keoadmin
10-20-2004, 08:00 AM
In attendance: Committee Members
12-15 members of the public representing Concerned Kingstonians about LVEC (www.ckal.ca (http://www.ckal.ca/)); Williamsville Residents' Association and Friends of the Memorial Centre; a local architect; various users recreational skaters, womens hockey, etc.; Kingston Electors and others who I could not identify.
Most of the information and ideas came from Don Gedge (dgedge@cityofkingston.ca (dgedge@cityofkingston.ca) 546-4291, ex 1271 or 532-3668), consultant who has been hired by the city to work on the LVEC project.
He has experience operating large venue sites I think in Sarnia.
Gedge will take six city staff and members of the steering committee to meet an architect in Toronto who has experience designing large venue sites. They will visit the Hershy Centre, Guelph and some other sites.NOTE: My suggestion made at the end of the meeting that they take photos of these sites and make them available for Kingstonians was very well received. They will post these on the city website.
Technical Expertise required for the project was discussed, including financial advisors.
Terms of Reference for the Technical Sub-Committee was discussed.
Work Plan presented by Don Gedge (This was the major portion of the meeting with a 10-page draft distributed to everyone.)
Communication: Gedge wants to take a "grass roots" approach, meeting with the various organizations. They want to expand the City website to include a more interactive service (like KE website?!!) October-November 2004. They also want to meet with local newspapers about setting up a question and answer column or website.
Work Schedule: Setting up a TimelineOpening August 2007 (best time to open is August to October)
May 2006 15 months of construction
Feb 2006 architectural planning
Jan 2006 agreement in place
June 2005 tenders go out
June to August 2005 public input on design, reviewing construction consortium
January 2005 stakeholders group in place: users, community residents
January 2005 - Business Plan: Initially, they want to keep the project as a city constructed and operated site.
April 2005 site purchase
November to March 2005 traffic & parking & sound issues
November to January 2005 geotechnical studies (see if bedrock is solid)though the bank did this for investors in 1995 NOTE: I wonder who these investors are?
October to January Phase I and Phase II (Public & Private) Environmental study of lands
Financing ongoing to September 2005
Agreement with Kingston Frontenacs lease, construction requirements
They want to bring in a consortium (operator, architect, contractor, city) beginning with the operator first (persons actually using the building)
NOTE: Council has approved Rideau Street site, subject to feasibility studies.
Questions from the Floor:
Community Use: Don Gedge believes there will be a lot of time for community use of the ice. Other centres (London?) have said it is too expensive to open the facility for public use. There is concern about the cost of ice time if it is made available to the public.
Zoning: There is question how this area is zoned. Committee believes it is zoned commercial; public members say it is for medium density housing.
Communication: Concern was expressed that the communication will be one way and the committee will not listen to the public. The committee is discussing "stakeholders" as actual users when all Kingston taxpayers are stakeholders in the cost of this building.
Size: Will this building swamp the surrounding neighbourhood. Gedges says it will be 65 feet tall (a five to six story building)
Committee went in cameraat 8:15 a.m. and the public was asked to leave.
Comment: this committee is acting independently from other services but the committee is "on a roll" and will be a hard ship to stop once it gets going.
.
12-15 members of the public representing Concerned Kingstonians about LVEC (www.ckal.ca (http://www.ckal.ca/)); Williamsville Residents' Association and Friends of the Memorial Centre; a local architect; various users recreational skaters, womens hockey, etc.; Kingston Electors and others who I could not identify.
Most of the information and ideas came from Don Gedge (dgedge@cityofkingston.ca (dgedge@cityofkingston.ca) 546-4291, ex 1271 or 532-3668), consultant who has been hired by the city to work on the LVEC project.
He has experience operating large venue sites I think in Sarnia.
Gedge will take six city staff and members of the steering committee to meet an architect in Toronto who has experience designing large venue sites. They will visit the Hershy Centre, Guelph and some other sites.NOTE: My suggestion made at the end of the meeting that they take photos of these sites and make them available for Kingstonians was very well received. They will post these on the city website.
Technical Expertise required for the project was discussed, including financial advisors.
Terms of Reference for the Technical Sub-Committee was discussed.
Work Plan presented by Don Gedge (This was the major portion of the meeting with a 10-page draft distributed to everyone.)
Communication: Gedge wants to take a "grass roots" approach, meeting with the various organizations. They want to expand the City website to include a more interactive service (like KE website?!!) October-November 2004. They also want to meet with local newspapers about setting up a question and answer column or website.
Work Schedule: Setting up a TimelineOpening August 2007 (best time to open is August to October)
May 2006 15 months of construction
Feb 2006 architectural planning
Jan 2006 agreement in place
June 2005 tenders go out
June to August 2005 public input on design, reviewing construction consortium
January 2005 stakeholders group in place: users, community residents
January 2005 - Business Plan: Initially, they want to keep the project as a city constructed and operated site.
April 2005 site purchase
November to March 2005 traffic & parking & sound issues
November to January 2005 geotechnical studies (see if bedrock is solid)though the bank did this for investors in 1995 NOTE: I wonder who these investors are?
October to January Phase I and Phase II (Public & Private) Environmental study of lands
Financing ongoing to September 2005
Agreement with Kingston Frontenacs lease, construction requirements
They want to bring in a consortium (operator, architect, contractor, city) beginning with the operator first (persons actually using the building)
NOTE: Council has approved Rideau Street site, subject to feasibility studies.
Questions from the Floor:
Community Use: Don Gedge believes there will be a lot of time for community use of the ice. Other centres (London?) have said it is too expensive to open the facility for public use. There is concern about the cost of ice time if it is made available to the public.
Zoning: There is question how this area is zoned. Committee believes it is zoned commercial; public members say it is for medium density housing.
Communication: Concern was expressed that the communication will be one way and the committee will not listen to the public. The committee is discussing "stakeholders" as actual users when all Kingston taxpayers are stakeholders in the cost of this building.
Size: Will this building swamp the surrounding neighbourhood. Gedges says it will be 65 feet tall (a five to six story building)
Committee went in cameraat 8:15 a.m. and the public was asked to leave.
Comment: this committee is acting independently from other services but the committee is "on a roll" and will be a hard ship to stop once it gets going.
.