Here are some views of the stadium at Lansdowne Park. I still believe the gang of developers (henceforth known as The Cabal) who pretty much stole this land have ended up creating an ugly retail and condo monstrosity at Lansdowne.
Before the stadium was radically overhauled, it was named Frank Clair Stadium in honour of a CFL football coach with a good record. In this era of corporate naming rights, the place got renamed TD Place, and as for Mr. Clair? Well, he got relegated to a statue in a little corner almost as an afterthought.
On the south side of the stadium there's a pathway between the structure itself and the large wooden screen wrapped around it. In the original plans, The Cabal made no mention of the big giant lit sign hanging on the screen as an ad for TD Bank.
On the far side of the stadium and on a hilltop is this sculpture. I have no idea what it means, but it's not as obnoxious as the train wreck The Cabal made of Lansdowne. It overlooks a stretch of parkland- one of the only real public areas of the property, and it offers a good view of the Rideau Canal. Tomorrow I'll have a look at another portion of Lansdowne- the only buildings on the property that are worthwhile.
Nice series!
ReplyDeletePoor Mr Clair. Not a very nice afterthought.
ReplyDeleteYes poor mr Clair to be hidden in a corner of the stadium.
ReplyDeleteLove that sculpture. Kind of reminds me of fishbone, but I'm sure it's not what that is :-)
ReplyDeleteSo...should I not say I like the images, then?
ReplyDeletei like that sculpture, it's interesting looking!
ReplyDeleteSculpture looks like a modern fence. Wonder why?
ReplyDeleteInteresting story, William...
ReplyDeleteLike the photos !
@Linda: thanks!
ReplyDelete@Nancy: these days corporate branding is deemed more important.
@Marianne: the Cabal had other priorities.
@Tamago: I can see that.
@Norma: hah!
@Tanya: it is different.
@Eve: I'm not sure.
@Karl: thanks!
When I listened to and watched football, Landsdowne Park was always a fascinating stadium.
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting sculpture. I wonder what it represents too.
ReplyDeleteNames of places are so elegant in Canadian :)
ReplyDeleteGreat photos, as always.
Isn't that always the way. The developers in cahoots with the politicians they buy get all kinds of special privileges to create havoc and crap in our cities and the people get screwed. It happens over and over again.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. Does any portion of the stadium remain? Or did it all go the way of retail and condos?
ReplyDeletea whale skeleton maybe. Developers---bah humbug!
ReplyDeleteMB
I also thought it looks like a kind of fence. I wonder what's the thought behind it?
ReplyDeleteThe sculpture is interesting!
ReplyDeleteNice series and background. I do like the sculpture, it's different. Corporations, they bring you the world according to what they believe you want :(
ReplyDeletei am feeling the need to sing. 'cause it is 1, 2, 3 strikes ur out at the old ball game, wait? is that an American tradition? maybe u Canadian folks have another song? sorry, i don't know? wait? was that a football field. darn. gotta go back?
ReplyDeleteneat sculpture. ( ;
The Cabal....makes me think of The Blacklist here on TV.
ReplyDeleteThe sculpture is really impressive.
ReplyDelete@Red: in one form or another, the stadium has been here a long time.
ReplyDelete@Sharon: I have no idea, but it seems popular.
@Janis: thank you.
@Lowell: there was a chance to do something special here, and instead they let real estate developers run amok with it. It's such a shame.
@SRQ: the north side stands you see in the first pic are original, though they did some serious restoration work on them during the building process. The south side stands, where I was photographing from, was a complete rebuild. The condos and retail are mostly to the north side of the stadium, as well as some of the buildings on the west side.
@MB: Lansdowne was a hard lesson: never, ever trust the word of a developer- it's absolutely worthless.
@Marleen: I'd probably have to make inquiries of the artist!
@RedPat: a lot of people have been commenting on it.
@Bill: these guys claimed the retail and restaurants would be unique boutiques. Instead we've got a Winners among the mix. If they could have gotten away with it, they'd have torn down the Aberdeen Pavilion and built a Wal Mart.
@Beth: I have no idea what football songs would be, though the stadium does double for a soccer team. And there's a hockey arena beneath the north side stands as well.
@Linda: one of my favourite shows!
@Halcyon: a lot of people think so!
A big place and I really do like all of your photographs of it.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos and strong opinions. You are just my sort!
ReplyDeletehey, where are these fires happening in Canada? ... hope it is not here u? sounds horrible. : (
ReplyDeleteI can go with the sculpture but developers generally...
ReplyDeleteAt least the sculpture is interesting.
ReplyDeleteJust got over the NFL draft here.
ReplyDelete@Lauren: thanks!
ReplyDelete@Cloudia: thank you!
@Beth: no, it's a long way off, Fort McMurray, up in northeastern Alberta.
@Geoff: developers are scum as far as I'm concerned.
@Lois: it is eye catching.
@Revrunner: I know the CFL starts earlier than the NFL.
We're fortunate. Our huge park doesn't have a stadium and we aren't big enough for any cabal to look at for development. That lighted sign is tack.
ReplyDeleteI've slowly become resigned to it. Actually I've gotten to like the light sculpture. And apparently there's at least one person who's had a go at climbing the big wooden screen.
DeleteThe sculpture is nice and your photos are interesting. Beyond that, like you, I can only share your sadness for what might have been.
ReplyDeleteI wish the city had gone with something more imaginative and less 'let's cash in'.
DeleteYou have some interesting architecture here! Nice job on capturing it!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteThat second to last one is pretty groovy.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
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