Friends of Soccer Whitecaps Stadium News

A pause...and a new direction...

2010-12-08T20:34:00.000-08:00

It's now been over five years since I started Friends of Soccer. It was started with a simple goal; to build an honest, transparent grassroots movement to support the construction of a soccer stadium in downtown Vancouver.

Through it all, I have been most proud to say that our movement was able to bring together thousands of people of many cultures and beliefs through a common love of soccer. Together, we were able to work with, and at times pressure, politicians of all parties at all ends of the political spectrum. And while we've still yet to achieve the final prize, our work has played a major role in ensuring that there will continue to be a world-class stadium for the citizens of B.C. in downtown Vancouver, and that we will be enjoying the return of top-flight professional soccer in the Spring of 2011. It took a long time to get there. I want to thank everyone who took the time and effort to get involved.

But until we're needed again, it's time for me to hit the pause button on my role in the stadium movement and to focus my efforts elsewhere.

Our province has a leadership vaccuum right now, and it's happening in one the most crucial economic times in our history. The people we rely on to guide our economy and society through these rough waters have become embroiled in pettiness, self-absorbed infighting, and are falling prey to the destructive ideological polarization seen too often in B.C.. These actions destroy our confidence in government, and stop good people from entering public service.

For the sake of our future, this has to end. And standing on the sidelines has never helped solve any problem. Although I have always strived to be non-partisan in the past, I will not be during these times.

Today, I have joined the BC Liberal Party, and I am supporting Christy Clark to become the next Premier of British Columbia.

I believe there is no one in provincial politics today who is in touch with the issues British Columbians face like Christy Clark. For years, she has heard loud and clear that our citizens want a real voice in Victoria. She knows we want our MLA's to have a more democratic role in governing. She knows we want a clear, stable economic vision that gives business the confidence to grow and create new jobs. Above all, she knows we want our confidence in public service restored. Out of all of the current leaders on the provincial scene, Christy is the only one who truly understands the pulse of British Columbians and has the experience to actually accomplish these goals in government.

I hope you'll consider supporting Christy as well. To find out more, visit http://www.christyclark.ca .

Yours in Sport,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer
friendsofsoccer@hotmail.com

Supporting the BC Place Renovations...

2009-10-24T12:18:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of things on BC Place;

First, The BC Soccer Association has strongly endorsed the renovation:

Retractable roof plan is the right plan for BC Place

Second, I think most of us understand that the government is going to take a lot of criticism for this. It could have been politically easy for them to go with something second-rate, or walk away from the project altogether. They could have become yet another level of government that broke their promises to the soccer community, the Whitecaps, and the people of B.C. Only this time, it could have been fatal for our professional team.

But the government didn't. They kept their word. They've taken action that will ensure the Whitecaps will continue to exist for years to come. And now they're going to get hit hard by their critics, including the NDP who have once again changed their position on the BC Place roof.

Whatever you may think of this government, I believe it's important to let our elected officials know when they've done something right. I also believe in publicly supporting good decisions against critics who are bent on shouting down good ideas. Supporting good decisions now makes it easier for everyone in the soccer community to work with government in the future on other projects (ie. the Waterfront Stadium).

If you support the Whitecaps, and the BC Place renos, I encourage you to drop a quick thank-you email to Premier Campbell and Kevin Krueger (The Minister responsible for BC Place). Letters to the editor supporting BC Place would also be a big help. I've listed some addresses below.

People are always willing to take a swing at governments when they screw up. But few people are willing to come to their defence or thank them when they do something right. I know they appreciate it a lot when it happens, and it encourages them to do more good things. I hope you'll take a moment to write.

Cheers,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

MLA: Hon. Gordon Campbell
gordon.campbell.mla@leg.bc.ca
premier@gov.bc.ca

MLA: Hon. Kevin Krueger
kevin.krueger.mla@leg.bc.ca

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor require that you include your full name, phone number and address in your email.

The Vancouver Sun
To submit letters to the editor for publication in The Vancouver Sun newspaper:

sunletters@vancouversun.com

The Province
E-mail: provletters@theprovince.com

The Globe & Mail
Letters@globeandmail.com

24 Hours (Vancouver)
Online form at:
http://rapids.canoe.ca/cgi-bin/reg/NR-register.pl?FORM_ID=24hrs_Vancouver_On_Your_Mind

Metro (Vancouver)
Online form at:
http://www.metronews.ca/Vancouver/comment/lettereditor

B.C. Place Renovation - The Right Choice

2009-10-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

The announcement today that the BC Place renovations will go ahead as planned is great news for both sports fans and B.C.'s economy. Premier Campbell, Minister Krueger and the entire government caucus are to be commended for standing firm on this important election promise during challenging times.

During a recession, it's easy to see why some people may think investing in BC Place is a low priority. But the criticisms seem to be based solely on the number of sporting events held there each year. The stadium is far more vital to B.C.'s economy than just sporting events.

BC Place is currently used for 200 event days every year. Beyond sports, it hosts trade shows, conventions, community events and occasional concerts. So, sports alone not what investing in BC Place is about.

Investing in BC Place is about keeping jobs. Thousands of construction jobs on the roof and thousands more on the surrounding lands. It means thousands more in hospitality and tourism jobs. It keeps our largest city economically healthy. The economic spinoff just from having MLS alone could be worth as much $60 million in additional dollars per year. Add in the additional dates for large scale conventions and concerts that BC Place doesn't host now, and the numbers begin to make sense.

Every major city in North America that is comparable to Vancouver has at least one stadium built on the scale of BC Place. In many cities, like Seattle, there are two or even more. Seattle's downtown core has become more vibrant and alive with the additions of Qwest & Safeco Fields. The record crowds drawn by the MLS Seattle Sounders are helping to lift a stagnant economy, and have gone a long way to revitalizing what once a delapitated heritage section of the city. A rejuvenated BC Place will do the same in the surrounding areas, to the west and south of the stadium

In the end, there weren't many choices for the government in this scenario. A new downtown stadium would have cost the taxpayers upwards of $1 billion. Successive municipal governments have stood in the way of building a smaller scale stadium that could have been built completely with private funds. There had already been $65 million invested in stadium renovations. And while there were private investors reportedly considering investing in BC Place, the people of BC told the government that the stadium should remain a public entity.

The B.C. Government deserves a great deal of praise, thanks and respect for keeping this promise that was so important for the future of B.C. Sport, and B.C.'s economy. To this date, they are the only government at any level that has taken concrete action on the future of soccer in our province. Because of that, soccer players and fans can look forward to a fantastic new era in the history of our game, and our province can look forward to the economic benefits that will help fund the important government services we've come to expect.

See you on opening day!

Bill Currie,
Friends of Soccer

Women's Professional Soccer in Vancouver

2009-09-30T19:14:00.000-07:00

The growth of women's soccer in North America has been one of the great sport achievements of the last 25 years. This year marked the launch of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS), the second attempt at a fully professional league on our continent.

The Whitecaps have long been at the forefront of the development of women's soccer in Canada, and Friends of Soccer has long been a strong proponent of the women's game. Recently, we were approached by a UBC Master's Student who is working on a group study on the viability of a WPS team in Vancouver. While there are no plans at this time to bring WPS to Vancouver, I encourage you to take the time to fill out the survey below:

"Supporting the growth of soccer in BC and Canada is part of the Whitecaps organizational vision. The club has been made aware of a group of UBC Masters students who are studying the viability of a Women's Professional Soccer franchise in Vancouver. While not currently pursuing any opportunities with WPS, the Whitecaps are pleased that someone has made this a topic of study, and encourage any interested people to take the survey and contribute to an interesting thesis topic."

Click Here to take the Survey...

Friends of Soccer Requests Clarity and Solutions on BC Place

2009-08-29T13:04:00.000-07:00

In light of the speculation in the past week over the future of the BC Place roof, Friends of Soccer has sent the following letter to Premier Campbell and the entire Liberal caucus to seek clear answers and a solution to the issue:

___________________________________

Dear Premier Campbell,

Almost four months ago, your government was re-elected on a platform based on building opportunities for economic growth, bringing long term benefits for the people of British Columbia. The renovation of BC Place stadium was one of the projects designed to create jobs now, and to drive millions of dollars of economic activity in a time when all of our core industries are struggling. It was a promise your party proclaimed dozens of times to the electorate, and your party took every opportunity during the campaign to slam your opponents when they showed uncertainty about the project.

The confusing statements and lack of clarity regarding the future of BC Place over this past week has been damaging to the industries that are trying to plan for B.C.'s post-Olympic future. It has raised questions over the future viability of major professional sporting events, concerts and trade shows in B.C. It has caused grave uncertainty in the construction industry, who need jobs now, and has handcuffed the tourism and hospitality industries' ability to plan for the future.

We urge you, for the sake of B.C.'s economy, to find solutions to complete this project, and to make a clear statement that your government is committed to completing it.

Throughout the world, governments are battling the recession through strategic investments in capital infrastructure, and it's working. We know from the history of past recessions and the Great Depression that cutbacks to infrastructure spending only increases unemployment and keeps the economy stagnated in recession for longer periods of time. Future generations are also robbed of the net benefits of improved infrastructure.

A fully renovated B.C. Place Stadium will be a net contributor to the economy. Those are the types of projects this province needs right now. Hundreds of construction jobs would be created immediately. Hundreds of long-term permanent jobs would be directly created through the operation of BC Place. The growth in the number and quality of events that could be held at BC Place would create renewed prosperity for our tourism and hospitality sector.

In 2011, Major League Soccer is scheduled to come to Vancouver. As we have seen recently in Seattle and Toronto, the impact this will have on Vancouver and the province will be surprising and profound. Thousands travel across the continent every season to follow their team. Millions watch around the world as the games are beamed onto TV screens across Europe, Asia and South America. Recently, the City of Portland predicted the arrival of MLS in their city will generate up to $50 million a year in economic activity. Portland is one of the U.S. cities hit hardest by the recession, yet they see the wisdom in making infrastructure investments that allow them to grow in the future. It would be shortsighted to jeopardize that future now in B.C..

On top of this, the economic benefits of the major concerts, trade shows and sporting events (such as the 2011 Grey Cup) are well documented. Without a fully renovated BC Place stadium, these events fall into question as well.

Four months ago, Friends of Soccer chastised your opponents on this issue and reminded them that citizens expect governments to be able to address a host of issues. We expect government to provide sustainable services, while providing the opportunities for economic growth and the freedom to provide a good quality of life for our families. To say we must choose between them in our society is a false choice. We are writing to remind you of that today.

We urge your government to be clear and upfront on your intentions regarding the BC Place renovations, and work with all stakeholders involved to find solutions to the issue.

Sincerely yours,

Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer
www.friendsofsoccer.org

May 12: A Vote For Soccer in B.C.

2009-05-05T16:37:00.000-07:00

Elections are won and lost on a variety of issues, whether it's the economy, healthcare, education, the environment and a host of others. No one single issue should ever be the sole deciding factor when electing a government. But it's worth noting that the future of soccer has played a unique role in this provincial election campaign, and both the Liberals and NDP are trying to one-up each other to earn your vote. The entire soccer community has the ear of every candidate in the province right now, and if you're involved in soccer in any way as a player, referee, parent, fan or coach, you have an opportunity on May 12 to help steer the direction of our sport in B.C. I encourage you to consider this, and to share this message with your friends, teammates and anyone you know in B.C. who loves soccer.

Since 2005, Friends of Soccer has acted as a grassroots movement for the soccer community to stay informed on the issues and to communicate to elected officials our support for soccer projects that are important to the development of the game. Through your letters, phone calls and e-mails to elected officials, the soccer community has kept the dream of a downtown community stadium for the Whitecaps alive, and ensured that Major League Soccer will arrive and thrive in B.C. come 2011. While all of us in soccer have different political ideas and opinions, when it comes to the issues that impact soccer in our province, we have always had a strong unified voice.

Although we have been asked many times to do so, Friends of Soccer has never endorsed any political party in any election. The soccer community is too broad and diverse for an endorsement to be properly reflective and inclusive. Instead, we have simply laid out the facts as to where the parties and candidates stand in regard to soccer issues, and how well their actions have matched their words.

So, for this election, we will begin with the NDP.

In the week preceding the election campaign, the BC NDP ran a series of attack ads on several soccer-related websites condemning the renovation of BC Place, and falsely suggesting that the cost of the renovation is coming at the expense of healthcare and the homeless. The ads sparked outrage throughout the soccer community, as the BC Place renovation is vital to the existence of the Vancouver Whitecaps in our community. Rescinding the renovations would have also directly threatened many soccer projects throughout the province. (You can read the Friends of Soccer reaction here, as well as our response to the NDP's retraction).

On April 11, the NDP confirmed their full commitment to the BC Place renovations, and pulled the offensive ads. For this, they deserve applause as it showed they were willing to listen to criticism from the soccer community, and altered their position when they realized the consequences of this policy. That's how democracy should work. Many politicians at all levels of government would do well to learn a thing or two from this.

The NDP also announced $100 million for the construction of soccer fields throughout the province. Once again, very laudable and, If elected, they need to follow through on this. Constructing these soccer fields in places where they are needed, and building facilities for premier player development would be good for the sport in the province. If the NDP form government, it will be up to all of us to hold them accountable for this major promise.

However, the voters of B.C. have no firm details on this policy. We do not know what soccer projects they plan to complete, or in what cities or towns. We also don't know if they support or oppose the much needed National Soccer Development Centre proposed for Delta.

The NDP would do well to clarify their policies, so voters can make an informed choice. Doing this could go a long way to reconcile some of the hard feelings currently held within the soccer community towards the NDP for the previous attack ads, as well as the Federal NDP's irresponsible opposition to the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. In fact, the BC NDP would also do well to support the Whitecaps in building their new stadium on the waterfront.

As the governing party, the BC Liberals can be measured by not only the promises they make, but by their actions over the past four years. While they could have done better on many issues, from a pure soccer policy perspective, the current government has had a positive impact on the sport in B.C..

In the last four years, their government created an excellent active communities program to encourage fitness, sport and healthy living throughout the province. It is a participatory program that ties in not only to sport, but healthcare as well. They have a well-defined sport policy, and have constructed dozens of new sport facilities throughout the province.

On May 2, they made a major promise to construct a national soccer centre in Delta that will have nothing short of a profound impact on how Canada develops soccer players in the future. If re-elected, they can expect the soccer community to hold their feet to the fire on this commitment.

But the single biggest impact they've had was ensuring that the planned renovations at BC Place would be soccer-friendly. Without this government's last-minute intervention on this issue, the Whitecaps bid for Major League Soccer would have been dead in a sea of municipal red tape. The future of mens professional and womens soccer in Vancouver would have been thrown into doubt, and high level soccer in B.C. would have reverted back to the state it was in almost 25 years ago.

To this date, the BC Liberals are the only party at any level of government that has taken critical action to preserve professional soccer in B.C.

That being said, the Liberals could have done better and more. The BC Place renovations should have been planned and completed prior to the 2010 Olympics. This should never have been an election issue. Committing to the national soccer centre in Delta prior to the election campaign would have gone a long way to avoid some of the local cynicism that comes with an election time promise. The Liberals would do well to match the NDP's promise to build new soccer fields throughout the province. And the Liberals could do much more to support the waterfront stadium project.

Once again, this election campaign is made up of many issues, and it would be foolish to base a vote on just one. For many of us, soccer plays a huge role in the quality of life for us and our families. It's only right that we should know how our vote can impact the direction soccer takes in B.C.

On May 12, please exercise your democratic right to vote.

Yours in sport,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer
www.friendsofsoccer.org
friendsofsoccer@hotmail.com

NDP Officially Back Down on BC Place Attacks

2009-04-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

Responding to public outrage and pressure from the sports community, the BC NDP offically backed down from their attacks on the BC Place renovations. They also made clear that their platform now includes the full $365 million for the renovations, and includes the retractable roof. The NDP have now also clarified that they will spend $100 million for soccer fields and community centres throughout the province if elected.

You can read their full statement on the matter here:
http://www.bcndp.ca/newsroom/liberal-lie-bc-place-roof-gets-red-card

While it's regrettable that the stadium was the target of political attack ads by the NDP, I am satisfied that the New Democrats are now fully committed to this project. But they should know that the pressure they felt on this issue over the past week is just a fraction of what our community can bring on them, or any political party, if they choose to use sport as a political pawn again.

The past week has been a testament to what the soccer and sports community can accomplish when we band together. This is a strong win for sport in BC. Regardless of which political party wins in May, they can be certain that the sports community will hold them accountable for their promises, and that we will challenge them when they take action detrimental to sport in our province.

Yours in Sport,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

CKNW Editorial Slams Both Libs & NDP on BC Place

2009-04-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

Today, Jim Mullin of CKNW took direct aim at the BC Place situation, condemning the misleading NDP internet ads, and assigning a fair share of blame on the Liberals as well.

You can hear the complete editorial here:

"The Liberals could have done themselves and all of us a big favour. They could have acted years ago on this issue. The roof should have been in place for the Olympics in 2010, but it isn't after some "Made in BC" serial dithering... Extending the life of the stadium by 25 years is one of the larger projects in BC which can get access to credit, create jobs, build infrastructure, and create spinoff economic benefits, and eventually have the majority portion of the reno pay for itself. In a world where the left and centre of the political spectrum are embracing shovel-ready projects to create jobs and keep the economy rolling, the NDP's position on this issue issue is puzzling at best. At worst, it's designed to pit region versus region, small town versus large city, and rich versus poor. The New Democrats tell us we have to make a choice between social spending before retrofitting a facility that generates economic benefit to the community. That kind of thinking is the economic equivalent of not being able to walk and chew gum at the same time"

Friends of Soccer Objects to NDP Anti-Soccer Stadium Ads

2009-04-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, April 1, the BC New Democratic Party ran a series of internet ads on several soccer-related websites condemning the renovation of BC Place, and falsely suggesting that the cost of the renovation is coming at the expense of healthcare and the homeless. We at Friends of Soccer find these ads extremely misleading and inappropriate. We call on the NDP to immediately back away from this irresponsible threat to the future of soccer in our province.

The claim in the ad that BC citizens must choose between a soccer-friendly stadium and social services is both false and offensive. The NDP is well aware that the BC Place renovations are to be financed by the future sale and development of the lands surrounding the stadium, along with future sponsorship funds surrounding naming rights. Neither source is drawn from the general revenue tax base that fund social programs. To suggest otherwise is alarmist to say the least.

