Comprehensive planning process undertaken to ensure stadium a "win" for everyone
WINNIPEG - February 28, 2012 - The City of Winnipeg, along with our partners the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg Blue Bombers and BBB Stadium Incorporated, have spent the last three months building an event day strategy. The all-encompassing plan will address all aspects of event days at the Investors Group Field to make the stadium event days successful for fans, residents and members of the University community.
Winnipeg is witnessing a once-in-a-generation renaissance, and the stadium project brings more positive profile to our city and our largest University, not to mention sustained economic activity, benefits to south Winnipeg businesses and hundreds of new jobs.
For the campus and neighbouring communities, the new Active Living Centre will mean affordable access to one of the finest athletic and recreation facilities in Canada. This is a tremendously valuable community resource made possible because of construction of the new stadium.
The Event Day Management Plan is now at a stage where input will be sought from stakeholders in a series of open houses being held across the City. An open house also will be held by the University for its community.
The Event Day Management Plan, when completed, will be a living document to guide and support the Event Day Advisory Committee established as a result of the City of Winnipeg Riel Community Committee motion of July 11, 2011. The stadium partners' event day strategy will address parking, transit, active transportation choices and traffic management in the vicinity of the stadium.
Meeting community-identified needs through engaging with the people affected by change is at the heart of the Event Day Management Plan approach. The plan directly reflects what City and University staff have heard so far from fans, residents and the University community. Traffic and planning experts from both the City and University, transit officials, police and emergency medical services, accessibility advisors and event management experts have all had involvement in crafting the plan.
Details of the plan will be provided directly to residents at the community-organized meetings, as well as to the University community at an open house. We want people to have an opportunity to ask questions and share their views.
The stadium will be a major facility and it is reasonable to expect that when it opens, there may be some minor modifications needed to the plan. We already have a team in place to resolve emerging challenges as they arise. Our Stadium Experience Task Force will be inviting feedback from fans, from nearby residents and from the campus community following games.
Representatives from the City, University, Bombers and BBB Inc. will be on hand at the following open houses, and look forward to hearing the views of the community:
Saturday, March 3, 2012:
Canad Inn Fort Garry, 1824 Pembina Highway (Ambassador A), 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Monday, March 5, 2012:
Canad Inn Garden City, 2100 McPhillips Street (Ambassador A), 4:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012:
Access Transcona, 845 Regent Avenue West - Room 163, 4:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012:
Sturgeon Heights Community Centre, 210 Rita Street, 4:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 8, 2012:
Bronx Park Community Centre, 720 Henderson Highway - HobNobs Cafe, 4:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
A website at http://investorsgroupfield.ca, jointly operated by the University, City, Bombers and BBB Inc., will offer a one-stop shop for information to residents, fans and the University community on every aspect of event days including, parking and traffic changes and other important details.