“Well over 50% chance” field will be ready

(Update)

The Labour Day Classic is now less than a week away and at a meeting today at Hamilton city hall, officials from the company building Tim Hortons Field said the chances the stadium will be ready in time are well above 50-percent — but there were no guarantees.

With that in mind, we sent a camera down to the construction site this evening to check out the pace of work on the site. As you can see we didn’t see much happening. There were a handful of workers there. But when you hear about the double and triple shifting of crews at the site — with the scramble on to get the stadium ready — this likely isn’t what most people would picture.

We will know by the end of the week whether there will be a Labour Day Classic at Tim Hortons Field on Monday. But no greater certainty was given at an update to a Pan-Am committee at city hall Tuesday.  We have two reports.

The south side is where fans will now enter the stadium. There are new signs over the entranceways & crews are still working. Some neighbours told us they’ve heard the speakers being tested well into the evening — 7:30-8 o’clock. But will it be enough to have at least 18-thousand seats available for Monday? It will depend on whether city inspectors deem the site safe for the public.

In 1967, Bill Aaltink was a teen selling food and drinks in the stands of the original stadium. Now he motors over to the site every couple days to check on construction progress:
“I’ve been noticing a lot more people here now working too, which is good. I just hope they don’t take too many shortcuts.”

He’s been eyeing the new wheelchair section and is somewhat disappointed that the elevators won’t be ready Monday. Forty accessible spots have been set aside on a new patio on the north side for the interim. Bill said: “I’ll be going, hell or high water. Weather permitting.”

But he wouldn’t be able to get to the game if it is moved to Tuesday in Toronto. At city hall, the pan am committee was told that the builder is not a hundred percent sure there will be a Labour Day game.

Greg Slack is with Ontario Sports Solutions: “What’s the percentage chance? I don’t want to make predictions but we’re well, well above 50 per cent.”

This section of the stadium will not be complete, but the team vows there would be room for everyone with a ticket. the concessions wouldn’t be open but Ticats President Glenn Gibson says: “The things we’re bringing in, things like beer, and I think (concessionaires) Levy has a plan to bring in sandwiches things like that.”

John McKendrick of Infrastructure Ontario says it’s doing what it can: “Believe me, we’re all over them. We’ve been phoning the presidents. We’re putting pressure on them every day. We’re on site every day. Lots of conversations, a bit of yelling and screaming here and there.”

The builder, Ontario Sports Solutions, says the key will be getting the city to grant an occupancy permit. Inspectors will have a full day of safety testing on Thursday.

Greg Slack: “But as of right now, and it’s an hourly situation at the site. We feel we will be able to obtain that.”

Ed Vanderwindt is the Hamilton Chief Building Official: “As of late, we’ve seen double, triple shifting of workers on site, so they are aggressively working as of today.”

The scoreboard will be working we’re told, & the Ticats say they’ll communicate more with fans about what to expect on game day as it gets closer and they know where it will be. For instance, they’ve secured more lots for parking in the area, including the Old Dominion Glass factory just north of here.

We won’t know for sure until Thursday or Friday if the Labour Day Classic will be played on Labour Day Monday, let alone here in Hamilton. Contractors, building inspectors and team reps all had their say at Hamilton city hall today.

The Ticats will ‘apparently’ be practicing at Tim Hortons Field on Wednesday, but the contractors responsible for building the stadium are still unable to make any guarantees that the Labour Day classic will be played here on Monday.

Greg Slack: “Well, I wouldn’t want to say 100% because I’m not sure what can happen over the next few days. What I can tell you is we’re aware of the requirements we need to comply with.”

And the list of requirements is lengthy. It’s so long, that they’ve already ruled-out using the upper bowl on the west side stands, bringing the capacity down to 18-thousand seats.

Ed Vanderwindt: “It requires handrails, guard rails, fire alarms, sprinkler systems prior to occupancy, and they will not be completed by game day.”

But that’s not all.

Ed Vanderwindt: “From what we’ve seen on site, there will be no working elevators for the game.”

Which should make things interesting for the broadcasters, considering the media box is located “above” this section. Compliance papers, which are filed by engineers and architects, certifying that the work that needs to be done, has been done — have not been filed — but they have to be, by Thursday.

Thursday is also the day fire alarms and sprinklers will be tested throughout the building. And if the city is unable to grant the Ticats an occupancy permit before their offices close on Friday, the Ticats have some options. If the game can’t be held at Tim Hortons Field on Monday, the team is hoping that the proper permits can be obtained in time to play in Hamilton the following night — even though the city has stated that its offices will be closed over the long weekend.

The Ticats’ last option is to play next Tuesday night at the Rogers Centre, and anyone who has already purchased a ticket in Hamilton, will get a refund ‘and’ a free ticket in Toronto.

Glenn Gibson: “And the fans have been absolutely understanding. It’s outside our control and everyone wants to be at the game. They want to sit there and visualize what the finished look is going to be and it’s spectacular.”