The NDP is also aware that the BC Place renovations are crucial to the development of soccer in the province. Only two weeks ago, Vancouver was awarded a Major League Soccer team for 2011. The BC Place renovations promised by the current provincial government were overwhelmingly the deciding factor in the bid process. The threat made by Carole James to revoke the renovations could place the future of professional soccer in BC in doubt, and has the potential to choke soccer projects being undertaken in other parts of BC as well.

Carole James should also recognize that BC Place is a major economic engine for the citizens of BC. Every event held there pumps millions of dollars into the BC Tourism, Hospitality and Retail industries. It is BC's largest trade and exposition centre, hosting over 200 events every year. And it is also home to the BC Lions, a football team loved by people throughout the province. Without these renovations, it is unlikely British Columbia would be hosting the Grey Cup game in 2011. The global exposure this facility provides for BC is unsurpassed.

As citizens, we expect governments to be able to address a host of issues. We expect our governments to provide sustainable healthcare, while still encouraging economic growth in our cities and towns. We expect our governments to help those who are downtrodden, but we also insist that governments allow its working citizens the freedom to build a good quality of life for their families. To say we must choose between these priorities is a false choice, and any party who forces that choice is not capable of governing this province.

Friends of Soccer has always been, and continues to be, a non-partisan grassroots movement. We have always supported the efforts of those who help the game in BC, and we've fiercely opposed those who threaten the development of soccer in our province. I'm pleased to say that we've done this regardless of party affiliation. But in this election campaign, we cannot allow the future of soccer in BC to be once again cast into doubt for cheap political gain.

It is now up the BC New Democratic Party to make a clear statement committing their party to the BC Place renovations without modification of the current plans or budget.

Otherwise, they can be certain that we will not stand idly by in this election campaign.

A Historic Day For Soccer & Our City!

2009-03-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

In 1979, a simple soccer team and a famous sportscaster's slip of the tongue, brought Vancouver together like never before. In the buildup to ABC's coverage of the '79 NASL Soccer Bowl, the legendary Jim McKay innocently referred to Vancouver as a “deserted village”. When the Whitecaps returned home as Champions of the North American Soccer League, over a hundred thousand Vancouverites took to the streets in joy and made the word “Villager” a badge of honour. Vancouver had never celebrated anything with such unity and passion before. Nor has it since.

March 18, 2009 is a great day in history for both soccer and our city. Today's announcement that the Vancouver Whitecaps will become a member of Major League Soccer in 2011 is the fantastic result of almost seven years of hard work and vision by Greg Kerfoot, Bob Lenarduzzi, Rachel Lewis and the entire Whitecaps organization. The B.C. soccer community and the citizens of Vancouver owe them a great debt of gratitude and heartfelt congratulations for their achievement.

More than ever before, soccer has become the international language of the world, and Vancouver can now reclaim its top tier place in the game's global community. Famous soccer clubs from the great cities of the world will once again make their way to Vancouver on a regular basis, and the Whitecaps name will become synonomous with our city throughout the globe. The soccer culture that has always existed in Vancouver & B.C. will flourish like never before, and our children will be able to grow up knowing that the soccer they play is much more than a "foreign" game.

The news that Vancouver is once again back at the top level of North American soccer will also bring tremendous benefits to our city for generations to come. The culture of traveling support that exists in MLS will fill thousands of hotel rooms, and bring new jobs and millions of dollars into our local economy at a time when we need it most. The tens of thousands of new patrons that will descend into the City Centre will help relieve some of the pressures felt by small businesses in Downtown, Chinatown, and Gastown. Vancouver can expect to reap the economic benefits of MLS for decades to come.

But more important is soccer's ability to unite people from all different walks of life. Today, the Whitecaps are giving Vancouver one of its first truly multicultural institutions that's inclusive, accessible and comfortable for people of all cultures, races and backgrounds. It's a fine legacy for an organization that has given so much of its time, effort and resources to communities throughout B.C. & Western Canada.

Soccer in Vancouver, B.C. and all of Canada is stronger today than it was yesterday. But it is still a work in progress. For Canada to continue its progress, we need more solid clubs. We need fewer petty territorial squabbles. We need to accept a soccer culture that builds professional excellence. And we need real soccer infrastructure in our country, such as stadiums.

But today is for celebrating the deserved achievements of the Vancouver Whitecaps. It's a chance to look back on all of the good a simple soccer club has done for this city over almost 35 years. And it's a dare to dream about what might be possible in the years ahead.

Today, Vancouver is a “Village” once again.

Globe & Mail: Whitecaps Win MLS Expansion Race!

2009-03-07T09:38:00.001-08:00

The Globe and Mail is reporting this morning that the Whitecaps have been offered one of the two MLS expansion spots for 2011, and that they are in final negotiations with Major League Soccer.

The report says we can expect a formal announcement by either March 19 or March 31.

You can read the full story here.

Whitecaps Stadium: Waterfront Transit Hub Open Houses

2009-02-24T16:03:00.000-08:00

Hello,

As you may know, Vancouver's Friends of Soccer is represented on the City Hall advisory board on the proposed Central Waterfront Transit Hub, which directly affects transit access to the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. This is a project that intends to combine buses, all Skytrain lines, Seabus and commuter trains in one efficient, centralized building that will be a showcase on the downtown waterfront. The hub involves land that is owned by the City, as well as the Whitecaps and several other stakeholders in the area.

The City of Vancouver will be holding open houses on the transit hub next week on:

Thursday, March 5, 3pm-7pm - Waterfront Station
Saturday, March 7, 10am-2pm, Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch

Although much of the attention these days is on the MLS bid and the renovation of BC Place, it's important to remember that the Whitecaps still intend to pursue building their own stadium on the waterfront lands they own, in conjunction with a possible land swap with the Port of Vancouver. Building a proper transit hub in the area could be an important part of any compromise that may happen regarding the stadium.

I believe it's also important for us as soccer supporters to remind City Hall that we haven't gone away, and that as long as the Whitecaps regard BC Place as a temporary solution, we do so as well. We should also send the message that it's important for any Transit Hub on the Waterfront be properly designed and equipped to handle the crowds for any stadium the Whitecaps plan to build in the future.

We may be working for the long term here...maybe even 2016. But if we're invisible at these open houses next week, or at any stage in this process, we risk hurting any chance we have when the stadium issue rises again. While I realize the transit hub isn't directly soccer related, it does impact the Whitecaps stadium for the future.

If you live in Metro Vancouver or BC, please come to the open houses. If you live outside of BC, or can't make it to the meetings, please read the material at this website:

http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/currentplanning/whitecaps/index.htm

And then please e-mail your comments in support to Matt Shilito at:

matt.shillito@vancouver.ca

Yours in Soccer,

Bill Currie
Friends Of Soccer
www.friendsofsoccer.org

CKNW Sports Backs Whitecaps MLS Bid

2008-07-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

Today, CKNW's Rick Dhaliwal backed the Whitecaps bid for MLS. You can hear his Sports Commentary here.

FoS tells MLS: "Good Citizens make Good Owners".

2008-07-27T14:38:00.000-07:00

Today, Friends of Soccer expressed their total support for the Whitecaps bid to bring Major League Soccer to Vancouver. Below is a letter sent today to MLS Commissioner, Don Garber. Please show your support for the Whitecaps bid by going to the Official Whitecaps MLS Site Today!

Don Garber
Commissioner
Major League Soccer
420 5th Avenue, #7
New York, NY
10018

Dear Commissioner Garber,

My name is Bill Currie, and I'm the founder of the Friends of Soccer movement in Vancouver, BC. Since October, 2005, our group has been successful in mobilizing thousands of citizens to support the Vancouver Whitecaps' efforts to build a downtown waterfront stadium. Today, I am writing to let you know that we are throwing our complete support solely behind the efforts of Greg Kerfoot, Steve Nash, and Bob Lenarduzzi to bring Major League Soccer to Vancouver for 2011.

I believe Vancouver's long history of soccer culture, along with the positive vision of the current Whitecaps organization, creates a natural fit for MLS. Vancouver has always supported top level soccer in one form or another since the early 1900's. I believe the arrival of MLS holds the potential to match or even surpass the popularity of the Whitecaps from their NASL era. Mr. Kerfoot and Mr. Lenarduzzi have been generous and responsible operators of the current Whitecaps organization, and their continued success in MLS would be a great asset to the league and to soccer in North America as a whole. With Greg Kerfoot, Steve Nash and Bob Lenarduzzi at the helm, Major League Soccer's success in Vancouver would be virtually guaranteed.

While business interests are important, soccer is, above all else, about building community. On this front, the Whitecaps have gone well beyond the call of duty as servants of the game. They have built fields and training facilities. They've created a development system throughout the entire province of British Columbia. They provide free soccer clinics to youth throughout the city. They've generously funded and supported women's soccer all the way to Canada's national team. Best of all, their outreach has created a level of harmony between the amateur and professional game here that has never existed before. They are outstanding citizens who have built tremendous goodwill in our soccer community and our city. This level of goodwill would take years to recreate with any other potential ownership group for MLS expansion. In short, I believe good citizens make good owners.

We hope that you'll grant soccer fans in B.C. our wish to see the Whitecaps take on the best of MLS in BC Place come 2011. Vancouver would be excited and honoured to become part of Major League Soccer. To resurrect the Whitecaps under Greg Kerfoot, Steve Nash and Bob Lenarduzzi would put the league's success in Vancouver in safe hands.

Yours in Sport,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

An Open Letter to City Council on BC Place Announcement

2008-05-19T15:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Mayor Sullivan and Councillors,

I'm writing on behalf of Friends of Soccer to make you aware of our reaction to last week's announcement regarding the retrofit of BC Place and the Vancouver Whitecaps decision to pursue a lease there. While we are relieved that this last ditch effort may have saved the Whitecaps' hopes of bringing Major League Soccer to Vancouver, we strongly feel that this is not a suitable long term solution and that Vancouver's stadium situation has not been resolved. We believe the Whitecaps were forced into a deal with BC Place mostly due to political inaction and an epic failure of public policy at the local and federal level.

While BC Place is a valuable asset to the city, Vancouver still needs a smaller scale community stadium in its downtown core. The BC Place announcement does nothing to assist amateur sport or rugby. It does nothing to assist the community groups and festival organizers who now have to incur the costs and inconvenience of closing down streets to hold their events. It limits the soccer community to hosting only large scale events that can attract 30,000 or more spectators. It will not open up our downtown waterfront, or provide a magnet for citizens to revitalize Gastown. These are just some of the benefits the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium can provide.

When I speak with soccer fans from across the continent, they are all very aware of our stadium predicament and they are aghast that Vancouver has not done more to accommodate a privately funded stadium for the Whitecaps. Throughout North America, local governments make tremendous efforts to attract and retain professional sports teams. Soccer has been no different in this case.

In Philadelphia, state and local governments have teamed up with their port authority to finance and build a soccer specific stadium on waterfront lands. In St.Louis, the local government has pre-approved financing and zoning of a soccer specific stadium in place for any owner who wants to bring a MLS team there. In Montreal, local officials helped the Montreal Impact find an Olympic Park location for their stadium, and the province is one of the team's sponsors. In Toronto, the city partially financed the stadium, and have lined University Avenue streetlights with Toronto FC banners. All of these governments don't regard their stadiums and teams as solely private for-profit enterprises. They see them as community builders and contributors to the quality of daily life in their city. They generate economic activity and are a source of pride for their citizens.

While Council's verbal support of the project is helpful, what the process is missing is City Council's active involvement with the Port Authority and the federal government to help the Whitecaps clear these hurdles. What has frustrated citizens most about the process is that we believe governments in other cities would have been involved by now, and we would not be looking at 2016 as a tentative date for a new stadium.

The BC Place retrofit will not make the stadium issue go away. As long as the Whitecaps continue to pursue a community stadium and a proper home for soccer, we fully support them. We continue to expect our local and federal politicians to do all in their power and influence to expedite and improve this process.

Sincerely Yours,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

B.C. Place: The Whitecaps Had No Choice

2008-05-16T21:55:00.000-07:00

Today's announcement regarding the future of the Whitecaps at BC Place comes as no real surprise. Mixed emotions, perhaps, but not surprise. With the stadium situation tied in bureaucratic knots, and all of the Pacific Northwest USL teams looking to bolt for MLS, the Whitecaps had to move now to stake their claim. They were faced with the choice of playing in BC Place with MLS, or the long-term potential of having no professional soccer in Vancouver at all. They made the right decision in the end, and I strongly support their move.

The Whitecaps' pursuit of Major League Soccer is a cause to celebrate. It's the only league that's committed to being the best in North America, and it's the only league that's committed to developing and importing word class talent. USL has served our city well over the years, and they have benefited by having strong organizations like the current Whitecaps and the Vancouver 86'ers of the past. It's likely the Whitecaps will continue to have a presence in USL in the future through the W-League and PDL. But a city of soccer like ours deserves a team that plays at the top levels of the game. Major League Soccer allows the Whitecaps to deliver this to us.

Today's news does not mean the stadium situation is resolved or the stadium fight is over. Far from it, in fact. The Waterfront Stadium proposal is very much alive. Vancouver still needs a smaller scale stadium for community events, festivals and amateur sports. Gastown still needs revitalization. The Whitecaps still need an appropriate home where they have real control over scheduling and revenues, and can provide the best MLS experience for its fans. They simply want what any home owner wants...some control over their future. As long as the Whitecaps continue to pursue that dream, Friends of Soccer will be there to support them.

The BC Place renovation is a testament to the power that governments can yield when there's political will to solve an issue. In one fell swoop, the province boldly moved to preserve the future of our largest stadium. They stood up to the self-interested, shortsighted critics and came up with a creative solution that provides a new home for the Vancouver Art Gallery as well. Remember this the next time you hear a local or national politician tell you they're powerless to act on an issue.

The Whitecaps have shown beyond a doubt that they're committed to building soccer in B.C. for the longterm. The best way for us as fans to thank them is to support the Whitecaps in their move. Thousands of us already know the limitations of BC Place as a soccer venue. But, the Whitecaps are going to do their best to bring us the world class players and teams we've been asking for. Until we get a proper home to call our own, let's do our best as fans to make this work for everyone.

Yours in Sport,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

Peter Ladner's Position on the Whitecaps Stadium

2008-05-16T07:50:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, May 8, Friends of Soccer invited the six potential major candidates for Vancouver Mayor to use its website to state their position on the Whitecaps Stadium. We have promised to publish their statements in their entirety, unedited and without commentary. We have no intention of endorsing any particular mayoral candidate.

Today, Councillor Peter Ladner of the Non-Partisan Association responded to our invitation. His campaign's website is www.peterladner.ca

---

1.Do you support the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium Proposal? Why or why not?

Yes. I am a strong Whitecaps supporter. I consider outdoor professional soccer to be the most entertaining and accessible sporting experience in the Lower Mainland and have attended lots of games at Swangard Stadium.

It would be a huge benefit for Vancouver to land a major soccer franchise in a new, multi-purpose stadium downtown. Part of making Vancouver a globally competitive city is having a healthy professional sports industry.

Our global competitiveness would also be enhanced by the stadium’s ability to attract business and visitors to the downtown and add an amenity to the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre.

As someone who has owned and run my own business (Business in Vancouver Media Group) and chaired the city’s budget committee, I have a special appreciation of the unprecedented generosity of a successful entrepreneur funding it at no expense to Vancouver taxpayers.

I see the soccer stadium as contributing to the affordability and physical health of Vancouver, not just because of the owner taking financial responsibility for its construction and operation, but also because it would finance the Whitecaps impressive province-wide network of support teams and training facilities.

It would advance my goal of making Vancouver the greenest city in North America by being located at the centre of so many public transportation networks, a sustainable transportation feature not available in other locations.

I have supported it from the beginning, while recognizing the problems of accommodating that use on a difficult site. As a councillor, I have to ensure the stadium doesn’t overpower Gastown and downtown eastside neighbours, that it can be adequately accessed, and that it doesn’t impede vital transportation infrastructure like the SeaBus and the port rail yards.

I have met with Greg Kerfoot, Bob Lenarduzzi, the Whitecaps development team, Port of Vancouver representatives, Downtown Eastside residents, city planning staff and other councilors to advance this project. I have frequently spoken out on the unique opportunity of having this stadium in the heart of our city.

2. What plan of action do you have to make it a reality?

As a councillor, I have tried to ensure the city is not delaying the process and is doing whatever it can to accommodate the Whitecaps’ offer. I will continue to publicly endorse the proposal and fight to make sure the Whitecaps’ and the city’s concerns are dealt with as expeditiously as possible.

I believe it is the mayor’s responsibility to stay abreast of the difficult negotiations underway between the Port, the Whitecaps and CP Rail. The mayor should be encouraging the parties to agree to an independent appraisal for the value of the rail yards, the key sticking point right now.

I would not back up the process and start looking for other locations unless the Whitecaps determine the waterfront site will never work and want to pursue another approach.

The bottom line for Vancouver is that this site has to find a home in the city as soon as possible.

3.What makes you uniquely qualified to succeed on this issue?

I know all the players. I understand business. I really want it to succeed. I am trusted by both sides.

Surrey Stadium Interest Welcome, But Fraught with Risk

2008-05-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

In today's Vancouver Province, Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts invited the Whitecaps to consider her city as an alternate site for the new stadium. She also suggested the Whitecaps could get swift passage of the stadium through council if they were to move.

It's good to see a mayor who understands the importance of having sports infrastructure and professional teams as part of a vibrant city. Mayor Watts is working hard to establish Surrey as an urban centre of its own, and its population should easily outstrip Vancouver's within a decade. It's only natural to believe that a stadium could play an important role in the urban renewal of Whalley. This should serve as a vital wakeup call to Vancouver City Council on what they stand to lose by standing on the sidelines in the stadium debate.

Surrey, no doubt, is growing. The city has great minor soccer associations and an excellent system of all-weather fields for players of all ages. On the participation front, it's a great soccer city. But before the Whitecaps look at a Surrey proposal, the City of Surrey needs to thoroughly understand the tremendous risk the Whitecaps would be taking with such a move. The perils are not inconsiderable.

