Whoever commented on "drug problems" in Fort Mac... You do realize there are teams in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary right? And whoever said there are "80 thousand" here population wise is off by about 20-30 thousand. And that's not including the camps. The oil companies would provide the arena in a heartbeat, they already built most of the gyms, and the massive Mac Island complex. It's all a tax write off for these guys. 63/881 is a very legitimate concern for highway travel, they don't call it "the highway of death" for nothing.
Last edited by Beendair Donedat: 09-23-2012 at 12:43 AM.
Grande Prairie needs a new rink or expand the Canada Games Arena if they are going to get a WHL team. I have no idea who would own a team here as well so that would be another barrier.
They have the population and corporate support to make it happen. However its only 50% of the battle.
If they do get a team i will be first in line to buy season tickets.
It probably be like the Storms and group of people owning it. I think if they could get a whl team they would go a head with the expansion of the arena
Well looks like Grande Prairie is thinking of expanding the Crystal Centre now...
Quote:
Crystal Centre
One project current city council will likely not have to deal with is the expansion of the Crystal Centre.
The city recently funded up to $200,000 to conduct an economic feasibility study on how to best expand, but recommendations are not expected to make it back to council until spring of 2013.
“The process that council takes with the Crystal Centre is going to be largely informed by the results that we get from the market research that we had asked for,” said Given. “That information is what council would use to dedicate any funds to the Crystal Centre.”
The city currently has $2 million in the budget for 2013 and 2014, but the funding source remains undetermined.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if the Crystal Centre renovation or expansion remained on the table, but unfunded until council has better data to work with,” added Given.
Proposals for the expansion are expected to make it to budget deliberations in 2013 – after a new council is voted in.
We won't see any progress for at least a year but if the intention is there, maybe some teams would get interested.
Whoever commented on "drug problems" in Fort Mac... You do realize there are teams in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary right? And whoever said there are "80 thousand" here population wise is off by about 20-30 thousand. And that's not including the camps. The oil companies would provide the arena in a heartbeat, they already built most of the gyms, and the massive Mac Island complex. It's all a tax write off for these guys. 63/881 is a very legitimate concern for highway travel, they don't call it "the highway of death" for nothing.
I've lived in Edmonton for 7 years. I've been to Calgary many times. Can't speak for Vancouver. Drugs aren't an issue in either Edmonton nor Calgary any more than they are in any other major city.
Fort Mac, on the other hand, is a festering cesspool of drug use. I hate that town. Can't even feel safe walking down the street at noon.
I'd love to see a team in Nanaimo. My uncle lives there and I'm going there in the summer but it looks a really nice place and I reckon that it could build a good rivalry with the nearby teams.
I posted this about Nanamio in another thread
"It would be nice but it's a pipe dream.
Nanamio is still under 100k in population and the surrounding population under 1 1/2 hours is still under 200k and really how many people would travel that far for a game?
I can see it in maybe 20 years or so but it would need alot of things to go right IMO.
Also the Frank Crane arena in Nanaimo only holds 3000 people, is that big enough to make a go of it?"
Chilliwack makes alot more sense both in size and the arena, not to mention the location.
Playoffs may have a different rule, but regular season states that teams must take the bus regardless of if you're travelling from Portland, OR to Brandon, MB.
That is a regulation that could be easily amended though, if Fort M was admitted.
Heck it could be a condition of admittance to provide a charter for all road teams.
I think they might move Prince George already, its the least popular place to play apparently. I think Winnipeg or Nanaimo should get teams, but when you think about it Fort McMurray is like Playing for Brandon, would something like Bismark, Billings or Idaho work out.
Winnipeg (Good Rival W/ Brandon and good support)
Nanaimo (Good Rival W/ Victoria or if Victoria Gets an AHL team Royals move there)
Chilliwack (Shouldn't have left)
Selkirk (Have the perfect WHL arena)
I think if we got another WHL team in Manitoba, Selkirk would be the perfect place to put it.
Why doesn't the perspective owner of the Fort M team just build a highway....
That would be probably cost close to a 100 million dollars and take years to do. Not worth it. It costs tens of millions of dollars to wide a section of highway in Onatrio, even making only a two lane highway would be way too much.
My older brother works occasionally in Fort McMurray (Lived there in the late 90s), doesn't talk too favourable about it now but that may because he lives in Calgary and the vast majority of the time they make him drive up instead of putting him on a plane.
If the WHL changed their rules and a team there fly they could probably have a team. That cities booming and it's not slowing down.
I've lived in Edmonton for 7 years. I've been to Calgary many times. Can't speak for Vancouver. Drugs aren't an issue in either Edmonton nor Calgary any more than they are in any other major city.
Fort Mac, on the other hand, is a festering cesspool of drug use. I hate that town. Can't even feel safe walking down the street at noon.
Steaming pile of Bull ****. Edmonton consistenly either leads or is in the top 3 cities in the country for the most homicides. The number of drug related crimes in Edmonton are again in the top 5 percent in the country. Crime in general is much higher in Edmonton - From the "living in Edmonton" website:
Crimes in Edmonton tend to be concentrated in some north eastern neighbourhoods and these are overwhelmingly drug related. Some areas with a reputation for higher crime levels in the north east are Abbotsfield, Beverly, Hermitage and Norwood. (The downtown area also has problems after dark - particularly in the east - Chinatown and McCauley.) Good choices in the North East include Matt Berry and Hollick-Kenyon.
Crime rates in Edmonton are above average for Canadian cities - about 40% higher than Vancouver, and 80 - 90% higher than Calgary, Toronto and Montreal. The neighbourhoods we've identified all have much lower than average crime rates and should offer an excellent starting point for families relocating to Edmonton.
