Hopes high Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ Labour Day Classic a go at Tim Hortons Field

If you have tickets for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Labour Day Classic against the Toronto Argonauts you just may be able to use them this year. Then again – you may not.

The latest progress report comes from the chair of the Pan Am sub-committee, Lloyd Ferguson – a man who knows a thing or two about construction, having run Dufferin Construction in his previous life. Ferguson says he is somewhat optimistic that the Ticats will be playing at Tim Hortons Field on Labour Day, but by no means is it a sure thing.

There are just 27 days left before the annual Labour Day Classic – 27 days to finish a stadium that is still very much a work in progress. Virtually every part of this building has not been completed, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be ready – enough – to host a game on Labour Day.

Ferguson is looking on the bright side. “The good news is there are four things that look like they will be ready. One is the field will be ready; number two I think the lights will be working; number three the seats will be done. And number four what I saw in there today particularly on the west side is the washrooms are operational.”

What wont be ready are the offices, the air conditioning, and concession stands. Instead, food and beer will be served from temporary kiosks. But Ferguson says even then, the city will only allow the game to be played if health and safety inspectors say it is safe enough to do so.

“You know the fire safety issue is the big one with the fire department the health department and with our building department to make sure it’s safe to decommission as a construction site and take it up as a location where it can be occupied.”

“In my view it’s going to be a stretch.”

“I don’t want to mislead your viewers. There is a lot of work from what I saw in there today yet to be done.”