Surrey has no history of supporting successful pro sports teams. It's only professional sports venture was in 1995 with the short-lived minor league pro baseball team, the Surrey Glaciers. They survived one season, and taxpayers were left on the hook for a $2 million renovation of the Stetson Bowl. While things may have changed since then, it's important to know that Surrey would be asking the Whitecaps to move to an untried, untested city. Most major league teams are granted to cities that have a long track record of supporting pro sports at a lower level. Surrey doesn't have this.

While the Province is quick to shrug off the lack of corporate support the Whitecaps would have in Surrey, it is in fact vital to operating a MLS team, or any professional franchise. While both the Canucks and the BC Lions have solid fan bases, both teams would not be able to compete or even be in danger of folding if they could not attract corporate support. Corporate support and television revenues are what allow the Canucks and the Lions to meet their payrolls and attract the talented players that fans are constantly demanding. MLS is no different than any other sports league in this respect. A MLS version of the Whitecaps would have higher player expenses than the BC Lions, but lower television revenues. To suggest that they could survive solely on gate receipts is naive at best. It's unreasonable to ask the Whitecaps to operate at this disadvantage.

The interest from Surrey's mayor is a refreshing change from the silence and inaction of Vancouver's politicians. But why should the Whitecaps have to purchase more land and carry the entire risks of building a stadium in an unproven city? I believe she needs to come up with with good answers to these questions before approaching the Whitecaps.

Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer
www.friendsofsoccer.org

Allan DeGenova's Position on The Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium

2008-05-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

Mayor Sam Sullivan's Position on The Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium

2008-05-10T12:59:00.000-07:00

Gregor Robertson's Position on The Whitecaps Stadium

2008-05-08T19:53:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, May 8, Friends of Soccer invited the six potential major candidates for Vancouver Mayor to use this website to state their position on the Whitecaps Stadium. We have promised to publish their statements in their entirety, unedited and without commentary. We have no intention of endorsing any particular mayoral candidate.

Today, Gregor Robertson of Vision Vancouver responded to our invitation. His campaign's website is www.gregor08.ca

Dear Bill,

Thanks for writing. As you may know, I am an avid soccer player (VMSL Div 2) and Whitecaps fan since the beginning. Let me start by saying that Vancouver needs a professional soccer stadium and as Mayor I would ensure that it gets moving. Soccer fans have waited long enough for a much-needed home for the Whitecaps. The MLS in Vancouver would be great for the city, and would be one of my priorities should I be elected as mayor.

The Port and the Whitecaps should continue their negotiations but it’s important that we consider alternative locations, including reconsideration of the False Creek Flats. The Flats (just east of Science World) has city-owned land and might be the best opportunity to get the stadium moving. An agreement on the waterfront may be hard to reach. Either way, we need to move on and get this done.

The city cannot force the Port (federal government) to give up the land and any provincial government intervention would simply add to the controversy. The solution is for the city government to make a resolution a priority. I totally understand Mr. Kerfoot’s frustration and the new Mayor must work to find the optimal place for the stadium. It will not only offer a place for the Whitecaps and amateur soccer, but may be used as a community amenity for concerts and events.

I trust this answers your question and I look forward to working together to make a professional soccer stadium in Vancouver a reality.

Sincerely,

Gregor

An Invitation to Mayoral Hopefuls From Friends of Soccer

2008-05-08T12:23:00.000-07:00

Today, Friends of Soccer is inviting the major Vancouver mayoral candidates to use our website to address the stadium issue. We'll be publishing their responses as soon as they arrive, unedited and without commentary.

The letter below has been sent to Mayor Sullivan, Peter Ladner, Allan DeGenova, Raymond Louie and Gregor Robertson. Although he has not formally declared his intention to run, we have also extended the invite to David Cadman.

___

My name is Bill Currie, and I represent the grassroots citizens movement Friends of Soccer. Since October, 2005, thousands of citizens have used the Friends of Soccer movement to voice their support for the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. Thousands more consult the Friends of Soccer website (www.friendsofsoccer.org) every month for information on current developments regarding the stadium project. Many of these people pass this information on to their associations, teammates and others. We operate independently of the Whitecaps and our supporters span all ages, cultures and political beliefs.

While the upcoming election will encompass many major issues, it has become obvious that the Whitecaps stadium will be one of them. Many of our supporters want to know the candidates' positions regarding the stadium, and one major mayoral candidate has actively sought out our support. While we have no intention of endorsing any particular mayoral candidate, we believe it would be fair and transparent to provide all candidates with an opportunity to address our supporters regarding the stadium.

I am pleased to invite you to use the Friends of Soccer website to express your detailed position on the Whitecaps Stadium. You have my personal assurance that, regardless of your position, your words will appear in their entirety, unedited, and without commentary by our website. You are also free to use this as an opportunity to inform our supporters on where they can find more information on your campaign, and how they can join. I highly encourage you to take this opportunity.

While you are free, of course, to take any stance on the stadium, you should be aware that our supporters are most interested in your answers to these three questions:

1.Do you support the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium Proposal? Why or why not?
2.If you support it, what plan of action do you have to make it a reality?
3.What makes you uniquely qualified to succeed on this issue?

I will publish your position soon after we receive it. Should you choose to decline, we will simply print that you chose to do so, without further commentary. We ask that you reply no later than Wednesday, May 21.

Regardless of your position on this issue, I believe it's fair to say that the stadium has engaged average citizens in the political process in a unique way. It is my hope that you will accept this invitation to continue the dialogue.

Sincerely,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer
www.friendsofsoccer.org

Friends of Soccer – A Grassroots Citizens Movement

2008-05-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

With all the recent attention given to the Whitecaps stadium, I've received quite a few e-mails lately asking pretty much the same question: “Who/What is Friends of Soccer?”.

The simple answer is anyone who supports the Whitecaps Stadium is a Friend of Soccer. We're not a club. We're not an organization with a board or a membership. We're not a front group being financed or manipulated by developers or anyone else with a hidden agenda. We're not sponsored by the Whitecaps. We're not even a soccer team.

All we are is an independent grassroots citizens movement. It started back in October, 2005 with the basic belief that citizens have the power to persuade governments to make the Whitecaps stadium a reality. At that time, the stadium was under attack by few dozen activists and local politicians who were committed to killing the proposal before it even got off the ground.

Imagine that! A handful of people were ready to reject out of hand a much-needed privately funded stadium that would have easily cost the taxpayers more than $60 million to build without private help. Would they have ever done such a thing to the Canucks or the BC Lions? Of course not!

With a simple call to action, the soccer community and average citizens rose up to the challenge. In 2006, they attended Open Houses on the Stadium and told city planners overwhelmingly that this is what people wanted. They voiced their support through letters and e-mails to council. Thousands signed a banner telling the City to “Build The Stadium Now!”. They wrote letters to newspapers and phoned open-line radio shows. Many stood before City Council and gave passionate, logical speeches for the stadium. And almost everyone told their friends, family and teammates to get involved. In short, they did all of the things we still need to do today.

And through it all we found that we were hardly alone in this fight. When John Kostiuk, a Gastown resident, started the community group Stadium Now!, he exposed the fact that a majority of local residents and businesses were not against the stadium, and that some of them at the time were even being intimidated by landlords and opponents to keep quiet. Beyond that, the list of community groups, businesses, and sports organizations who spoke out and got involved grew by the day. In the end, City Council heard our voices and unanimously voted not once, but twice, in favour of the stadium.

To this day, all of these people are Friends of Soccer. Their work is a model of citizen democracy at its finest.

The Whitecaps have been more than generous in offering this gift to the city. But it's been the voices of citizens that has helped carry it this far. While we haven't yet achieved the prize, it's gratifying to know that this website could shut down tomorrow, but the voices for the stadium would go on until we all win.

Yours in Sport,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

BC Soccer Association Voices Stadium Support

2008-05-06T05:50:00.000-07:00

Today's Vancouver Sun features a strong public endorsement of the stadium by the BC Soccer Association. The BCSA has long been supportive of the Whitecaps' efforts to make the stadium a reality, and they've also been helpful to our movement as well. Below is the letter written by BCSA Executive Director Bjorn Osieck.

Take soccer to next level
Waterfront stadium proposal is vital for future of game in this province

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Re: Soccer Stadium a Gift Spurned (April 23):

As the provincial governing body for soccer in British Columbia, the B.C. Soccer Association is certainly committed to the promotion and development of our game. It is our modus operandi.

It is thus only natural that we strongly support the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium project on behalf of the more than 130,000 registered players, coaches and officials engaged in soccer and the half-million British Columbians directly connected to the sport through their families.

Yet our support and advocacy for the proposed stadium only grows when we see what has happened in Toronto (with the launch of Toronto FC of the MLS at BMO Field) and now Montreal (with the opening this month of brand new Saputo Stadium, home of the Montreal Impact of the USL).

The positive impact of those stadia on soccer development in Ontario and Quebec has already been significant and will continue to fuel the growth of the game in those provinces. More and more young people -- of all ages -- will be drawn to soccer as a game high on fitness, socialization and other life skills.

That's good for Ontario, it's good for Quebec and it's ultimately good for Canada. But we can safely say the impact of a professional soccer stadium project in Vancouver would be even more profound here in B.C., where the BCSA is working with its districts, leagues and clubs and the Government of British Columbia (through ActNow) to promote the benefits of active living and fitness for children and for all residents of B.C.

We already have the highest per capita participation numbers in Canada. We are "The Province of Soccer" and we would be building on strength here to take soccer to the next level.

We lend our support to the project and we strongly concur with the views expressed, that such a stadium would be a powerful community amenity and would generate significant community benefits, in downtown Vancouver and across the province.

Bjorn Osieck

Executive Director, British Columbia Soccer Association

Vancouver

A letter to send to your teammates

2008-05-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

Stadium Supporter Mike Meade has written a great letter that you can send to your teammates and Soccer Association. Feel free to cut, paste and use it. The pressure from players, coaches and fans on the federal government is starting to snowball, and it's on the verge of going nationwide! Now's the time to jump on the bandwagon and get involved!

Parents / friends / people with interest in soccer,

I am writing you as a concerned Canadian Citizen who loves the Beautiful game of soccer, but frustrated with the current state of our game in this country, and urging you to help in any way possible to try and advance a cause that is common to us all: making it the best it can be.

As you may or may not be aware, The Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club has been on the record as willing to finance and proceed with construction of a soccer specific stadium located in the Vancouver area. The intent of the stadium, among others, is to be the home of Whitecaps FC teams, as well as a suitable BC based host venue for International caliber games, and World Cup Qualifiers. The Whitecaps are also on the record as stating that it is their desire to have their club playing in the top Professional league in North America, which is widely considered to be the MLS. The MLS has expressed a strong desire to expand to Vancouver, with the major stumbling block being the lack of a suitable facility.

Soccer in this country was never stronger at both an international level and grass-roots level than it was in 1986, when Canada qualified for the World Cup. The competitive level of play, training, and preparation that our team required to qualify for that tournament was due mostly to the fact that the core of the squad had been playing in the North American Soccer League, which folded due to financial mismanagement in 1984. Despite the league folding, the success of Canada’s Senior Men’s team was largely credited to the NASL, where our best players could get the level of competition they needed to be world class players.

Since 1994, the United States has become an International Power in the game, while Canada’s teams have slowly slid down the FIFA standing, failing to qualify for every World Cup since 1986. There has not been a strong domestic league in Canada since the NASL folded; our best players are forced to either play overseas at the lower divisional ranks, or quit the game at the elite level and get real jobs. Meanwhile, the MLS in the United States has provided a strong domestic league, that compensates its players well enough to make a living, and allows the core of American elite players to compete at home at a fairly high level.

The MLS has proven its value as a competitive league, but Canadians are still restricted from playing in US Cities due to import ratios. The only team w/ out import restrictions is Toronto. Realistically, Canada needs three MLS teams to make a significant impact on our elite international competitiveness. Montreal is imminent. In Vancouver, the opportunity is slipping away due to a Crown Corporation standing in the way of shovel hitting the ground. Again, the proposed Waterfront Stadium is to be financed PRIVATELY! Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot OWNS THE LAND!

What does this have to do with your kid playing at the house club level? Everything!

Follow the dominos…the better sports are run at the highest levels, the better they are at the grassroots. The benefits to our youth players is a very long list, not to mention the benefits of our city gaining a world class facility without spending public money. The trickle down effect from having the Whitecaps playing in the MLS will mean an increase in their revenues, and flow down to an increase in both their boys and girls development programs.

I am asking anyone who has just a bit of passion about this as I do to please SPEAK UP, and petition our politicians. Send your local MP, or all the relevant MPs (as I have), a letter demanding they put pressure on the Crown Corporation to work in good faith w/ the Whitecaps and move this project forward.

Some key contacts who I'm sure will love to hear from their you:

 Lawrence Cannon: Minister responsible for Transport Canada, which oversees the Port Authority that is presently stonewalling the land transfer with the Caps. Cannon.L@parl.gc.ca

 David Emerson: MP for Vancouver Kingsway & current Federal Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver–Whistler Olympics. emersd@parl.gc.ca

Also, following is a list of Vancouver Area MPs (Liberal and Conservative members selected only):

Abbotsford

Ed Fast

Fast.E@parl.gc.ca

Delta-Richmond East

John Cummins

Cummins.J@parl.gc.ca

Langley

Mark Warawa

Warawa.M@parl.gc.ca

Newton-North Delta

Sukh Dhaliwal

Grewal.G@parl.gc.ca

North Vancouver

Don Bell

Bell.D@parl.gc.ca

Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam

James Moore

Moore.J@parl.gc.ca

Richmond

Raymond Chan

chan.r@parl.gc.ca

South Surrey - White Rock - Langley

Russ Hiebert

Hiebert.R@parl.gc.ca

Vancouver Centre

Honourable Hedy Fry

Fry.H@parl.gc.ca

Vancouver Kingsway

Hon. Emerson, David

Emerson.D@parl.gc.ca

Vancouver Quadra

Honourable Stephen Owen

Owenwen.S@parl.gc.ca

Vancouver South

Honourable Ujjal Dosanjh

Dosanjh.U@parl.gc.ca

West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast

Blair Wilson

Wilson.B@parl.gc.ca

Many thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope you can lend your voice to the cause.

Letter to Supporters: Friends of Soccer Campaign to Go National

2008-04-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Whitecaps Stadium Supporters,

For the past 15 months, all of us have been quietly supportive of the Vancouver Whitecaps as they engaged in good faith negotiations with the Vancouver Port Authority for the land they need to build the new Whitecaps Stadium. Unfortunately, last week a Port official leaked details of the confidential talks and damaged public confidence in this open process. It has since become clear that the Port has little intention of restoring our faith that they will proceed in the best interests of the Citizens of Vancouver.

The time for us to be quiet on the Whitecaps stadium has ended.

As the Whitecaps have already mentioned, media reports that they offered $1 for the vacant parking lot needed to build the stadium are an outright lie. The Whitecaps have offered 30,000 square meters of prime railyard land in exchange for the 10,000 square meter parking lot needed to complete the stadium. This 3 to 1 land exchange is not only fair, but generous to the Port, as they've long needed better access to the railway yards to fulfill its mandate.

The land the Whitecaps are asking for provides nothing more for the Port than parking, small offices and a Helijet pad, which is likely to be relocated to the new transit hub. It cannot become a space for new container cranes or other Port facilities. The Port also claims the stadium may impede their operations. Yet, this does not seem to be a problem if the Whitecaps pay a $35 million fee for the exact same land. The Port Authority's attempts to squeeze additional cash and land out of the Whitecaps is shameless to say the least. To do so in a way that undermines the public interest is completely unacceptable.

Despite being a Crown Corporation, the Port Authority believes it can be completely unaccountable to the Citizens of Vancouver. It's here where we need to come together once again and prove them wrong. We already know from our past stadium battles that 70% of Vancouverites want the stadium built on the Waterfront...and they wanted it finished yesterday! We also know that we can shake the foundations of our politicians when they know that thousands of citizens who play, coach or enjoy sport take notice of the issues.

Our politicians know that many of us aren't regularly involved in politics, and they become concerned when we speak out. They also know that when we get involved, we may not march, or hold noisy protests. But they know all too well that we can go quietly enmasse into a voting booth and defeat their government.

That is the clear message we must get through to them. We have to give them that message like never before.

As the stadium benefits all of us who love soccer and rugby in Canada, the Friends of Soccer Campaign will begin to take a national focus. Over the days and weeks ahead, all Conservative and Liberal Members of Parliament will need to hear from us.

We will also have to seriously question the NDP's incomprehensible opposition to a stadium that will benefit so many of the working class families they claim to represent. While we have always strived to stay non-partisan in this debate, the attempts by NDP MP Libby Davies to undermine the stadium can no longer go unchallenged. The federal NDP must answer for her actions, and NDP members who truly love soccer must stand up for the majority of citizens.

We also need to especially hold to account any B.C. Politician who is opposed or apathetic to the Whitecaps Stadium. We need to make clear that we will no longer take "this isn't our jurisdiction...this is a federal matter...we have no say" as an answer. A provincial MLA is perfectly capable of calling or visiting Ottawa to push for action. A City Councilor, especially one who aspires to be mayor, needs to stand up for the best interests of its citizens, and not just sit around and hope for good things to happen. They need to do the work that would be expected of them if Vancouver were trying to land the Olympics or its first NHL team. After all, if they can't resolve a simple issue such as accepting a free stadium, how can we possibly believe they're capable of handling complex issues like transportation and homelessness?

In the near future, at my own expense, I will be traveling to Ontario to request a meeting with the Minister of Transportation, Lawrence Cannon. I am also willing to meet with any M.P. or Senator who wants to champion our cause. Somehow, I know, I will not be alone in doing this.

The effort we'll need from Canada's soccer and rugby community is immense, but it begins with a simple action that you can take. If you can write or call a Member of Parliament, that's a start. If you play on or coach a team, encourage your teammates to get involved. If you volunteer for a minor soccer or rugby organization, tell other parents about the stadium they're trying to build in Vancouver, and bring them on board.. If you're involved in your Provincial Association, please get get your whole province involved.

And, above all else, we need the Canadian Soccer Association and Rugby Canada to become stronger proponents for the stadium. Their offices are in Ottawa and Toronto. They're closest to the ears of the decision makers. They have the ability to reach every single team and player in the country. They need to push harder than anyone.

