Arena for Dreaming

New details of sports facility at York university unveiled

This looks like the right time: the new arena will be done and Canada won't lose the 2007 Under-20 World Cup of Soccer. The arena will be built south-west of the Steeles & Keele intersection, at a cost of $70 million (10 less than the previous project at the old Varsity site); it will seat 25,000 people in open bleachers, and will be accessible from the highways and via buses serving the York University campus. The arena will host the home games of the Toronto Argonauts, the York University teams, Canada's national soccer team (beginning from the Under 20 cup of 2007), and the coming Toronto team of Major League Soccer, North America's soccer championship.
The crowded press conference, when the new arena was announced, saw the unveiling of many new details. The facility will cost less than the one planned for the Varsity site, it won't include a racetrack, and as we said its construction will enable Toronto to host a team of the Major League Soccer.
The number of cameras, journalists and politicians in attendance confirmed the importance of this event. York University President Lora Marsden introduced the conference, saying, "York is proud to welcome this beautiful arena, which will enhance our importance as a sports centre in the Greater Toronto Area. Our students and many teams will be able to use this facility for their activities." After her, Minister Joe Volpe praised the commitment of so many public and private entities, "that sat down at the same table to make this project a reality. By training together a team improves, not just in sports but also when ideas must be brought forward. York University made it possible to keep a commitment that Canadian soccer had made to the FIFA." Volpe continued by remarking that the facility, which should be built from the spring of 2005 to the spring of the following year, will be one of the most important structures joining the 416 with the 905 area.
The funding model for the construction of the arena follows closely the one prepared for the Varsity project: $27 million from the Federal government, $8 million from the Provincial government, $15 million from York University - which also donated the land - and $20 million from the Toronto Argonauts, whose owners Howard Sokolowski and David Cynamon will also shoulder any eventual increase in costs. The facility will be owned by York University.
Howard Sokolowski publicly praised the commitment and "real leadership shown by Minister Volpe in this instance. For the Argos, this arena heralds a new era, when we shall be really able to manage our home games, playing on Saturdays and Sundays. Argos games will become a true experience, as outside the arena there's plenty of space for picnics and parties, both before and after the game."
This will not interfere with soccer games; Argos and Soccer Canada, in fact, have agreed to respect each other's schedule. The only detail still to be decided is the field itself. FIFA would like to test artificial grass during the 2007 cup, in order to promote its use. Vaughan mayor Michael Di Biase talked of "an opportunity for a great economic return for the City of Vaughan. Our restaurants and hotels will greatly benefit from the presence of this facility." Michael Di Biase will pool forces with other York Region mayors to create a new parking lot for at least 5,000 cars, to be used by spectators going to the arena. The arena will also boost plans for extending the subway to Vaughan, but of course that will take much longer.

Publication Date: 2004-10-24
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=4535