{"id":16583,"date":"2014-07-05T06:00:31","date_gmt":"2014-07-05T10:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/?p=16583"},"modified":"2014-07-05T10:47:55","modified_gmt":"2014-07-05T14:47:55","slug":"new-stadium-and-new-cfl-team-the-ottawa-redblacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/2014\/07\/05\/new-stadium-and-new-cfl-team-the-ottawa-redblacks\/","title":{"rendered":"New stadium and new CFL team: the Ottawa Redblacks"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Artist's<\/a>

Artist’s rendering of the new stadium, part of a major\u00a0renovation project<\/a>. Source: City of Ottawa<\/p><\/div>\n

Sure, the FIFA World Cup<\/a> has been really exciting. But in North America “football” still means moving a pointy pigskin up and down the field, with lots of padding and bruising tackles. The NFL stands on top of that heap, but there’s a Canadian Football League<\/a> too. And Ottawa is rejoining that action.<\/p>\n

Meet the\u00a0Ottawa Redblacks<\/a>\u00a0– the capital region’s newest pro team. Their first\u00a0game took place Thursday in Winnipeg\u00a0against the Blue Bombers<\/a>.\u00a0The (sold-out) home opener against the Toronto Argonauts<\/a> is July 18 in a spanking new TD Place Stadium<\/a> at the redeveloped Lansdowne Park<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This new reality was a long time coming, to the point where the Ottawa Citizen’s Wayne Scanlan writes it up as a minor miracle<\/a>. According to Wikipedia<\/a>:<\/p>\n

This will be the third CFL team to play in the city. The\u00a0Ottawa Rough Riders, formed in 1876, was a founding member of the CFL in 1958 and played until 1996. A new Ottawa franchise was formed as the “Renegades” in 2002, and lasted until the end of the 2005 season.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The name may seem awkward, but\u00a0there’s lot behind it in terms of local symbolism, as detailed by\u00a0team owner Jeff Hunt<\/a> in the Ottawa Sun.<\/p>\n

The whole issue of how to re-design historic Lansdowne Park and mitigate impacts on surrounding residents was one of the reasons this took so long. And there’s more to thrash out there, especially in terms of getting up to 24,000 fans to an urban home field with precious little space. As the Ottawa Citizen’s city reporter Joanne Chianello put it<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Redblacks organization\u00a0to public: Please, for the love of God, do not drive your car to Lansdowne Park on game day.<\/p>\n

And in case you didn\u2019t hear him the first 12 times, the chief executive\u00a0of Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group has this to say to Redblacks ticket holders: \u201cDo not leave home in your car and drive to the venue,\u201d pleaded Bernie Ashe. \u201cThere will be no parking at the venue.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Chianello says the over-all plans to push transit, cycling and walking seem not too bad, though there are bound to be bottlenecks in the area on game days. More transportation details<\/a> were discussed in separate Citizen reporting by Matthew Pearson.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The new TD Place<\/a> replaces Frank Clair Stadium, shown here in 2004<\/a>. Photo: Wikipedia, Creative Commons.<\/p><\/div>\n

And if you’re a fan of the other football (soccer) TD Place Stadium will host\u00a0North American Soccer League<\/a> games too.<\/p>\n