We, as Canadians, should not have to do the work that we elect our leaders at every level to do. Yet we're faced with this situation today and for the weeks and months to come. We cannot become a true soccer nation until we have stadiums and top-flight teams in our largest cities. Rugby will not meet it's potential without stadiums as well. Once that happens, our sports will inevitably evolve and flourish across the country. By taking action today, you'll know someday that you played a role in building a solid foundation for soccer and rugby in Canada.

Yours in Sport,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer
www.friendsofsoccer.org
friendsofsoccer@hotmail.com

Vancouver Province editorial: "Vancouver needs to get on and build soccer stadium"

2008-04-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

The Vancouver Province had some strongly worded advice on Sunday regarding the Whitecaps Stadium : Get on with it!

"Vancouver likes to boast it is a world-class city. But in the negotiations to build a new waterfront soccer stadium it is proving to be a minor-league player indeed."

You can read the full editorial here.

CKNW's Jim Mullin Calls on B.C. Politicians to Act

2008-04-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

CKNW sports reporter Jim Mullin lashed out at the Port Authority this afternoon for their indifference to the public good of Vancouver, and called on all BC Politicians to "get off their hind legs and bark for Vancouver". Jim has long been a great stadium supporter.

You can download the clip here:

http://www.friendsofsoccer.org/JimMullen.mp3

Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

Whitecaps Stadium Needs Champions...Not Cheerleaders

2008-04-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

Friends of Soccer Letter to The Vancouver Sun & City Council

Why does it take five years to build a soccer stadium? Especially when the owner is willing to build it with his own cash. Only in Vancouver, where developers and poverty activists overrule the majority of working citizens could this happen.

Our city is about to spend $5 million in taxpayers money on scaffolding and portapotties on the temporary Olympic venues for cultural events that could have been hosted in the Whitecaps Stadium. Multiply that by all of the festivals and events that close downtown streets and stretch our police, and you will see that the savings would have been enough to pay for the stadium many times over. All of this is over and above the desire of soccer fans to enjoy the same world class game hockey fans enjoy.

No doubt, our mayor and councillors will try to say “wait...that's not our fault...we support the stadium”. But all they've been so far are cheerleaders. There's a difference between cheerleaders and champions. The champions are the ones willing to go the extra mile to make the extraordinary happen. Cheerleaders just stand on the sidelines and shout.

Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

Friends of Soccer Brief Statement on Port Authority Leak

2008-04-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

From Friends of Soccer:

On Wednesday, April 23, the Director of Planning and Development for the Vancouver Port Authority intentionally leaked selected private details of their negotiation regarding the Whitecaps stadium to a reporter from CKNW. While we will not speculate on the ethical impropriety of Mr. McLaughlin's actions at this time, we can honestly say that his words and actions has damaged public confidence in an open process that began over three years ago. It is imperative that the Port Authority act quickly to repair this public trust, and to negotiate a truly fair arrangement with the Whitecaps in good faith. Failing that, we see no other option but to call for federal intervention.

Yours in Sport,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

Whitecaps Stadium Saga Handcuffs Soccer in BC

2008-04-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

For Whitecaps fans, the start of a new season always brings fresh hope and anticipation. Tonight's home opener against the Montreal Impact is no exception. With a new coach, a new philosophy of the game, and a few fresh faces in the squad, we have a lot of reasons to believe we'll make a run at the playoffs this year.

But, as we all know, the picture for the Whitecaps success is far from complete. It's not due to a lack of ambition or effort on the Whitecaps part. The ongoing stadium saga, which is being stymied by the City, the Port Authority, and the Federal Government, is handcuffing the Whitecaps efforts to grow the game. And the time is coming for us to once again rise up and let our elected officials know this is not acceptable.

It's a crucial year for the stadium. We have a municipal election coming up in November, where we'll have to hold the mayor and city council accountable for their appalling lack of effort in pursuing the stadium. There's always the possibility of a federal election as well, and we have to pressure Ottawa to release the vacant lot the Whitecaps need to build the stadium. And we once again have to rally the citizens of BC to show our governments that we haven't gone away, and that we're not going away until the stadium is built.

If we look beyond the stadium, we'll see that the Caps have made great strides in building the deep infrastructure a modern football club needs to thrive. The training facilities they've built at SFU and plan to build in Delta will ensure that many soccer players in the province can can learn and train at a higher level. The residency program they launched last fall is the first in Canada that creates a direct route to a career in soccer for young elite players without forcing them to go to Europe. Their commitment to supporting our underfunded women's national team is extraordinary, and they offer opportunities for women soccer players that are unmatched in Canada. And to top it all off, they've brought a level of harmony between the amateur and professional game through working with the BC Soccer Association. This year, the Whitecaps will field a team in the PCSL, and sponsor Super-Y league teams for young players throughout the province. They provide soccer camps throughout BC and hold countless free clinics for kids throughout the Lower Mainland.

There are other good professional soccer organizations in Canada. The Montreal Impact are an impressive team that shares some of the same goals as the Caps in Quebec. And Toronto FC have put their government-funded stadium to good use by uniting a fractured soccer scene in that part of the country and providing grassroots opportunities for kids. But the Whitecaps have taken the responsibility of growing the game of soccer in BC and Western Canada on their shoulders, and it's here where they're leading the way.

Growing soccer in BC, however, is a futile exercise if we have no home for the game. We'll continue to send our best players away from home, and we'll be continually fighting to keep pro soccer alive in Swangard. The Whitecaps already play in one of the oldest, smallest facilities in USL, and they play against teams that already reap the benefits of having their own soccer specific stadiums. And we now know that we can't even hope for Major League Soccer in Vancouver until the stadium issue is resolved. In a country where so many of our best players come from this province, Vancouver should be leading the way...not playing catchup with Toronto or Montreal.

Once again, we need you to take action and make your voice heard. Tell your local Conservative or Liberal Member of Parliament to pressure the transport minister to release this vacant parking lot for the good of the city. If your MP is an NDP member, ask them why they're opposed to building a privately-funded community stadium and growing the game of soccer in BC. And finally, let the mayor and city council know that they're not doing enough to deliver on the stadium promise they made to citizens almost two years ago, and that we need the stadium finalized before the November election.

You can write to the Mayor and city Council at mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca

Here is a list of our local M.Ps.

Central Waterfront Transit Hub Meeting

2008-03-08T12:53:00.000-08:00

Hello,

As you may already know, Friends of Soccer is represented on the City of Vancouver's working group on the Whitecaps Stadium and the Central Transportation Hub Study. This group is made up of representatives of major property holders, the Port, Translink, Stadium / Transit Hub opponents, City Planners, and the Whitecaps. City Staff holds occassional meetings with this group to provide updates on progress made on these projects and to solicit feedback. On Thursday, we met for only the second time in a year to hear about the City's plans for the Transit hub portion of the project. As there has been no settlement yet between the Port and the Whitecaps on the stadium site, the stadium wasn't discussed. However, I believe it's worthwhile getting involved in the Transit Hub discussions to ensure that the best interests of stadium access are protected, and to keep the project on the front burner. Here's what was presented:

The proposed Central Transit Hub at Waterfront Station is a massive project that's intended to improve the way many different modes of transit integrate with one another and to commercially develop that part of the waterfront. Beyond the transit station, if the project were completed as planned, there would be four new office or hotel towers (maximum 26 stories) between Cordova Street and the seabus terminal, underground parking, and street level retail stores. There are no plans for residential condos. Everything put together would create over 2.1 million square feet of commercial space (including parking) on the waterfront. The City wants it to become a dynamic space full of cafes, bars and restaurants that would attract people during non-office hours.

The City has told me that they'll send me a digital copy of the detailed diagrams they presented later this week. In the meantime, the diagram above posted by Translink is generally accurate:

So...what does this have to do with the stadium? I think quite a bit.

The plan shows that the City and Translink have no intention of revisiting the Seabus terminal area as a potential stadium site. While some have speculated that this may be on the table, what I can tell you is that nobody's making any plans for it. They're making plans for office towers and a hotel.

Second, the City is planning for there to be future development on the Port lands that could include a formal public space such as a stadium.

While I believe we should be actively involved and supportive of the transit hub and the commercial development, a couple of things stood out in my mind in relation to the stadium and downtown in general.

First, the risk involved with such a massive expansion of retail space. The City's past attempts to create "dynamic" commercial environments have seen mixed success at best. Yaletown saw empty storefronts for almost ten years before it came around. Retailers struggle to make a go of it now in Gastown, the Central Public Library and Coal Harbour - all City designed projects. The transit hub won't exponentially increase the number of people passing through the district, and people in the office towers will have the ability to take an elevator directly to the skytrain without ever having to go to street level. Without a popular draw to bring people to this part of downtown (such as the stadium), new merchants will struggle, and established businesses in the area could suffer. I believe the success of this project can be guaranteed by building the stadium. Otherwise, it's a crapshoot.

Another concern I have is with "Street B" in the diagram. At the moment, the City envisions this as being a bus loop with no cars. Without proper planning, this could easily deteriorate into the sterile, delapitated state that Granville Mall was when it had only buses. It's not really related to the stadium, but I'd hate to see Vancouver repeat the mistakes of the past.

There are other concerns regarding the development and the stadium, but I'd rather wait until I can show you the detailed diagrams to go into them.

It's important to remember that City Hall is just presenting ideas for the area, and that there's no formal proposal yet before City Council. The City plans to hold Open Houses on the transit hub in mid-April, and I strongly encourage everyone to use them to press home the need for our stadium. With an election coming up, it's more important than ever to let City Hall know that we're not going away until it's built, and that we'll hold them accountable if it isn't. Also, keep those letters coming to Lawrence Cannon and other Federal MP's.

To write Lawrence Cannon, here is his contact info below:

Cannon.L@parl.gc.ca
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Telephone: (613) 992-5516
Fax: (613) 992-6802

I'll let you know more as soon as I get the info.

Thanks for your support. Keep the faith!

Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

VANCOUVER HAS SPOKEN!

2007-11-13T21:21:00.001-08:00

As if there was any doubt before, November's "Beckham Game" at B.C. Place Stadium made it crystal clear that Vancouver will always come out to support top-level soccer. And many of the 48,000 on hand took the time to support the new waterfront stadium. The "Build the Stadium Now" banner now has well over 20,000 signatures on it.

But that's no surprise either. Since the day the stadium was announced, the overwhelming majority of Vancouver citizens have been in favour of it. Two scientific Mustel Polls have shown over 70% of Vancouverites support the stadium. The many rounds of official public consultation City Hall held backs them up. In the last 2 years, the City has held 7 open houses and 4 days of public hearings. They've fielded thousands of letters, e-mails and postcards...once again well over 70% in support of the stadium.

The result of all of this pressure has been two unanimous, but tentative votes of support by the City...and of course more studies and delays. But today was the first sign that at least someone on City Council is starting to realize the urgency behind this. This is from the Vancouver Sun website:

"City councillor Suzanne Anton said she will urge council to act quickly on final approval. "Negotiations with the Port Authority are primarily centred on where the stadium will be located," said Anton. "It's not resolved yet, but the process needs to be speeded up. We have a wonderful opportunity here for a first-class facility that will serve many, many purposes, including soccer. I will urge council to move forward quickly on this project."

So, finally, a real sign of encouragement from one of our elected officials. But it's still not enough. This is the time for the Mayor and City Councillors to stop hiding on this issue and publicly do the work to make the stadium a go. Council needs to actively work with and encourage the Vancouver Port Authority and the Federal Government to expedite a deal with the Whitecaps. And they need to move the stadium to the rezoning stage as soon as possible.

It's time for for Council to stop talking about WHETHER there'll be a stadium on the Waterfront, and start talking about WHAT kind of stadium will be on the Waterfront.

Tomorrow, I'll be writing City Council once again to tell them exactly what I've written here. I hope you'll do the same.

I'll also be writing Lawrence Cannon, the Federal Minister of Transportation and M.P. for Pontiac in Quebec. I'll be asking for his support in helping the Vancouver Port Authority strike a deal with the Whitecaps. I encourage soccer supporters from across Canada to do the same as well.

The past few years for soccer in Vancouver have been both fantastic and frustrating, and both for the same reason. We've had a glimpse of what this game can be, and those among us who love the game know deep in our hearts what it will be when we finally get it built. Please help us make it happen.

Yours in Sport,

Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

MLS Commissioner Makes It Clear: No Stadium - No Major League Soccer

2007-11-13T18:50:00.000-08:00

As the Seattle Sounders announced they'll be joining Major League Soccer in 2009, MLS commissioner Don Garber had a very clear message for soccer fans in Vancouver: No Stadium. No MLS.

According to the Vancouver Sun, Garber is quoted as saying "...we are unable to make any commitments to Vancouver....We would give priority to the cities that have proper stadiums and the right business plans. Vancouver can only get into that mix with a proper stadium."

Don Garber had much to say about Major League Soccer expansion and the stadium situation in Vancouver. You can read the article here:

Friends of Soccer has a New Poster

2007-11-06T22:29:00.001-08:00

Hi,

Most of you who've been following us are probably familiar with our "Build the Stadium Now!" banner. Our mighty flag has well over 10,000 signatures on it, and I think it might be completely black with names after Wednesday's game...(by the way, visit our booth at BC Place during the game...we've taken a table behind section 19).

While I can't afford to make another banner, I'm happy to say that I've also made some posters for Wednesday. We'll have a couple of hundred at the table, so pick one up if you like. We're also going to try to get these into every stadium-friendly establishment in Metro Vancouver.

Thanks,
Bill Currie

A City of Soccer Goes Mad for Beckham's Galaxy

2007-11-06T22:20:00.000-08:00

Vancouver has always been a world-class city in the soccer world. Vancouver has been a home to greats such as the legendary Ferenc Puskas, Bobby Robson, and Peter Beardsley. We've had visits from the likes of Franz Beckenbauer, George Best, and Johan Cruyff. But it's been over 30 years since the Great Pele's visit that we've seen a classy global superstar like David Beckham.

There are sporting purists who would debate Beckham's place among the greats in the greatest game of all. To be honest, it's a good argument. But in sports there are athletes, like Tiger Woods and Wayne Gretzky, who transcend their game beyond their remarkable accomplishments. I can say beyond my doubt, Becks is one of these.

Over the years, I've seen David Beckham perform remarkable feats on the pitch (...sometimes particularly difficult for me, as a Manchester City fan). But I think it's worth looking beyond that. I think if you look through the Hollywood-style glamour, you'll see an footballer who plays with the same passion that you and I try to do. On my less skeptical days, I think he would do what he does just for the sheer love of the game.

At today's open practice, David Beckham signed every autograph...hundreds of them to say the least...most of them kids. He took on what most sports superstars would think was an unreasonable burden.

That alone was a breath of fresh air in the world of North American sport.

There's much in the press today about Beck's visit and the stadium...read on for more:

Vancouver Sun:

Soccer star David Beckham's press conference today at the Pan Pacific Hotel was packed. And BC Place Stadium may be the same on Wednesday when Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy play the Vancouver Whitecaps in an exhibition game that could have same impact, historically, on soccer here as Pele's famous visit with the New York Cosmos 30 years ago.

That game helped catapult Vancouver among the top markets in the North American Soccer League, which folded in 1984 even as professional soccer here continued. Beckham's visit, his ability to sell 50,000 tickets to an exhibition game, could add urgency to the Whitecaps' stadium project and, more importantly, raise this city's candidacy for a Major League Soccer franchise.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=ed950f13-377c-4f87-85f6-7f5d054b1638&k=52681

The Province:

"Yes, this is about Beckham but it's also a statement of how much this city needs and will support a world-class downtown outdoor facility...The plan was to have the stadium ready for the FIFA U-20 tournament this year, a golden opportunity to showcase this city to a worldwide audience.The opportunity was wasted and instead when the world tuned in it saw Swangard Stadium. The Canadian Soccer Association was also hoping to use the stadium as a strong selling point for this country to host the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. Last week Canada's bid lost out to Germany. No stadium, no tournament. "It was a factor," admits Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi. "No question."

The red tape could take another 18 months but the Vancouver Whitecaps are optimistic both can be done much sooner. It means the waterfront stadium could be finished as early as 2010. There is no good reason for it not to be. A recent Mustel survey shows 71 per cent of Vancouverites support it. It would also open the door for Major League Soccer to move to this city. If Toronto FC can average more than 20,000 fans per game at the new BMO Field, what can the Whitecaps do with the right facility in the right league?

"This is a soccer town," insists Lenarduzzi. In a perfect world that wouldn't need to be said.

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=d9ba5bda-5d17-4496-9f61-7a235aa5567f&k=74991

2011 Women's WC Fallout Part One: Canada needs more stadiums

2007-10-31T17:38:00.000-07:00

The decision by FIFA to hand the 2011 Women's World Cup to Germany should not have caused great surprise among soccer fans on both sides of the Atlantic. The German football association mounted an excellent bid that featured 12 state-of-the-art modern stadiums, the world's best womens team, and a rich football culture. The success of the 2011 Women's WC is virtually assured, and Germany has every reason to celebrate their well-deserved win.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter had some kind words for Canada in our loss. He said that Canada had showed "what football can be in a country where so far football was not the sport number one. We appreciate what you've done and we have good hopes for you and what you can do in the future."

But it's obvious that one of the things we have to work on if there's to be a bright future for soccer in Canada is stadium infrastructure. John Rocha was the Chairman of Canada's 2011 bid, and the first thing he spoke of after the loss was the lack of proper stadiums in two of Canada's soccer hotbeds, Vancouver and Victoria:

"I don't think Burnaby and Victoria were what FIFA was looking for as venues for 2011," Rocha told the Vancouver Sun. "We need bigger stadiums in those areas, like the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium, which will have a seating capacity of 15,000."

That qualifies for the understatement of the year. Germany could offer up twelve World Cup calibre stadiums. While we all coped the best we could with scaffolding and portapotties at Swangard and Royal Athletic Park during the FIFA U-20, we're still at the mercy of FIFA when it comes to allowing the continued use of temporary facilities. We need permanent infrastructure. Our guests from around the world deserve better, and soccer fans throughout B.C. deserve better.

Stadium Now's John Kostiuk wrote an excellent piece on his website about Vancouver's lack of infrastructure, and the never-ending struggle to build the Whitecaps Stadium. He sums it up nicely here.