I think the old throwing stones when you're living in a glass house comparison is pretty apt.
It is just to far, a few years back I remember watching or listening to an interview with someone from the league -around the Chiliwak expansion team - and they said they would never put a team in the boonies like they have with Prince George again. They did mention Nanaimo as being a better hockey town than Victoria, but Vic had the population and easier access to markets - I guess Seattle ferry.
When the Giants made their mem cup run they played PG in the play offs and were told they could not reent a plane, even if they rented one for PG as well. I think it was also the CHL that said no way, not just the WHL.
Any of the oil towns are sess pools of crime from gambling and prostitution to assaults and drug related crimes, simple plain fact. And way over drinking. However these towns are 100% dependent on the companies that employ these people so the authorities turn a blind eye to all but that which must be dealt with. There is a network of people that piss in cups for people and that is their soul job, think about that, if there are people that can make a living off of helping others pass drug tests how bad is it.
Not where you want to send youth at all.
And yes Vancouver has the worst zip code in north america, with what is considered the best (from an access to any and all forms of drugs at any time point of view) open air drug market in the free world at Main and Hastings. But there is also a whole lot more good around to insulate one from the bad. One can find places to hide from the problems in a metropolis but not a small city or town
Steaming pile of Bull ****. Edmonton consistenly either leads or is in the top 3 cities in the country for the most homicides. The number of drug related crimes in Edmonton are again in the top 5 percent in the country. Crime in general is much higher in Edmonton - From the "living in Edmonton" website:
Crimes in Edmonton tend to be concentrated in some north eastern neighbourhoods and these are overwhelmingly drug related. Some areas with a reputation for higher crime levels in the north east are Abbotsfield, Beverly, Hermitage and Norwood. (The downtown area also has problems after dark - particularly in the east - Chinatown and McCauley.) Good choices in the North East include Matt Berry and Hollick-Kenyon.
Crime rates in Edmonton are above average for Canadian cities - about 40% higher than Vancouver, and 80 - 90% higher than Calgary, Toronto and Montreal. The neighbourhoods we've identified all have much lower than average crime rates and should offer an excellent starting point for families relocating to Edmonton.
I think the old throwing stones when you're living in a glass house comparison is pretty apt.
I used to spend a lot of time in Northeast Edmonton. Never once did I feel in danger, for even a second. The majority of crime here is between people who already know each other, and usually, immigrants. Regardless, I live in one of the safest cities with one of the lowest crime rates in the entire continent.
Can anybody explain why Lloydminster doesn't have a team? It's in the perfect location.
I used to spend a lot of time in Northeast Edmonton. Never once did I feel in danger, for even a second. The majority of crime here is between people who already know each other, and usually, immigrants. Regardless, I live in one of the safest cities with one of the lowest crime rates in the entire continent.
Can anybody explain why Lloydminster doesn't have a team? It's in the perfect location.
Lloydminster is tiny - it's under 30,000, and would be top 3 smallest market in the WHL.
When the league abandons one of the fastest growing communities in Chilliwack, which is well on it's way to hitting 100,000 in the next 10 years, going to Lloydminster would be crazy...
Financially a Ft. Mac team would be fine. There is a tremendous amount of money in that city. The travel from Edm is at least 5 hours, and not only that. Its 5 hours on a single lane highway that is considered quite dangerous amongst alberta highways in alberta. Especially during the winter. Travel would not only be lengthy, but quite treacherous.
The Highway is not dangerous. It's the people on the highway that make it dangerous.
I used to spend a lot of time in Northeast Edmonton. Never once did I feel in danger, for even a second. The majority of crime here is between people who already know each other, and usually, immigrants. Regardless, I live in one of the safest cities with one of the lowest crime rates in the entire continent.
Can anybody explain why Lloydminster doesn't have a team? It's in the perfect location.
The Highway is not dangerous. It's the people on the highway that make it dangerous.
Partly true, the highway can be very dangerous in the winter due to the length of it and lack of highway personal (Carillion). I use to travel 63 and 881 daily and hated every second of it.
I think they might move Prince George already, its the least popular place to play apparently. I think Winnipeg or Nanaimo should get teams, but when you think about it Fort McMurray is like Playing for Brandon, would something like Bismark, Billings or Idaho work out.
Winnipeg (Good Rival W/ Brandon and good support)
Nanaimo (Good Rival W/ Victoria or if Victoria Gets an AHL team Royals move there)
Chilliwack (Shouldn't have left)
Selkirk (Have the perfect WHL arena)
That would be because Prince George is not a very nice place to be during the winter and that drive, while okay in the summer, is seriously not fun in the winter. The highway upgrade should help that, but still, not a trip I'd want to make multiple times a year from say Kamloops. Every time my GF tells me, "We're visiting my family in Prince George in X weeks," I shudder. It's just so far away from any other WHL team with Kamloops being the closest (and that's a solid 8-hour drive in the winter, IME). At the very least, they have a nice facility to play hockey in.
Nanaimo would be awesome. I'd much rather drive to Nanaimo than Victoria to watch WHL games (faster, safer drive from Duncan). Victoria has just the worst traffic infrastructure in BC, guaranteed. When I lived in Burnaby, I could drive home faster after a Canucks game, with 18,000+ fans and countless people watching the game at sports bars downtown (not to mention miscellaneous traffic), than I can driving home to Duncan from Victoria after a 4,500 attendance Royals game (which takes about 20-30 minutes just to get out of freaking Victoria due to traffic).
The Royals are about the only reason why I ever go to Victoria
