this morning. It was great to meet you. Thanks to all of those that sent me messages of encouragement and support, and for those that understood this plea to save our existing stadium, as more than just winning and losing.

I think the truth is, we are fighting for more than saving a stadium here. We are fighting some rushed together, bare bones stadium that may end up reflecting the desperity of this Pan Am process.

I am not holding my breath as I sit in council chambers today, I am not crossing my fingers and toes hoping that maybe they will vote to restore Ivor Wynne instead. Was there hope through this process that someone mind catch wind of what I am fighting for and see some potentional for a Fenway/Wrigley north type project? Sure.

All you can do is believe. Even when the outcome doesn't look good and of course, this one never has.

This new stadium will be the last one many of us will probably ever know. Are you all happy with some utiliarian design to replace the history that exists, the sense of community that exists, at IW? I think those two points alone, make this all worth fighting for.

Shortly after I posted the YouTube video, I decided to start a Facebook Group to talk about the future of IWS. [url]http://tiny.cc/cup0e[/url]

Gotta admire lpattison's dedication ..despite all the naysayers he keeps his message out there .. instead of folding in with the clique and name calling.

Most of the early members of the SIWS FB group comprised of family & friends. Then a mayoral candidate joined. [url]http://tiny.cc/a28tl[/url]

Mr. Butani and this city report, are ultimately the inspiration for the Save Ivor Wynne Project. (The 2007 report on the state of Ivor Wynne - load bearing report) [url]http://www.hamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/DA0A4AD2-080A-40E8-8246-D55998D5184F/0/Nov07ECS07013IvorWynneStadiumStructuralandLoadtesting.pdf[/url]

Shortly after the SIWS site was created, I started a petition to save the stadium. [url]http://tiny.cc/or37j[/url]

Thanks for that Ryck. I truly appreciate the settiment. I can’t say I was calm through it all. It’s not always easy to not let some fo the comments get under your skin, but this project is proof of the old saying ‘what doesn’t break you, makes you stronger.’

'Lunch' break is over, and now Chris Murray is speaking. Let the stadium talks begin. New HostCo deadline is Feb. 1st, 2011.

Continuing with the history of the Save Ivor Wynne project, people finally started to question Ivor Wynne and the IWS/Scott Park Super Property. [url]http://tiny.cc/mx862[/url]

So what are they voting on today then? To go ahead with CP Longwood as a site? And then the new council gets to vote on it again? OMG, I don't get what's going on. :?

I am sure you all remember when Pan Am pulled track from Hamilton. For me, that was the point that truly put Restoring Ivor Wynne back on the table. Soccer could be played at IWS. From today's COW, if a stadium isn't built, that could possibly still happen. [url]http://tiny.cc/mx862[/url]

I believe council simply needs to approve that this is our site, and that we will continue to try to make the finances work, with Feb 1st being the new ‘final’ deadline.

Either vote to continue, or to stop the process. Voting to continue past this point I believe, means the city of Hamilton would at this point be on the hook for up to $500,000, should the city pull out past this point.

Joey Coleman on Raisethehammer.org will have the best coverage. Also follow the #HamOnt hashtags on Twitter as many others report on the meeting.

Seems like there is more financial shortfall. Around $6M more.

What I thought was my first and last (as it related to IWS), delegation on behalf of IWS at City Council. [url]http://tiny.cc/82k1e[/url]. This link is for the video, and the full speach is located at [url]http://saveivorwynnestadium.com/blog/?p=115[/url]

I sat with Larry Pattison all afternoon today at the council meeting and he is a very pleasant and caring individual. It was running quite late in the day before he got to present his material but I'm glad I was able to stay.

Very nice presentation.

IWS is dead, so just get over with the save it thing.

Thanks deerhunter. It was great spending the day with a fellow fan. It was an eventfull day in council chambers to say the least. It will be interesting to see how the new council handles it, and how ‘new’ it will actually be.

You’ll have to send me a link to some of your stuff.

My contact info is on the site. We should catch up for a drink at a game sometime.

Looks like January now. Get the new council all fat and full of turkey, and then have them decide on the stadium.

Done…(check your private messages)

Cheers !

I love the old Girl but her Days are Numbered..

Maybe you get part of her when Wrecking Ball Hits
I plan too.