"The Vancouver Whitecaps FC have been trying to build a new soccer specific stadium in Vancouver officially since October of 2005, and unofficially well before then at the behest of the then mayor of Vancouver Larry Campbell. Suffice it to say that the City of Vancouver has laid down a number of roadblocks that were not there for BC Place and GM Place. Dealing with multiple layers of bureaucracy and inertia at various levels of government has been a long slog for the team and without an owner like Greg Kerfoot, most people would have given up a long time ago...Toronto has their new soccer stadium, Montreal is almost done with theirs, all we need now is for people in Vancouver to continue to push for our own improved infrastructure. What seems like pushing a rock up a never ending hill is unfortunately the level of effort needed to counteract the gravitational forces of lack of vision, bureaucracy, and misinformation."

Kostiuk also touched on the Canadian Soccer Association's mystifying refusal to host the Women's CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament in Canada. This is despite the obvious advantages for our national team, as well as offers from the Whitecaps and a reported group in Quebec to cover the costs. Refusing to host an international event of this calibre does absolutely nothing to advance our game, and is completely unjustifiable. In Part Two, we'll talk about how soccer supporters can help save this opportunity, and how we can advance our game beyond petty politics.

Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium Central to Canada's 2011 Women's World Cup Bid

2007-10-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

Canada will put it's best foot forward on Tuesday as FIFA will decide which country will earn the right to host the 2011 Women's World Cup. The Canadian delegation, led by former Whitecaps President John Rocha, will make it's presentation to FIFA at 11:30 am Zurich time (3:30 AM Pacific), and the decision will be announced at 3:00 PM Zurich time (7:00 AM Pacific). Both the presentation and decision can be seen live at FIFA.COM .

On the surface, it might seem like Canada is in for a tough battle against its only rival, Germany. And, no doubt, it's true. The German Women are still celebrating their recent World Cup triumph in China, and their bid features the unrivalled stadium infrastructure that is the legacy of their incredibly successful 2006 Mens World Cup Finals. Because they've invested in modern soccer stadiums, Germany is in a position to put forward strong bids for any major soccer competition in the world.

But Canada will have much to offer in Zurich tomorrow as well. And FIFA has taken notice.

Our country showed at this past summer's FIFA U-20 World Cup that there's been a long, pent up demand for world class soccer. Canadians set an all-time attendance record for the tournament. It's a demand that's been artificially held back over the years by a lack of professional clubs beyond Vancouver, Toronto & Montreal, as well as modern facilities for them to play in. We're now seeing what new stadiums in Toronto and Montreal can do for the professional game. In Vancouver, we could have the best stadium of them all.

Our women's national program is also among the best developed in the world, and there's plenty of opportunity for women of all ages to play the game at every level. The Whitecaps have also built one of the top women's clubs in North America, winning the W-League title twice in the past four seasons, and sending several of their players to the national team. FIFA also remembers our country's outstanding response to the inaugural Womens U-19 World Cup in 2002. The strength of women's soccer in Canada could help tip the balance in our favour tomorrow in Zurich.

The Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium will play a central role in Canada's presentation tomorrow, with suggestions that Vancouver could play host to the major games of the tournament such as the opening game, the semi-final, or even the final itself. Of course, it would have helped strengthen the bid if Vancouver City Council had made a stronger commitment to allowing the stadium to move forward.

Regardless of what happens tomorrow, Vancouver still needs the stadium. But wouldn't it be great if we could open it by doing what Vancouver does best; by inviting the world?

Stadium Drawings Show Seawall Extended, Crab Park Untouched & Unaffected

2007-10-27T13:15:00.000-07:00

The Vancouver Whitecaps have released renderings of the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium on a revised site located next to the seabus. While there still won't be a design for the stadium until the project goes to rezoning, there's a couple of potentially exciting things the drawings reveal.

First, the drawings have confirmed that the Whitecaps intend to use the stadium to extend the city's seawall. This alone should be enough of a reason for every city councillor to get actively behind the stadium. An extended seawall would provide the first public access to this part of the downtown waterfront in almost a century. It could also allow the seawall to link up with the new Carrall Street Greenway, which would provide cyclists and pedestrians a continuous loop around downtown, False Creek, Stanley Park and Coal Harbour. Those of us who live or work downtown have been wanting this for a very long time, and it's great to see the Whitecaps offerring to deliver yet another public amenity with this project.

Second, the drawings show conclusively that Crab Park will be completely untouched and unaffected by the stadium. In fact, the drawings show the stadium will be located more than 100 metres away from the park; enough room to place another soccer field there if you wanted to. This should come as a great relief to the few stadium opponents left that feared for the future of Crab Park. Many of them were worried that the stadium would be right up against the edge of the park, or even worse, replace the park itself. Of course, neither of these was ever going to happen. Once again, the Whitecaps have shown that they're willing to address the stadium opponents' issues, even if the opponents are still unwilling to meet with them.

Please show your support for the Whitecaps Stadium by writing City Council today! You can e-mail them now at mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca .

(Just an editor's note:

Someone has correctly pointed out to me that these drawings are not "new" and have been on public record with the City of Vancouver since July, 2007. For the record, what I meant is that these are renderings that have appeared recently on the Whitecaps website.)

Cheers,
Bill Currie

Whitecaps release revised stadium site pictures

2007-10-27T12:22:00.000-07:00

The Vancouver Whitecaps have released renderings of the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium on a revised site located next to the seabus. You can see the full size renderings on the Whitecaps Official Site.

(Just an editor's note:

Someone has correctly pointed out to me that these drawings are not "new" and have been on public record with the City of Vancouver since July, 2007. For the record, what I meant is that these are renderings that have appeared recently on the Whitecaps website.)

Cheers,
Bill Currie

Stadium Now: Beckham, soccer, and a stadium

2007-10-23T14:26:00.000-07:00

John Kostiuk of Stadium Now took some time yesterday to share his thoughts on the upcoming L.A. Galaxy game and how it demonstrates the obvious need for the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. David Beckham and the Galaxy will face the Whitecaps at B.C. Place on Wednesday, Nov.7 at 7PM. Ticket information can be found here.

From Stadium Now:

It was announced today that David Beckham and the LA Galaxy will be here November 7 to play the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place.

So what does this post have to do with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC efforts to build a soccer specific stadium in downtown Vancouver? Burnaby is currently home to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC as they play their games out of Swangard Stadium; however, its capacity is limited to 5,288 fans and the team does not own the stadium - with all the limitations that entails.

The more than 40,000 tickets sold so far for an exhibition game are one example of the potential for soccer in the city of Vancouver. While Burnaby has been a good host for the Whitecaps it is time to bring the team home.

Whether it is easy access to numerous modes of public transit, the ability for residents and workers downtown to walk to the stadium, and a host of other benefits - the viable option is to build the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium downtown, not in the suburbs.

Where a parking lot now stands lies the opportunity to open up the waterfront to residents and visitors alike - and that’s a step forward.

It is time to match the facility with the demand and build a world class stadium. If we had that already the Beckham game could have been a regular season game instead of a one off.

John Kostiuk

Stadium Delays Cost Vancouver Taxpayers $5 million

2007-09-20T21:50:00.000-07:00

City to Close David Lam Park & use Downtown Parking Lot for Olympic Plazas

OFFICIAL FRIENDS OF SOCCER MEDIA RELEASE

Delays in approving the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium will cost municipal taxpayers $5 million as city staff and 2010 organizers were forced to develop temporary plazas for the "Olympic Live" public sites during the Winter Games. The free public plazas, which will feature giant television screens, sponsor tents and live concerts, will be located on a parking lot on Beatty St. and in Yaletown's David Lam Park. The $23 million facilities will have a capacity of 10,000 and 13,000 respectively, and both will be dismantled following the 2010 games.

VANOC had earlier expressed an interest in holding the public cultural components of the Winter Games in the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium, and reinforced that view to City Council as late as May, 2006. A completed Whitecaps Stadium could have provided greater capacity, substantial reductions in infrastructure and security costs, and would have provided a permanent legacy for the games. Friends of Soccer pro-stadium activist Bill Currie blasted City Council for the delays at Thursday's Planning and Environment meeting.

"If there was ever a red flag that we need permanent gathering places downtown, this is it. A fantastic gathering place was offered to both the City and VANOC as early as 2004 in the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium," he told councillors . "It was a gift to the city, in a beautiful spot where Vancouver began. Despite overwhelming support, 4 rounds of public consultation, and 2 unanimous votes from this Council, it hasn't proceeded far enough or fast enough. We're paying the price for this now."

Although Currie made it clear he fully supports the free public Olympic Sites, he expressed concern for residents and local soccer over the closing of David Lam Park.

"It's also sad for our citizens and local residents that the city will have to cut off the seawall and decommission a public park and popular sports field for what will likely be several months. And while I support this project, I can honestly say that the soccer community will not like that one bit."

"It appears the time for 2010 is too late. So, along with the FIFA U-20 World Cup, and the dozens of sporting events, cultural events and festivals that could have been held by now, we'll chalk this up as another lost opportunity. But, what makes this lost opportunity different is that it's going to cost the taxpayers of Vancouver $5 million dollars. I believe this could have been avoided."

Councillors present provided no questions nor rebuttal.

Friends of Soccer is a grassroots movement that supports soccer projects as well as the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. Bill Currie and the Friends of Soccer (www.friendsofsoccer.org) urge all citizens of Vancouver to continue to write, phone and visit City Hall to make their voices heard.

Friends of Soccer Remarks To City Council

2007-09-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

Planning & Environment Meeting - September 20, 2007

My name is Bill Currie, and besides being the founder of the Friends of Soccer movement, I'm also a West End resident. I'm here to say that I support the 2010 Winter Games Live Site Plan and ask that you approve it.

In fact, if anything, let's find a way to create more of these, because we need more opportunities to gather as a city. However, it's unfortunate that in this case, the best we can offer the world is a stage with fences, scaffolding, tents and portapotties in a parking lot.

But that's not your staff's or VANOC's fault.

It's also sad for our citizens and local residents that the city will have to cut off the seawall and decommission a public park and popular sports field for what will likely be several months. And while I support the project, I can honestly say that the soccer community will not like that one bit.

But that's not your staff's or VANOC's fault either.

Also, according to the designs in the report, the venues appear very small. The total capacity of both venues combined is less than the average attendance at a BC Lions game, and these are fans that pay to get in. This is one of the largest sporting events in the world. It's likely that these venues won't be able to accommodate the tens of thousands more who'll want to attend these concerts and events.

But once again, that's not your staff's fault or VANOC's fault. In fact, they should be commended for making the most of these sites. It's very clear that their options in the downtown core are limited.

If there was ever a red flag that we need permanent outdoor gathering places downtown, this is it. A fantastic gathering place was offered to both the City and VANOC as early as 2004 in the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. It was a gift to the city, in a beautiful spot where Vancouver began. And VANOC was on record as being interested in it for a purpose just like this. Despite overwhelming support, 4 rounds of public consultation, and 2 unanimous votes from this Council, it hasn't proceeded far enough or fast enough. And because of that we're paying the price for this now.

It appears the time for 2010 is too late. So, along with the FIFA U-20 World Cup, and the dozens of sporting events and festivals that would have been held by now, we'll chalk this up as another lost opportunity. But, what makes this lost opportunity different is that it's going to cost the taxpayers of Vancouver $5 million dollars. I believe this could have been avoided.

So, I ask that you approve this plan. But I also ask that you don't let this happen again. The stadium is about to come back in front of you soon, and it needs your help. I appreciate that every councilor here has voted in favour of the project in the past…but a passive vote is not enough. I urge you…get actively involved with the Whitecaps and City Staff on the Waterfront Stadium project. We already know that when elected officials in Toronto and Montreal became involved in their stadium projects, they were able to quickly turn them into reality. Any one of you can be a champion in this. And if you can step up, become more involved and help find a way through the maze for this project, you'll have the support of a very grateful city.

Thank you.

"Vancouver bureaucracy is quickly becoming a laughing stock." - Sportsnet

2007-08-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

While the battle for the stadium continues, I think it's worth noting that it's not only Vancouver that's involved. In fact, the whole country is watching. People across Canada understand how important this stadium is for soccer in this country. And it turns out they are as perplexed and frustrated with the delays as we are.

Gerry Dobson is the well-known host of English Premier League soccer on Roger's Sportsnet. Below is an excerpt from Gerry Dobson's latest weekly column.

“Vancouver and Montreal will not make the next MLS expansion. The league will go to 16 teams in 2009, but they'll both be American. The head office loves a balanced league which means one in the west (Seattle) and one in the east (Philadelphia). Montreal and Vancouver will both get their shot two years later. That's assuming Vancouver get their stadium built. City Hall had better get moving. The Vancouver bureaucracy is quickly becoming a laughing stock. Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot is sitting there with the land, the money, and the willpower to do good things for the sport in Vancouver and the politicians are sitting there with their thumbs you know where. No stadium, no MLS franchise. Simple as that. Couldn't they play at BC Place? No, only as a stop gap measure IF a deal for a new facility is ironclad and a shovel ready to start digging. Meanwhile in Montreal, their new stadium is already being built. There is a chance Montreal could actually get in first. If they want it. Two years ago you couldn't have dreamed that as a possibility. On the other hand, two years ago you couldn't have dreamed what's happening in Toronto either.”

You can read the entire column here.

A Community Stadium for All

2007-07-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

Much of what's been written about the Whitecaps Stadium over the last two years has focused on the benefits the stadium will bring for Canadian soccer. Of course, our city's role in international, professional, women's and amateur soccer stands to gain immensely once it's built. But, what often gets lost in all the excitement is that the Whitecaps are trying to give Vancouver a much-needed outdoor community stadium. It was a need established by Mayor Larry Campbell in 2004 when he asked the Whitecaps if they were interested in building it.

A community stadium is one of a city's most basic institutions. And, in the fine tradition of other private sector gifts to Vancouver such as the Lions Gate Bridge and the Carnegie Centre, the Whitecaps are taking the initiative to build this gift to the city. Beyond soccer, this stadium will be used by thousands of citizens in many different ways.

If we look at it purely from a sporting perspective, Vancouver can finally start hosting many of the world class & amateur events that currently go to other major cities. For a start, we already know that the stadium will serve Canada's rugby community, potentially as our national stadium. The tennis community is eager to bring world-class tournaments to Vancouver, such as the Davis Cup. The Whitecaps have also said that the stadium will be made available for amateur sporting events as well. This will be the type of sporting shrine that will inspire and reward athletes for their thousands of hours of hard work and sacrifice for their craft.

But the delays over the last two years have already taken a toll. Vancouver has already missed out on it's share of the $166 million windfall from the FIFA U-20 World Cup. In 2009, the World Police & Fire Games, one the largest amateur events on the planet, will be forced out to the suburbs and beyond, once again denying Vancouver the many tourism and economic spinoffs the Whitecaps Stadium could provide. Every day we go without the stadium, our athletes, our citizens, our small local businesses miss out on opportunities such as these.

Cultural events will also play a large role in the stadium. The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra already wants to make the Whitecaps Stadium it's summer home. The Waterfront Stadium will also be an exciting, dynamic venue for downtown open-air concerts. As we know, VANOC was interested in utilizing the stadium for the cultural components of 2010, but delays by the city ensured that the stadium would probably not be built in time for the winter games. As a result, it's likely that fewer people will have the chance to enjoy cultural events during the Olympics. Once again, another huge loss for the citizens of Vancouver.

But most importantly, the Whitecaps plan to open the stadium as a permanent home to Vancouver's many multicultural festivals and events. They've already announced that they will donate the use of the Stadium to the City of Vancouver every year to celebrate the city's birthday. Beyond that, the possibilities are endless. Many of our downtown festivals that currently close down streets and bring massive policing costs, could be brought down to the waterfront, where all Vancouverites can celebrate in the footprint of our mountains. The stadium will make these events easier and less expensive for festival organizers to put together.

Vancouver is also missing out on the large scale public benefits outside of the stadium. When the stadium is built, the City will have the ability to fulfill its goal of building a better transit hub to handle the ever-growing number of suburban commuters to downtown. The stadium also brings an opportunity to finally extend the seawall from Coal Harbour to the Carrall Street Greenway, giving the first public access to a piece of Port Corporation land that's been off-limits to citizens for decades. Pedestrians and cyclists would finally have a continuous loop to travel from Stanley Park to False Creek to English Bay. Without the stadium, this part of the waterfront could be closed off for many generations to come.

We, as a city, have to stop thinking small. For a cosmopolitan city like ours to thrive, our downtown core has to be open, inclusive and welcoming to all people. We also have to start building institutions that appeal to people of all cultures and backgrounds. The Whitecaps' spectacular Waterfront Stadium, combined with the global appeal of the beautiful game, promises to be one of the first of these for Vancouver. Please take a moment to tell City Hall to get off the sidelines and make it happen. You can e-mail them now at mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca

VANCOUVER OFFICIALLY A MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER TARGET!

2007-07-18T20:36:00.000-07:00

The Commissioner of Major League Soccer, Don Garber, officially confirmed today that Vancouver is one of the cities being considered for expansion into Major League Soccer. In an exclusive interview with the league's official website MLSNET.COM, Garber revealed that the league was looking at expansion and Vancouver was a serious candidate.

From MLSNET:

"When will MLS be expanding to Pacific Northwest/Florida/New York/Philadelphia/Canada?"

Don Garber
"If I answer that here, we certainly won't have much to talk about during the State of the League address tomorrow. I'm well aware that much of the internet traffic and fan buzz recently concerns expansion and all of you know I, and MLS president Mark Abbot, spend a great deal of our time traveling from city to city meeting with potential owners, officials and sports authorities and all others to manage the expansion of the league. I'm very confident that we will be able to announce a 16-team league by the end of the year. It's still a moving target as to what cities will flow in when."

"Can you give us the status on some other markets?"

Don Garber
"There's more interest in MLS expansion than at any other time in the history of the sport in the country. Without prioritizing any one market, here is a rundown of the cities: Vancouver, Portland, Seattle, San Jose, Sacramento, San Diego, San Antonio, St. Louis, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Rochester, New York City, Atlanta, Miami and Las Vegas."

"Has the success of Toronto FC given the MLS a blueprint for success in new markets and the future? And has its success blown your mind over how crazy and how popular it is?

