Friday, March 29, 2024

Timer

Progress on Pan Am stadium continues

First Published:

[projekktor id=’14244′]

Tomorrow night’s Ticats game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will be the second time that Hamilton has been forced to play a regular season game at McMaster University.
The Ticats had hoped to play their July 26th home opener at the newly built Tim Hortons Field. But the stadium wasn’t ready. Just when will it be completed? that depends on who you ask.

In just over two weeks from now, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are scheduled to play the Calgary Stampeders here at Tim Hortons Field. But the stadium is far from ready.

Amid the mounds of dirt and heavy machinery sit uninstalled seats, windows and handrails. This as crews just now begin to lay footings for a section of seating.

NDP MPP Paul Miller: “They’re still cutting reinforcing rod. They are doing that right in front of us that’s all the noise. My understanding is that a lot of the plumbing is not done the change rooms, that takes weeks of work and the electrical is huge the electronics for the scoreboard. Well the handrails it’s iron working and welding and that takes time. Usually the handrails are pre-fab they bring them in sections. I can’t give you a time limit on that because they haven’t even started them on the east stand.”

Miller should know. Before venturing into politics he worked in the trades as an industrial mechanic, welder and iron worker. And that’s why he says he is so puzzled about the reasons being given for the delay especially the weather.

Paul Miller: “Well this is Canada. We ran many steel plants for many decades and kept the machines going and plants running and they do have things called propane heaters they could have brought in to pre and post heat things they were working on whether it’s electrical or plumbing.

As of today the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are still advertising tickets for an August 16th game to be played at Tim Hortons Field. But Miller has doubts that can happen: “It’s not ready. It’s not going to be ready for August 16th and most likely I can’t say for sure it won’t be ready for Labour Day.”

We spoke with a representative from the company that is building the stadium. Ontario Sports Solutions said they are doing everything possible to meet their deadline obligations.

But that’s not what workers on the ground told me. One who did not want to go on camera said the site pretty much shuts down at five because the builder doesn’t want to pay overtime. He also said he doubts very much the field will be ready for the Labour Day Classic.

More Top News

Masked man who robbed Beamsville dispensary at gun point at large

Authorities are on the hunt for a man who robbed a cannabis dispensary at gunpoint in Beamsville. Authorities say they were called out to the...

Pioneering soccer star helped build foundation for future generations

Lydia Vamos excelled at every level she played at and established herself as one of the early Canadian soccer stars to lay the foundations...

Apartment fire in Hamilton captured on video

An apartment fire in Hamilton was caught on video and shared to social media yesterday. No one was injured but the fire department says that...

What’s open, closed in Hamilton, Halton and Niagara for Easter long weekend

The Easter holiday marks the first long weekend of Spring, and it brings closures that can affect businesses, city services and public transportation. Here’s a...

Ontario school boards suing TikTok, Meta, and Snapchat

Four of Ontario's largest school boards are suing the parent companies of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. The boards are alleging the social media platforms...

Evening weather forecast for March 28, 2024

Shelly Marriage shares the forecast for March 28, 2024 and the days ahead.

Masked man who robbed Beamsville dispensary at gun point at large

Authorities are on the hunt for a man who robbed a cannabis dispensary at gunpoint in Beamsville. Authorities say they were called out to the...