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Can't see the 'ShareThis' icon? Reload your page view by pressing Shift and clicking Refresh at the same time.I don't know if you have heard the story but a former Hamilton alderman is going to approach Hamilton's mayor requesting that the name of the football stadium where the Ti-Cats play be changed from Ivor Wynne Stadium to Ron Lancaster Stadium. My good friend Drew Remenda applauds the idea but also wonders why this isn't being done here or something else of great magnitude. Callers suggested things like statues or renaming some stretch of road like they have done in Edmonton with Wayne Gretzky Way that rolls right past Rexall Place. These are good ideas but I have one that might be a little better.
When you and I walk into Taylor Field whether it be for a Riders game or a Rams, Thunder or high school game, we walk past the current Plaza of Honor and the bricks that are in front of the main entrance. Can this area not be covered and a Rider hall of fame be put inside. Yes the memories of Ron Lancaster should be remembered but it shouldn't be that way just because he has died. The names Reed, Ridgway, Elgaard, Aldag, Campbell, Ford and those who played before then should be remembered as well. The Green Bay Packers have done a tremendous job of constructing an atrium that connects with Lambeau Field that brings the history of the Packers to all ages. That needs to be done here. Fathers need to tell their kids of the Riders that died in that tragic plane crash, they need to tell them about 66 and 72 and maybe 89. There needs to be artifacts from the 07 season that young people of today who vividly remember that magical November Sunday in Toronto can pass on to their kids in future years.
The Riders need to show off their proud history in a place where football fans young and old congregate 8-10 times a year. I don't know what the cost of this would be but it would be far less than the cost of a new stadium and if that new stadium ever comes make this a part of it as well.
I hope Mr. Pletch, Mr. Hopson and anyone else connected with the Rider board are reading this.
Comments
"Fathers need to tell their
"Fathers need to tell their kids....."
The mothers, of course, know absolutely nothing about the history, or the game.
I read no where about
I read no where about mothers not knowing anything about the history or the game, did you????
first off, seriously you are
first off, seriously you are going to imply that is what he meant? Thats just being ridiculous.
I do agree with the Statue. First off, I think that Lancaster being the the stadium is kind of lame considering it is Hamilton, where he did coach for 5 years with success...but that is still a third of his years in Saskatchewan. I don't want to rename the stadium because Piffels Taylor had his own legacy, but i guess in my ideal world we would have a statue or Lancaster and Reed, and also have the entrance of taylor field redone so it does have tributes to Saskatchewan's greatest players.
Yep because if they are
Yep because if they are reading it, they'll think the idea is crap. Another comment that won't get published because it doesn't agree with the blogger.
I think they should re-name
I think they should re-name a street heading to Mosiac Stadium
Completely agree. I was
Completely agree. I was down in Wisconsin last year and visited the new Lambeau Field. I was awestruck. The season hasn't even started yet and that place was busy. Since the stadium was rebuilt around the field, it's become not just a game day place to go. They've got tours all year round, a couple of restaurants and the hall of fame in the basement. The tour guide said that the "new" stadium cost $250M to build, they pretty much tore the old one down and left nothing but the field and stands, so that the packers could still play there while the stadium was rebuilt. This is what needs to be done to Taylor Field. Not to the same level, because, well because we're not the Packers. As much as we liek to think of ourselves football fans, nothing compares to number and heart of Packer fans. To sell out every game since 1960 in a city smaller than Saskatoon is unbeleivable, expecially since they've only won 1 superbowl since the Lombardi days. But back to the stadium.
We need to do the same. With the economy booming and a new generation of rider fans, me included, the Riders need to keep that going so in the not-so-glory years we keep the stands full. Spend $150-200M to fix the stadium, build a hall of fame, make Taylor Field a tourist attraction that brings people from all over. Make it a place that you don't just go to on game day. Also no dome, if you want don't want to get rained on or freeze in November, watch the game at home. The possibilities of what the Riders can do with Taylor Field is limitless.
Hall of Fame
Worth mentioning here is that the new stadium in Winnipeg (should it ever be built) will house a full time Blue Bomber Hall of Fame. Every CFL team has a long and rich past. It's important to celebrate it as much as possible.
change the name of the city
change the name of the city from Regina to Ronnie
Issue a $23 coin for Saskatchwan called the Ronnie
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