Don Garber
"The answer is to all of that is yes, yes, yes. So the answer to that question is yes, yes, yes. My hat goes off to MLSE who have proven to be terrific operators, who understand the sports business and now the soccer business like few others. From the time we began discussing the opportunity with MLSE to the opening home game, the success they have at home games each week, I'm impressed and thrilled at what we have going on up in Toronto. In many ways it is a blueprint yet every market has its own idiosyncracies, opportunities and challenges. One of the things that has really impressed us, and something we hope to replicate in other markets, is the passionnate involvement of teams' supporters groups, something we hope to replicate in other markets."

Vancouver was the only Canadian city mentioned by the MLS Commissioner on Wednesday. Major League Soccer expansion in the past has traditionally relied on these factors before teams were able to particpate in North America's top league:

1. An owner with reliable resources to support the franchise. On this front, the Whitecaps are secured.

2. A city with significant soccer interest among the population. On this point, Vancouver has rich soccer culture and the oldest continuous running professional soccer club in Canada.

3. A Soccer Specific Stadium...or concrete, feasible plans to build one.

The third point is entirely in the realm of our City Council. In the coming days, weeks and months, Friends of Soccer are going to do our best to consult with you, work with you and mobilize the entire country to put pressure on City Council to push the stadium forward in time for the 2011 Women's World Cup and a new MLS team.

The time for patience and restraint are over. The people of Vancouver have already said yes four times to the stadium. All that's left is for the Whitecaps & the Port of Vancouver to present a vision for the Waterfront lands and to present a design for the new showcase of Canadian Soccer.

Every stadium we build in this country is a major victory for Canadian Soccer. When Toronto faced their council debate on the first Soccer Specific Stadium in Canada, fans from Vancouver to Bathurst, N.B. voiced their support and encouraged you to contact the elected officials involved.

Now, it's your turn.

It's time for Canadian Soccer Supporters EVERYWHERE to to let Vancouver City Council know how important the stadium is for soccer in this country. Please write city council today at mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca

Please remember, this is just the start. I believe that together, we can set the framework for the creation of soccer specific stadiums and facilities across Canada. I'll write more on this in the coming days.

Please help us...we're reaching a critical time in development of this stadium and Canadian Soccer as a whole. In the coming months, it will be your voice that matters.

Until Kickoff,

Bill Currie

Friends of Soccer

Soccer Explodes in Canada!

2007-05-24T16:38:00.000-07:00

While we anxiously wait for progress on the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium in Vancouver, soccer is exploding like never before in Canada's two largest cities. If there's still anyone left who even questions the need for a new soccer specific stadium, they need not look any further than to our eastern cousins in Montreal and Toronto. Both cities are now at the forefront of the North American soccer revolution, and they're taking the sport's popularity to levels unheard of since the heights of the NASL.

In April, Montreal launched construction of a new 13,000 seat Soccer Stadium on the grounds of their Olympic complex. Expandable to 17,000, the new stadium will be finished by Spring, 2008 and will play host to the Whitecaps' Canadian rivals, the Montreal Impact. The Impact have long been one of the best supported teams in USL, often selling out their current 10,000 seat facility. At 13,000 seats, in a stadium designed with the fans in mind, Montreal will likely need to expand their stadium sooner than expected.

While Montreal's stadium success was virtually assured from the get go, no one could have ever predicted the exciting response by fans in Toronto to their new stadium and MLS team, Toronto FC. With over 14,000 season tickets , sold out games, and the best atmosphere of any team in the league, Toronto has surpassed even the most optimistic predictions.

So how much of a difference can a soccer stadium make?

Let's start with Toronto. For ten years, Toronto's pro soccer team was the Toronto Lynx...another USL rival of the Whitecaps. Throughout that time, the Lynx played in a small community stadium, similar to Swangard, on the outskirts of Central Toronto in a city similar to Burnaby. Throughout that time, they rarely drew more than 2500 fans and were never able to capture the imagination of the city whose name it bore. Over the years, the Lynx developed many fine Canadian players that are making careers for themselves throughout Europe and North America. But developing talent was not enough. With no hope of expanding their base, and no way to modernize their stadium, the Lynx could never become bigger or better than they were.

However, with public investment in a modern soccer stadium located on the edge of downtown Toronto, Toronto FC were able to tap into the enthusiasm of millions of soccer fans in this multicultural hub. The result was a mosaic of fans unlike any group of soccer supporters in the world. The naysayers who tried to deny Toronto their stadium on October 27, 2005 should be ashamed.

Meanwhile, Montreal's new stadium will finally put Canada's second largest city in a position to regularly host international matches, and it opens the door for the Impact to consider joining Major League Soccer. The Impact have proven that there's a pent-up demand for the game that's been held back too long, and it's about to take off there like never before.

With deep roots in the game, and a long history of outstanding fan support, Vancouver's success with a new downtown soccer stadium is virtually guaranteed. Last summer, thousands of you rose up and let City Council know so.

When it's finally built, the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium will take its place as the crown jewel of Canada's soccer stadiums. However, Vancouver can learn a lot from the bold steps taken by Toronto and Montreal. Both their stadiums were proposed, passed by their city councils, and constructed in less time than it has taken to move the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium to this stage. Although the City of Vancouver can't speed up the current negotiating process between the Whitecaps & local stakeholders, the City should do its best to expedite the rezoning process and to make the stadium a reality as soon as possible.

A Quick Stadium Update

2007-05-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

Here's a brief update on the Whitecaps Stadium, and some of the things Friends of Soccer are doing to support it:

1. At the moment, the stadium issue is in the hands of the Whitecaps and the landowners /stakeholders in the area. The Whitecaps need to finalize an agreement with all parties on the revised site before the stadium can be brought before City Council for rezoning. We're not privy to any information in these talks, and we have no role to play in them. We have been assured, however, that all parties are positive and working towards getting the stadium built on the waterfront.

2.The City has been very helpful on the stadium since the last council vote, and aren't the cause of any delays in the current process. They might appreciate a word of thanks and support if you have a moment.

3. We expect that the stadium issue will probably come before City Council sometime during the late summer or early autumn. As you already know, the thousands of letters, signatures & phone calls to councillors have given the stadium proposal two unanimous votes of support to date. We'll need your calls & letters again when the next vote comes.

4. The two main opponent groups in the last round, the Gastown Residents Association & the Gastown Neighbourhood Coalition, no longer exist. In fact, their leader, Jon Stovell, expressed satisfaction during the last Council meeting with the moves the Whitecaps have made to accommodate the concerns of local residents. While there are still some opponents remaining, the vast majority of people who had reasonable concerns about the original stadium proposal are content.

5. The City Planning department has invited Friends of Soccer to send a representative to its working group on the stadium and the proposed Central Transportation Hub. There, we'll meet with other supporters and opponents, landowners, business owners and government agencies involved in the project to provide ideas, feedback and solutions to issues. There's no expectation that all of these groups will reach a consensus on the stadium or the hub. However, it's an important part of of the public process, and we'll be asking for your ideas when the sessions begin sometime this summer. Bruce Wilkins, a well respected labour lawyer and longtime Whitecaps season ticket holder, will be representing Friends of Soccer in the working group.

6. In March, the BC Soccer Association expressed their support for our efforts. When the time comes, they're willing to help us mobilize the BC Soccer community in support of the stadium.

7. The Whitecaps - LA Galaxy exhibition match on October 3 is very important in the stadium campaign. We believe that this event will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt the need for a new stadium. Every soccer fan who wants a stadium should be out in full force for this match!

That's what we know at the moment. For now, it's a good time to relax a little, go to Swangard, and enjoy the Whitecaps as they look to repeat their W-League & USL Division I titles. Also, the FIFA U-20 World Cup is coming up, and we'll be planning a few events this summer to keep the the stadium in the front of people's minds.

Thanks again for your support on the stadium. Let's do everything we can to make it happen!

Yours in Sport,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

Council Votes Unanimously to Move Revised Stadium Site Forward!

2007-02-01T21:06:00.000-08:00

Once again, Vancouver City Council has voted unanimously to proceed with the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. After listening to 15 speakers, which included presentations from the Whitecaps, Friends of Soccer and Stadium Now!, Council made the decision to adapt the latest City Staff report and to begin a new round of public consultation. If all goes well, the city could send the stadium project to a formal rezoning process by June, and construction could be completed in time for the 2010 Olympics.

During the council session, the handful of stadium opponents mostly rehashed issues that were addressed in the previous hearings. However, City Council raised concerns about the effects the revised waterfront stadium site would have on the Seabus Terminal, as well as the need for the Whitecaps and the Port to reach agreement with federal government agencies. These are among the issues that will be addressed in the upcoming Open Houses and Public Hearings.

As the stadium moves a step closer, your support becomes even more important. Council mentioned more than once the broad public support the stadium project has received, and it's because the Citizens of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland have stepped up to the plate to let them know. To find out more on how you can support the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium, visit www.friendsofsoccer.org

Friends of Soccer's Presentation to City Council

2007-02-01T20:57:00.000-08:00

Here are the remarks made to Council on behalf of Friends of Soccer on February 1.

Good afternoon,

I'm Bill Currie and I'm here on behalf of the thousands of Citizens who support the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium and let you know through the Friends of Soccer movement.

I'd like to begin by thanking City Staff, Councill and the Whitecaps for working so hard to bring the stadium proposal to this stage. It goes to show what can happen when we focus on what's possible and not on what's negative or difficult.

I want to help alleviate the concerns mentioned by one of the previous speakers on the fairness of the process and the applicant providing the funds. As we all know the Whitecaps were required to pay for the previous round of public hearings run by the City. And the City Staff report that came of it shows that the Whitecaps truly listened and consulted with the community to find solutions. There were concerns about how the stadium would fit with Gastown...the Whitecaps listened and moved it farther away. There were concerns about the stadium being built over railroad tracks...the Whitecaps listened and now it's on the Waterfront. Council instructed the Whitecaps to reach a deal with The Port of Vancouver. They've been successful in working with the Port as well as their neighbours. Throughout the process, the Whitecaps have been open and willing to listen to anyone with concerns. And they've told us that will continue.

We're also gratified to see that the report states that there is no further need to search for alternate sites. This is already the 5th site considered by the Whitecaps, and we believe it is by far the best. Besides the iconic views, which has been mentioned several times, it's unprecedented access to every mode of public transit makes it one of the most environmentally friendly stadiums in the world.

In the last round of public consultation, the Citizens of Vancouver gave you a definitive mandate to move ahead with the waterfront stadium project without any further delays. And that still holds today. Every public consultation City Hall has done on the issue shows overwhelming support among citizens. You already know that there are scores of community groups and sports organizations that want to see this happen. Downtown and Chinatown BIA's support the project. Tourism Vancouver, the Vancouver Board of Trade....the list goes on and on and on.

This process began because 4 years ago the mayor at the time identified the need for a mid-sized stadium to host soccer, rugby and community events. We needed it then...and we still need one now regardless of what happens to our other downtown venue. In the 4 years we've talked about this, Soccer Specific Stadiums have been planned, zoned, and constructed in Los Angeles, Chicago, New Jersey, Charleston, Rochester, Atlanta, Dallas, Washington and Toronto. They are in the planning stages in at least 3 other North American cities, including Montreal. So, every day we go without one is a lost opportunity for our sports, but more importantly our city.

Just on the soccer front, In the last three years alone Vancouver has missed out on North American tours by Manchester United, Celtic, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. In 2005, we had to travel to Seattle to watch Canada's "home" games in the CONCACAF Gold Cup (North America's equivalent to the European Championships). This July, Swangard will only be able to host preliminary games of the U-20 World Cup. Not the Semi-Final or the Final. The Rugby and Tennis community can also tell you of the international events they would like to hold if they had a proper stadium. Any one of these events puts Vancouver on a global stage comparable to the Winter Olympics.

Fortunately, there are even bigger opportunities on the horizon. That's why we need to stay focussed on having the stadium built in time for 2010. Beyond the Olympics, a new stadium will open the door for the Whitecaps to join Major League Soccer if that's the road they want to choose. On an even larger scale, the new stadium will strengthen Canada's bid for the 2011 Women's World Cup and no place would be more appropriate to hold the final than Vancouver.

So let's keep moving forward. Let's continue to work together to find solutions and solve issues. Thank you.

Whitecaps make major strides on a New Stadium

2007-01-23T16:08:00.001-08:00

From the Whitecaps:

Jan. 22, 2007

REPORT TO COUNCIL RECOMMENDS PROCESS WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY RESOLVE KEY ISSUES

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Today Vancouver city staff submitted a report to Council which recommends a process that could potentially resolve the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium’s five key requirements set out by City Council last July. In addition, the report outlines a procedure to integrate the stadium with the Waterfront Hub Study. The report will be presented at a City Council meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 1.

“Since the last City Council meeting in July, we have been actively working to address the five key requirements,” said Whitecaps Director of Soccer Operations Bob Lenarduzzi. “Through our discussions with the Port Authority, we are now proposing a revised stadium site which has the potential to resolve or mitigate the five key issues.”

The new proposed site is situated slightly west of the previously proposed site, just north of the CP Rail tracks, on the waterfront and near the SeaBus hub.

The five key requirements the Whitecaps are working with the City and stakeholders to resolve are the following:

Provision of an adequate street network
Resolution of the risks and liability associated with dangerous goods in the rail lands
Reconfiguration of the stadium structure to ensure a better fit with Gastown
Resolution of impacts on the liveability of residential areas south of the rail lands
Resolution of impacts on future Port Lands development

As part of the process there will be a number of opportunities for the public to provide input on the proposal through one-on-one meetings, public open houses and workshops.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the City, stakeholders and public to ensure that the stadium is an asset to the community,” added Lenarduzzi. “Although we are optimistic about the new proposed site, there is still a lot of work to be done between now and June in order to move forward to the rezoning process.”

The recommended process is scheduled to be completed in June 2007, at that time Council will decide whether the five key requirements can be resolved sufficiently to proceed to a rezoning process. If approved, the stadium will follow a timeline which would see it ready in early 2010.

The proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium would be located adjacent to Vancouver’s transit hub making it easily accessible from the new Canada Line, SkyTrain, SeaBus, West Coast Express, Helijet and numerous bus routes. The multi-purpose venue would accommodate year-round events including more than 30 Whitecaps Men’s and Women’s games, Canadian national team soccer matches, international sporting events such as rugby and tennis, concerts, and community festivals.

"We're not done yet!" - What the Stadium Vote Means

2006-07-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

It would be nice if the unanimous Council vote on July 11 meant that the stadium issue was solved and we could all look forward to bringing our families to a Whitecaps game in Gastown in a few years.

However, it's not that simple.

What Council decided to do on Tuesday was to make the Whitecaps Stadium a City priority and to give the Whitecaps a chance to address the key requirements laid out in the City Hall staff report to make the site work. These are:

• Provision of an adequate street network;

• Resolution of risks and liability associated with dangerous goods in the rail lands;

• Reconfiguration of the stadium structure to ensure a better ‘fit’ with Gastown;

• Resolution of impacts on the livability of residential areas south of the rail lands and impacts on future Port Lands development

Although we still could be up to 2 years away from the start of construction, the decision is a huge endorsement of the stadium by City Hall. The massive support for the stadium shown by the Citizens of Vancouver was a major factor in getting the unanimous vote.

But there's still going to be at least another public process, and possibly more. So, we're not done yet. We still need your help.

One thing we learned from this public process is that your letters, e-mails and phone calls to council are extremely powerful. Councillors don't often hear from people who aren't regularly involved in politics, so when thousands of ordinary citizens take the time to contact them on an issue, they pay close attention. We'll need more of these in the near future.

One thing we knew all long is that we should never engage in the negativity or misinformation tactics used by some (but not all) of our stadium opponents. Throughout the process, those of you who wrote and spoke to Council countered these arguments with calm, rational responses backed by facts. I've always believed that it's this type of conduct that carries the day, and it was rewarded on Tuesday when Council were unanimous in backing the stadium.

The City's work on the stadium will continue within the framework of a larger Waterfront Hub study. That means you don't only have a say on the stadium, but you can also contribute the type of downtown waterfront we would all like to have. It's also good opportunity to build more bridges with our Gastown neighbours, including those who were in opposition to the stadium. No doubt, there will be some who are implacable and will try to put up obstacles along the way. But we need to see beyond this to the bigger picture, where the stadium will become a prized community asset and a revitalized Gastown will become a point of pride for our great city. I urge you to take that next step today by visiting and supporting Gastown.

Yours in Sport,

Bill Currie

Friends of Soccer

Unanimous Decision! Thank You!

2006-07-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

The unanimous decision of Council on Tuesday, July 11 came through the efforts of literally thousands of people. There are a lot of people to thank, and I hope you'll join me in thanking some of them.

First off, Mayor Sullivan and every member of City Council deserves our thanks. Being a Councillor is often a thankless job. Some of them faced intense pressure from our opponents, and have their own personal doubts about the stadium. But when it came time to make a decision, they showed courage and leadership and did what was right for Vancouver. I'm sure they would appreciate your thanks and support as well. Please take a moment to write to them at mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca .

Councillors Suzanne Anton and Peter Ladner deserve special thanks. They have been champions for the stadium from day one, and they worked hard to convince council that it was important and that it can be done! They are outstanding public servants who are truly in touch with the Citizens of Vancouver. Please give them your thanks and support.

The thousands of you who wrote or phoned City Council or signed the "Build the Stadium Now!" banner truly made the difference. Councillors don't often hear from people who aren't regularly involved in politics, so when thousands of ordinary citizens take the time to contact them on an issue, they pay close attention. There is no "Friends of Soccer" movement without you. Thank you...and don't go away! We'll need you again soon!

A special thank you to those of you who spoke at council in favour of the stadium. Public speaking isn't easy, and many of you faced tough questioning after your presentations. My real job prevented me from being at Council every night. But my wife, Monique, was there for me and she was always struck by how the positivity and eloquence of your arguments stood head and shoulders above the rash judgements and fear-mongering by some of our opponents. You were all superb, and you gave a human face to the overwhelming support.

Thank you to the numerous Community groups and business organizations that openly supported and spoke in favour of the stadium. Despite Councillor Louie's claims that speakers in the Council chambers were divided 50-50, we were all in fact asked by City Hall (through the Whitecaps) to limit our speakers to representatives from our groups. Many of these organizations alone could have brought out hundreds of speakers, but we respected Council's request and the several groups that spoke in favour of the stadium actually represented thousands of people. From our opponents, all but 3 of their speakers were members of the same group. Even today, our opponents still number a few dozen...not the overwhelming majority that the stadium support enjoys.

Thank you to John Knox, whose work exposed the financing and true intentions behind the anti-stadium campaign. Without your help, we would not have known that we had to defeat a high-priced, well connected PR firm...but we did.

Thank you to John Kostiuk, founder of Gastown's Stadium Now! group and the growing number of businesses and residents who have risen above the unacceptable bullying and intimidation tactics from our opponents. We share your vision of a lively, vibrant, revitalized Gastown and we're ready to support you every step of the way!

Most important personally, I'd like to thank my wife, Monique, for her love, support, tolerance, understanding, and ultimately, great gusto for the cause. When she decided to jump in with me, it was with both feet and she really made a huge impact in the run-up to the council meetings. She inspires and drives me daily, and I certainly could not undertaken this movement without her blessing.

One cannot thank the Whitecaps organization enough. Their vision for what soccer can be in this city and country is remarkable, and they have never lost sight of how they can be a positive influence on the community along the way. John Rocha, Bob Lennarduzzi and Rachel Lewis have always been open to to our ideas, and they're willing to listen to anyone in the community who has issues and concerns. They're the type of neighbour everyone should hope for.

Finally, and most important to us all, friends of our city and our sport owe Mr. Kerfoot our enormous gratitude. I have never spoken with him, nor does he say much publicly. But you can always tell a man's true intentions through his actions. Through the fields of SFU and the National Training Centre in Surrey, and his generous gift to the Women's National Soccer team, Mr. Kerfoot has made it clear through his actions that his selfless commitment to soccer is for the right reasons. His commitment to overcome any hurdle to create an inclusive community asset in our city also speaks volumes about the man.

Thank you, sir.

Sincerely,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

Friends of Soccer Open Letter to Council on Whitecaps Stadium Hearings

2006-07-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Mayor and Council,

As the founder of the Friends of Soccer movement, which represents thousands of Citizens who support the Whitecaps stadium project, I'm writing to answer some of the questions recently raised by council in regard to finding an “alternate site” for the stadium as well as the use of BC Place. We urge you to focus your efforts on the current proposed location and to properly consult with the Whitecaps, the soccer and sports community before suggesting an alternative business plan for the Whitecaps.

As you are already aware, the current downtown location is already an alternate site...the fourth considered, in fact. Fortunately, it has turned out to be the best possible site. The unparalleled access to transit makes the waterfront site the most accessible stadium in North America. The stadium will be built within walking distance for over 100,000 who live and work in the downtown peninsula everyday. As we know from City Council's recent opposition to the Gateway project, a prime objective of your government is to limit incoming traffic to Vancouver. Common sense dictates that having a stadium located at the terminus of every transit line is an effective way of achieving this. Even if an “alternate site” were located along a single Skytrain line, it would not serve the transit needs of the entire Lower Mainland. The net result of an “alternate site” would mean thousands of extra cars on Vancouver streets.

The Citizens of Vancouver have also spoken decisively in favour of this site. Your own public consultation on the proposal showed 67% support for this site among those who attended the open houses. A stunning 78% of the letters and e-mails you received were in favour of the proposed stadium. On June 27, you saw the 5000 signatures of citizens on the Friends of Soccer “Build the Stadium Now!” banner. Council has also received over 1000 postcards from citizens which say very clearly on the front “Build the Whitecaps Stadium Now!”. This site has the support of over 40 Gastown merchants who we now know faced intimidation and boycott threats from our small number of opponents. The Downtown and Chinatown BIAs support the site. Tourism Vancouver, the Vancouver Board of Trade and countless community groups support the site. On top of this, Vancouver's sports community has discovered its united voice on this issue.

To force the Citizens of Vancouver to start a new public process on a new site at this advanced stage is extremely disrespectful to the thousands of people who rose up and participated in local politics for the first time in their lives. That is why we will interpret any position proposing an alternate site as a deferral strategy, designed to avoid the real issue. To pursue this, without consulting the Whitecaps is disrespectful to them as applicants and completely ignoring the fact that they have come so far, with the City's assistance to where they are today. Had council consulted with the Whitecaps before pursuing this line of questioning, you would have known that an exhaustive search for several sites had already been completed.

Had you consulted the Whitecaps supporters, you would have already known that BC Place was rejected by Vancouver soccer fans over 15 years ago. For soccer to thrive, we need a stadium that provides scale, intimacy and atmosphere, something that cavernous BC Place cannot provide in any configuration. We need a stadium where the Whitecaps have a say over their home dates, not where it's dictated to them. We need a stadium that is capable of serving the rugby community, the tennis community and the multitude of user groups who are lining up behind the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium proposal. If BC Place truly was a viable option, don't you think these user groups would already be there by now?

When the vote comes down next week, we need your leadership on this issue. The Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium is the single most important development in the history of Canadian Soccer, and it is already years overdue. We have a benefactor who, for now, is willing to contribute this incredible facility to our sport and our city. We now know from your City Planners that the stadium proposal can participate in the Central Waterfront Hub Study. We know that the Whitecaps are capable of working closely with its neighbours, including the Port Authority who have offered to cooperate. And we have the overwhelming support of the Citizens of Vancouver. What we need now is your courage and leadership to rise above the criticism of a few dozen vocal opponents. We're ready to throw our complete support behind you if you move the waterfront stadium process forward. But we can't do that unless you support the massive majority of citizens who see the stadium as the “highest and best use” for the proposed site.

Sincerely,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer

Vancouver Port Authority: "We Support the Stadium in Principle"

2006-06-26T11:33:00.000-07:00

The Whitecaps Stadium proposal received a major boost today from an article in the Globe and Mail. On the front page of the BC section, the Vancouver Port Authority publicly announced that they support the stadium and are willing to work with the Whitecaps to sort out key issues.

"We support the stadium in principle," said Anne McMullin, a spokeswoman for the authority. "We see this as an interesting concept and we would like to work with the owner to address issues of road and rail.

But she said the Whitecaps organization must keep in mind that the port has its own development plans for the central waterfront area.

"Of course we wouldn't want the [stadium plan] to impact on any of our opportunities," she said.

The full text of the article can be found here.

Hundreds Show Support For Stadium at Chinatown Night Market

2006-06-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

Hundreds Show Support For Stadium at Chinatown Night Market
Friends of Soccer Banner now at over 4000 signatures

Several Hundred citizens showed their support for the Whitecaps Stadium on Saturday night at the Chinatown Night Market on Keefer Street. The Friends of Soccer banner, which now has over 4000 signatures on it, appeared at the Night Market at the invitation of the Vancouver Chinatown Merchants Association. We were also joined by John Kostiuk, founder of Stadium Now and Whitecaps Legend Bob Lenarduzzi. All of us thoroughly enjoyed this colourful event, and were overwhelmed by the warmth and enthusiasm of people towards the stadium.

The Whitecaps Stadium – On June 27th, it's up to you...

2006-06-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Since October, I've been trying to send the message through Friends of Soccer that Citizens have the power to make the Whitecaps Stadium a reality. The thousands of you who have responded through your letters, e-mails, postcards, and signatures on the "Build the Stadium Now!" banner have made this effort one of the most gratifying experiences in my life. For those of you who've taken a few minutes of your day to tell a city councillor how important this stadium is to our sport and our city, I want to take this opportunity to say thank you.

But there's still one thing left to do.

Show up.

On Tuesday, June 27, at 7:30 PM, City Council will meet to decide whether the Whitecaps Stadium can move on to the next step, or be delayed for years yet again. If you support the stadium, it's vital for you to be there. They'll be hearing the arguments, both for and against, from Citizens just like yourself. They want to know for certain that the Citizens of Vancouver are behind the stadium, and that they'll support the councillors who show real leadership, vision and courage on this project. Whether you choose to speak, or just watch, your presence at City Hall can make all the difference on June 27.

Please, make plans to be at City Hall on Tuesday evening, even if it's just to support those of us who'll be speaking to Council. If you feel you can make a strong argument for the stadium, then please sign up to speak. Either way, we need you.

For myself, as much as I love the game, the debate on the stadium has never been about soccer. It's about the type of city we want to live in. It's about whether we allow someone to use their own money to create a gathering place for all of the Citizens of Vancouver, or if we decide to make this land yet another exclusive enclave. It's about whether the downtown core is open for all Citizens of Vancouver, or just those who can afford to own there. It's about whether Citizens run Vancouver, or just a select few. By supporting the stadium, you and thousands of Citizens have already stepped forward and told City Council about the Vancouver they want to see.

Thanks once again. I hope to see you on Tuesday, June 27.

Sincerely,
Bill Currie
Friends of Soccer
www.friendsofsoccer.com

P.S. There are two ways to register to speak at Tuesday's public hearing. Please call Nicole Ludwig, Meeting Coordinator at 604.871.6399, email nicole.ludwig@vancouver.ca. Or, go to the meeting about 30 minutes early and register to speak at the sign-up table. Speakers are limited to five minutes for their comments, and should be prepared to answer questions from City Council. Your written comments are still welcome as well. Simply e-mail City Council at mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca .

FORMER MAYORS CAMPBELL & OWEN ENDORSE WHITECAPS STADIUM!

2006-06-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

A News Release From Whitecaps FC....

FORMER MAYORS UNITE TO ENDORSE WATERFRONT STADIUM

Larry Campbell and Philip Owen agree that City Council should make the stadium a priority

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Former City of Vancouver Mayors Larry Campbell and Philip Owen are speaking out in favour of the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. They also encourage City Council to make the project a priority so it will be ready as soon as possible.

“During my tenure as Mayor it became abundantly clear that we are lacking a mid-size outdoor stadium venue in the heart of Vancouver,” said Senator Campbell, who is also in favour of the proposed site. “It is an ideal location for a stadium. It has great access to public transportation, will assist in the on-going revitalization of the area and will be a world-class landmark for the City and Province.”

“I wholeheartedly support this project,” agreed Owen. “Located in the hub of all five modes of public transportation, this is a visionary project, and is much needed. It will not only be a home for the Whitecaps but will also host international rugby and tennis tournaments, outdoor concerts and numerous community and ethnic festivals.”

A recent Mustel survey shows that the opinion of Owen and Campbell is shared by the majority of Vancouverites, with 71 per cent of residents supporting the project. The Community Consultation Report completed for the City of Vancouver also found strong majority support with 67 per cent approval. Most recently the City of Vancouver Staff Recommendation Policy Report revealed that 78 per cent of the emails and letters received by the City are pro-stadium.

In addition to the overwhelming public support identified in the staff recommendation, the report identified five key requirements that need to be addressed in order for the project to be successful. Campbell and Owen believe that these requirements can be met and that the project should be prioritized.

“I understand there are issues that need to be resolved, and I am confident they can be addressed in a reasonable timeframe,” said Campbell.

“I strongly believe that Vancouver City Council should prioritize the project so it can be ready in time to start seizing both international and local events and hosting opportunities,” added Owen.

On Tuesday, June 27 at 7:30 p.m. Vancouver City Council will hold a special council meeting to decide on the future of the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. Supporters of the project are encouraged to communicate their position to the Mayor and Council. For more information on the proposed stadium visit www.whitecapsnewstadium.com or www.city.vancouver.bc.ca.

Friends of Soccer Joins Hands With Chinese Community On New Whitecaps Stadium

2006-06-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

Grassroots Pro-Stadium Group Invited to Chinatown Night Market

Friends of Soccer, a grassroots movement that supports the proposed Whitecaps Stadium, announced today that they've accepted a generous offer from Vancouver's Chinese Community to participate in the Chinatown Night Market. Friends of Soccer will appear with their "Build The Stadium Now!" banner at the Chinatown Night Market on Saturday, June 24, from 6:30 PM - 11:30 PM. The banner currently has over 3000 signatures from citizens who support the Whitecaps stadium.

"We're honoured to be invited to meet with the people of Chinatown. They have been enthusiastic and generous with their support for the stadium from the start," said Friends of Soccer founder Bill Currie. "Just as our sport unites the people of the world, the Whitecaps Stadium will do the same for our communities. For Vancouver to continue to thrive, we need to have venues that truly reflect the diversity and inclusiveness of our city. We sincerely hope the Whitecaps Stadium will be the first of many."

The Chinese community has strongly endorsed the Whitecaps Stadium proposal through letters of support to the Mayor and City Council. Below are excerpts from letters written to council by the Vancouver Chinatown Merchants Association, S.U.C.C.E.S.S., and the Chinatown Business Improvement Association. (Used with permission)

"Both the City of Vancouver and ourselves have been and continue to be endeavouring on the revitalization of Chinatown and Gastown. We believe this project will serve as a catalyst for the revitalization process. You would concur that for many years, we have been exploring ideas of creating a safe passage for pedestrians to travel between Chinatown and Gastown; a stadium would be the ideal connector since in addition to hosting sporting events, it can also host cultural events." (VCMA)

"We believe the stadium proposed for the west side of Gastown is ideal both in location and its proximity to our Chinatown area and many key areas of Vancouver. The access to public transit, the views of the mountains and water, the interesting heritage of Gastown and Chinatown make this a very favourable destination. As in all major projects, we are certain that the technical aspects can be worked out as the process continues. It will be a world class facility that will make Vancouver very proud." (S.U.C.C.E.S.S.)

"Let's use this generous and fortunate offer to everyone's advantage. Let's build a facility that can capture the energy and spirit of our diverse and wonderful city". (Chinatown BIA)

Friends of Soccer is a grassroots movement that supports soccer projects as well as the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. Bill Currie and the Friends of Soccer (www.friendsofsoccer.org) urge all citizens of Vancouver to continue to write, phone and visit City Hall on June 27th to make their voices heard.

"City Council Has Mandate to Build Stadium."

2006-06-15T16:14:00.000-07:00

Friends of Soccer comments at June 14's Stadium Now Media Conference.

"Good morning everyone. Friends of Soccer is a grassroots movement dedicated to providing a voice in this process for citizens. Through letters, e-mails, phone calls to councillors, and through these postcards, Friends of Soccer has been the gateway for over 1000 citizens to contact their elected representatives."

"We heard about the formation of Stadium Now and offered to help in any way we could to spread the word about the growing support for the stadium in Gastown, and to provide information to folks so they could make an informed decision."

"Today, for the first time ever we are unveiling our “BUILD THE STADIUM NOW” banner which is making its way across our City. We look forward to giving your supporters a chance to add names to the over 2,500 who have already expressed their desire to see the stadium built NOW in Gastown."

"Throughout this process, citizens of Vancouver have shown overwhelming support for the stadium and have given our City Council a mandate to build it now. The Whitecaps have been open, transparent and cooperative and their vision to work with communities on the issues is outstanding. We are honoured to bring the banner “home” and then continue its journey until we reach City Hall on June 27th."

GASTOWN BUSINESSES, MERCHANTS AND RESIDENTS BACK WHITECAPS WATERFRONT STADIUM

2006-06-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

GASTOWN BUSINESSES, MERCHANTS AND RESIDENTS BACK WHITECAPS WATERFRONT STADIUM
Stadium NOW! asks City Council to prioritize Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium

From Stadium Now!

GASTOWN, B.C. – Stadium NOW!, a collection of Gastown business, merchants and residents, continues to increase membership, pledges to maintain open communication with the Whitecaps and asks City Council to prioritize the project.

“I formed Stadium NOW! to give a voice to the growing support in Gastown for the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium,” said John Kostiuk, resident of Gastown and founder of Stadium NOW!. “Today we have close to 30 groups, including commercial property owners, residents, retailers, restaurants and pubs that are informed and engaged in open dialogue with the Whitecaps to ensure that Gastown receives the best stadium possible.”

Stadium NOW! members live, own businesses or own property in the immediate vicinity of the proposed site and have taken a proactive approach by participating in the civic process while actively providing accurate information regarding the waterfront stadium.

Arni May, Owner of Rossini's Restaurant and Jazz Club and member of Stadium NOW! echoes the sentiments of many of the Stadium NOW! supporters and welcome the Whitecaps to the neighbourhood. “As we say at Rossini's, ‘Welcome to the family'. You are now a part of our community, and we will treat you like family. This means we won't always agree, but we'll get through it because we're all in this together. Through our conversations with the Whitecaps we believe that the requirements identified by the City can be met and together we will build a stadium which will be a great benefit for everyone.”

In addition to the growing support in Gastown, Friends of Soccer, a grassroots movement made up of soccer enthusiast, are working with Stadium NOW! in order to spread the word about the stadium.

“We heard about the formation of Stadium NOW! and offered to help provide information to folks so they could make an informed decision,” said Bill Currie, founder of Friends of Soccer. “To date we have received tremendous support from all over the Lower Mainland including Gastown. Last week Friends of Soccer submitted over 600 written postcards to Council and Mayor and on June 27 we will present the ‘BUILD THE STADIUM NOW' banner which has well over 2,500 signatures.”

Stadium NOW! and Friends of Soccer both believe the project provides a foundation for the ongoing reinvigoration of Gastown, and urge Mayor and Council to move the project forward and prioritize it on June 27, 2006. For more information visit www.stadiumnow.org and www.friendsofsoccer.org.

www.friendsofsoccer.org

A Guide to Speaking to City Council at The June 27 City Hall Meeting

2006-06-08T12:18:00.000-07:00

Some people have asked how they can arrange to speak to City Council in favour of the stadium proposal on June 27. I highly encourage you to do so! City Council needs to hear from all of us, and especially so on the day of the big vote.

Below are the instructions on how to register to speak. It comes directly from the City Hall Website.
_______________________________________________________________________________________

You are encouraged to contact members of Vancouver City Council individually about issues of concern.

The Mayor and Councillors are accessible via mail, fax, phone or e-mail. You can write to Mayor and Council at:

City of Vancouver
453 West 12th Avenue
Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 1V4

E-mail: mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca

Another way to participate in local government is to present your opinions to City Council at a meeting. Anyone may ask to speak to Council. It's called being a "delegation." However, you can only speak about an item that is on the agenda for that particular meeting. More information on how to speak to Council.

City Council conducts most of its official functions in six types of meetings. The Whitecaps Stadium meeting is a:

Special Council Meetings (see Meetings Schedule).
This meeting is open for the public to attend. Members of the public are also welcome to speak at these meetings (with some stipulations).

How do I speak to Council?

Anyone may ask to speak to Council. It's called being a "delegation." However, you can only speak about an item that is on the agenda for that particular meeting.

Special Council Meetings
Council can also hold a Special Council Meeting on any subject on which it wishes to hear speakers. This is the type of meeting that is scheduled for June 27

How do I register to speak at a Special Council Meeting?
There are two ways to register to speak at a public hearing:

For information about the council meeting, or to register to speak, please call Nicole Ludwig, Meeting Coordinator at 604.871.6399, email nicole.ludwig@vancouver.ca.

Go to the meeting about 30 minutes early and register to speak at the sign-up table.

Here are some tips about speaking to Council:

Keep your presentation brief. Council may have to hear numerous presentations, especially on controversial issues. For everyone to be heard, and a decision to be made, Council limits speaking time to five minutes each (except at Public Hearings).
Council may ask you questions after your presentation.
If you need audio-visual equipment for your presentation, arrange for it well ahead of time by calling the City Clerk's Office at 604-873-7276.
If you are bringing written submissions for Council, please bring at least 15 copies with you.

If you do not wish to speak to Council but still want to express your views, you may submit a letter or other written document. Unless you are taking copies to the meeting, written submissions should reach the City Clerk's Office at least one day before the meeting to be sure they can be distributed in time.

Council Decisions

City Council has made a decision when members of Council vote on a motion. A motion will be made on all issues that require a decision or direction from City Council.

If you have made a presentation to City Council, you will receive correspondence in the mail outlining the decision that was reached. Decisions of City Council are available one week following the meeting through the City Clerk's office and on the City's website.

Contact the City Clerk's Office at 604-873-7276 if you are not clear on what has been decided.

Edits from Vancouver.ca website

Whitecaps in tune With "Stadiums of the Future"

2006-06-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

Now that we're on the eve of the World Cup, I thought I'd point out an interesting article from the BBC that talks about how stadiums are now being designed throughout Europe. It includes interesting comments from renowned architect Rod Sheard. I urge everyone, especially City Councillors, to read it and take note:

"The big change that's happened in recent years, and will be a real change in the next 20, is that city planners have started to realise how important these buildings are in city centres. ...Back in the 60s and 70s, they were felt to be 'bad neighbour' buildings and were pushed out of town, and disconnected from the transport infrastructure, meaning they had to be surrounded by a swathe of car parks...People now realise that was a totally wrong model, and that these are great buildings to have in a city centre. That is pretty well recognised as the model for the future."

The full text of the article can be found here.

Vancouver Sun Endorses Whitecaps Stadium by 2010!

2006-06-03T08:36:00.000-07:00

A Vancouver Sun editorial in Saturday's paper urges City Hall to expedite the Whitecaps Stadium project so it can be ready in time for 2010.

"...there should be enough time to do it if councillors don't dither. City Hall staff has already demonstrated that when given the ball it can Bend it like Beckham. Council should fast-track the redevelopment plan and execute it before the world arrives in 2010."

Here's the link:

Here's The Link!

CITY HALL REPORT REVEALS 78% SUPPORT FOR WHITECAPS STADIUM

2006-06-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

FRIENDS OF SOCCER
OFFICIAL MEDIA RELEASE

June 1, 2006

CITY HALL REPORT REVEALS 78% SUPPORT FOR WHITECAPS STADIUM
Friends of Soccer call for expedited process

The City Hall policy report on the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium was unveiled on Wednesday. It revealed that 78% of Lower Mainland residents who contacted the City Planning department are in favour of building the stadium on the downtown waterfront. The report also set out a series of requirements the Whitecaps need to address to move the project forward,

The recommendations were:

• Provision of an adequate street network
• Resolution of risks and liability associated with dangerous goods in the rail lands
• Reconfiguration of the stadium structure to ensure a better ‘fit’ with Gastown
• Resolution of impacts on the livability of residential areas south of the rail lands and impacts on future Port Lands development

“In all, this is very positive news,” said Friends of Soccer founder Bill Currie. “The Whitecaps now know exactly what they need to do to move forward, and they seem confident that they can partner with all of the stakeholders involved. We support the Whitecaps completely in this endeavour, and trust that the last six months will help expedite the process as the stadium moves towards the re-zoning phase.”

“Every step of the way, the Whitecaps have been open and transparent, and the Citizens of Vancouver responded by showing overwhelming support for this much needed facility. It's an incredible gift to the City from the Whitecaps, and we should exhaust every option possible to ensure that the stadium is built in time for 2010. I encourage everyone to contact City Council and tell your politicians to show real leadership on this issue. Let's get a certain time frame for the process and capture this opportunity that will bring a world class facility to our world class city.”

City Council will hold a special meeting on the stadium proposal on June 27. Bill Currie and the Friends of Soccer (www.friendsofsoccer.org) urge all citizens of Vancouver to continue to write, phone and visit City Hall on June 27th to make their voices heard. Friends of Soccer is a grassroots movement that supports soccer projects as well as the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium.

A Cheer for The Whitecaps Stadium

2006-05-31T11:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a fantastic article from The Tyee by Helena Grdadolnik. Helena is an architecture critic and an instructor at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. She sees the concept of utilizing the land to build more high-rise condos as a self-serving argument for developers:

"Gastown has never provided a connection to the waterfront. In fact, the historic fabric turns its back to the water. I would argue that to follow Jon Stovell's suggestion and replicate Coal Harbour's condo towers set in park land with panoramic views on the land north of Gastown would be more disrespectful to the tight urban form of the historic area than an entertainment district at the base of a stadium that incorporates appropriate scale and massing for the context."

I encourage everyone to read her thought provoking article:

http://thetyee.ca/Views/2006/05/31/Whitecaps/

An Open Letter to City Council from Friends of Soccer

2006-05-30T00:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Mayor Sullivan and Council

My name is Bill Currie and I'm a West End resident. I'm also the founder of the Friends of Soccer movement (www.friendsofsoccer.org). Since October, Friends of Soccer has been educating and encouraging the Citizens of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland to express their support for the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium through letters, e-mails, phone calls & postcards. Although you may not recognize us as of yet, over 1000 citizens have used our movement to contact you and your colleagues in the month of May alone. In fact, Council will be receiving delivery of over 600 postcards in favour of the Whitecaps stadium on Tuesday, May 30.

As you are no doubt aware, the proposed stadium enjoys broad, deep, overwhelming support among the voters of Vancouver. As you are also no doubt aware, the city's technical report cites concerns as well. As citizens, we all want to ensure a safe, accessible facility. However, we believe that these concerns are best addressed through a proper re-zoning process, where the Whitecaps are allowed to submit a proper design without the artificial constraints placed on them in the high-level review process. It would allow for an additional round of indepth public consultation that would address these issues. An extended Waterfront Hub study represents an unacceptable delay for this much needed facility, and we feel that in the end, the result of such a study will only serve the interests of condo developers, architects and urban designers; not the citizens of Vancouver.

I understand that you are under intense pressure from the small number of opponents to this project. I also understand that there is internal pressure as well from City Staff, and in some cases, former campaign staff. Please listen to their concerns, of course. But, I also invite you to consider the need for this project and to listen to what the vast majority of citizens are saying. Our website www.friendsofsoccer.org provides a plethora of articles and information on the benefits the stadium will bring. Between now and the upcoming June vote, I will be forwarding you all that we write, and I'll be encouraging the Citizens of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland to contact you to show their support for this project. After all, it's the Citizens of Vancouver who should always have the final say over what serves the greater public interest.

Sincerely Yours,

Bill Currie

Friends of Soccer

Stadium Architect Dismisses Critics' "Slogans of Judgement".

2006-05-27T13:55:00.000-07:00

Whitecaps stadium architect Graham McGarva gave a well-written defence to recent criticism of the stadium proposal in a letter to the editor in Saturday's Vancouver Sun. The stadium proposal, which enjoys overwhelming support from a vast majority of Vancouver citizens, was criticized this week by local architects Bing Thom and Arthur Erickson.

"Vancouver's genius has been to harvest the collective collaboration of many points of view, and reaching an excellence of urbanity that is recognized worldwide as being far superior to thunderbolts of architectural ego.", Mr. McGarva said in his letter. "We believe that the best foundation for a waterfront hub master plan is our vision for contributing, through private investment, a community asset that adds vitality to the city on a sustainable basis."

Mr. McGarva's firm, Via Architecture, has a distinguished record when it comes to urban design along Vancouver's Waterfront, transportation infrastructure, and combining modern design within a heritage framework. Some of Via's recent award winning urban design & planning projects include:

Concord Pacific Place
Quayside Village (Yaletown)
System Wide Design for both the Millenium & Expo Skytrain lines
The Roundhouse Community Centre & Neighbourhood
General Motors Place

"If you look at the scope of Via's projects, you can certainly tell who's truly responsible for creating the modern Vancouver we live, work and travel in everyday." said Friends of Soccer organizer and West End resident Bill Currie. "While Mr. Erickson and Mr.Thom have wonderful accomplishments of their own, neither of them have had anywhere near the influence over Vancouver's Waterfront as Mr. McGarva's firm has."

"Via Architecture's revolutionary design for the Roundhouse Community Centre is a prime example of their ability to combine heritage with modern urban design. They created a venue that is welcoming and inclusive for all Vancouver Citizens; not just it's elites. To suggest that Mr. MrGarva is incapable of creating a fantastic stadium for the downtown area is just prepostorous. It flies in the face of the reality that is Vancouver " said Currie.

Via Architecture is also responsible for the urban planning ideals behind General Motors Place, one of the most successful private arena developments in North America. Neither Mr.Erickson or Mr.Thom have successfully built a sports stadium, although Mr.Thom recently put forward a design for the 2010 Olympics Speed Skating Oval that was consequently rejected.

While there are conceptual drawings of the stadium (Click here to see), there is currently no formal design for the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. Design concerns will be addressed once the proposal goes to the re-zoning stage following a June 15 vote by City Council.

"We have faith in Vancouver, its people and its civic processes, and trust eventually we may be asked what our stadium proposal actually is," Mr. McGarva wrote in his letter. "We are welcoming the input that the high level review is providing, and are in tune with its findings. Rome was not built in a day, and the book of life is far richer and more complex than a one-day headline, trumpeting misunderstandings, and turning intelligent questions into slogans of judgment."

The full content of Mr.McGarva's letter can be found below. To support the pro-stadium campaign, please visit www.friendsofsoccer.org.

Saturday, May 27, 2006
Re: Architects join anti-stadium camp, May 25

Vancouver's genius has been to harvest the collective collaboration of many points of view, and reaching an excellence of urbanity that is recognized worldwide as being far superior to thunderbolts of architectural ego. The "reference scenario" of the Waterfront Stadium for the Whitecaps soccer team is just what the term says, an artificially isolated scenario that is an opening frame of reference for the process of dialogue that we are now about to begin.

We believe that the best foundation for a waterfront hub master plan is our vision for contributing, through private investment, a community asset that adds vitality to the city on a sustainable basis.

We have faith in Vancouver, its people and its civic processes, and trust eventually we may be asked what our stadium proposal actually is.

We are welcoming the input that the high level review is providing, and are in tune with its findings. Rome was not built in a day, and the book of life is far richer and more complex than a one-day headline, trumpeting misunderstandings, and turning intelligent questions into slogans of judgment.

Graham McGarva
Principal, Via Architecture

Stadium Now! Gastown Group Growing!

2006-05-26T14:28:00.003-07:00

Our friends at Stadium Now! have been very busy. The Gastown residents and merchant's group is barely a week old, yet they've already recruited 16 Gastown businesses to the Stadium cause.

We urge everyone to come to Gastown and support these businesses in their courageous stand. You can find a list of them here!

(By the way, on a personal note, I had breakfast at Brioche in Gastown on Sunday...THE BEST OMELETTE EVER! FABULOUS!)

Friends of Soccer challenge opponents at Heritage Vancouver Panel

2006-05-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

Here's the content from the Friends of Soccer flyer circulated at the Heritage Vancouver Forum on Thursday night. The panel featured a very strong presentation and defense of the stadium from Whitecaps President John Rocha and architect Graham McGarva, as well as questions from Friends of Soccer that challenged opponent's vision of of the lands without railway tracks. The panel went very well for the yes side, considering it was supposed to be an ambush by anti-stadium forces..

The Facts about Heritage and the Stadium

Much misinformation has been spread over the last few days regarding the Whitecaps proposed Waterfront Stadium project. No doubt, some of that misinformation will be repeated at tonight's panel. Indeed, the very title of tonight's panel; Gastown up against the wall; brings visions of a gulag being built, as opposed to a gathering place for all citizens and a shrine for soccer.

We are the Friends of Soccer. We're a grassroots community group dedicated to supporting soccer projects as well as the Whitecaps Stadium. As both soccer supporters and responsible citizens, we all want to help create an inclusive, welcoming, vibrant city. That's why we're here to dispel some myths about the proposed stadium.

Is a Stadium Compatible with Heritage?

Stadiums much larger than the one proposed comfortably co-exist with heritage districts across North America and throughout the world.. Two neighbouring stadiums are credited for re-vitalizing Seattle's Pioneer Square, an area that is very similar to Gastown. Petco Park in San Diego, Jacob's Field in Cleveland, and Camden Yards in Baltimore are fine examples of creative use of heritage sites. Pac Bell Park added new life to San Francisco's vibrant waterfront.

In Europe, compact stadiums like the one proposed routinely exist in heritage and residential areas. London alone has 14 stadiums that hold 15,000 spectators or more. In Edniburgh, Scotland, a large football stadium lies less than a block from a castle. There are also examples in Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, Ireland, Turkey, Greece, Spain, and many other nations.

The Stadium as Heritage

When properly designed, the stadium itself becomes a heritage site over time. Stadiums often become places of pilgrimage for fans and are recognized around the world as shrines for their sport. For example, citizens of Chicago and Boston couldn't imagine a city without Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. The Olympic Stadiums in Helsinki, Berlin and Munich are regarded throughout the world as architectural marvels. Stadiums such as Old Trafford in Manchester and Anfield in Liverpool have an aura that attracts fans even when there's no event scheduled.

The type of stadium the Whitecaps are proposing is closer to the compact, European style of soccer stadium rather than the “big-box” monolith opponents would have you believe. In fact, the concept hearkens back to a bygone era when stadiums were designed to fit to the parcel of land the owner had purchased. It was creative solutions such as this that resulted in the asymmetrical genius behind stadiums such as Boston's Fenway Park.

If the artist's conceptual design holds true, Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium will be instantly recognized as the palace of soccer for North Americans. As a gathering place for citizens, it will connect thousands of Vancouverites to a piece of the Waterfront none of us have ever had access to.

Tomorrow's Heritage

As mentioned in the Stadium Consultant's Technical Report: “The past is a guidepost...Not a hitching post.” Local history has proved that today's creative design is always tomorrow's heritage. In the 1980s, many believed that a Trade & Convention centre could never fit in on the downtown waterfront. Could anyone imagine the Vancouver skyline without the distinctive sails of Canada Place now? Arthur Erickson buildings, which were ridiculed and controversial in their time, are now targeted for heritage protection. Years from now, after the Whitecaps stadium is built, this debate will be seen as one of the silliest we've ever engaged in as a city.

Myths Dispelled

The small number of opponents of the stadium have managed to grab their share of the headlines over the last two weeks. We'd like to take a moment to respond to some of the questions that have risen regarding the new stadium.

Myth: Area residents and businesses are united against the stadium.

Fact: Nothing could be further from the truth. The recent consultant's report showed that 52% of area residents were either strongly in favour, or in favour of the downtown stadium but had concerns. Only 40% of Gastown / Downtown Eastside residents were opposed. In fact, a growing number of Gastown residents and merchants are rising up to challenge this false notion through the Stadium Now! group.

Myth: There are no economic benefits to having a stadium in Gastown.

Fact: Try finding a table in a downtown restaurant when the Canucks or the Lions are playing! When the Canucks failed to make the playoffs this year, a local business group pegged the loss at $5 million per missed playoff game. During the NHL lockout in 2005, several merchants close to GM Place nearly went bankrupt. Anyone who says that “People just arrive, buy the $75 hamburger at the stadium and goes home,” has a poor sense of business reality.

Myth: The Stadium will build a “Berlin Wall” between Gastown & the Waterfront.

Fact: The Stadium will actually link Gastown to the waterfront for the first time in a century.

Myth: The Whitecaps Stadium will cause the destruction of Gastown's heritage and further displace residents of the Downtown Eastside.

Fact: Not one heritage building will be destroyed because of the stadium. Not one person will lose their home. Not one Single Room Occupancy space will be lost.

www.friendsofsoccer.org

Top Opponent Admits Downtown Waterfront Stadium Workable

2006-05-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

The chief spokesman for the Gastown Neighbourhood Coalition has told The Province Newspaper that he could envision a stadium fitting in with the downtown Waterfront lands. Jon Stovell is quoted as saying in Sunday's paper, "If they could find a way to get the stadium farther away and less bulky...I believe a stadium could be quite nicely incorporated into the Waterfront."

"But they're going to have to get together with other property owners and get a larger footprint."

In previous statements, the coalition had always claimed that a stadium on any part of the railway lands would destroy Gastown's heritage. This was in spite of the fact that not one of Gastown's heritage buildings would be destroyed in the construction process, and that there are several examples of stadiums successfully co-existing with heritage sites throughout the world.

The Whitecaps have yet to complete the design of the stadium, and have pledged to take the concerns of the City Hall consultant's report into account. A formal design won't be submitted unless City Council allows the proposal to go to the re-zoning stage on June 15.

The Province article, which can be found on page A15, focusses on the new Stadium Now group which has risen in Gastown. Stadium Now was formed last week by a group of Gastown residents & merchants who believe the new stadium will bring immense benefits to the area. They have already been successful in dispelling the myth that Gastown residents are universally opposed to the project.

"I thought it would be good to get the word out that there are people in the neighbourhood (who) are not being represented by the other coalitions and their own business society.", said Stadium Now founder John Kostiuk. The City Hall consultant report revealed that 38% of area residents are in favour of the stadium, while 15% support the concept of a downtown stadium but have concerns. 40% of area residents who participated in the City Hall open houses were opposed.

To support Gastown residents and merchants in their quest for the stadium, please visit www.stadiumnow.org

Subscribers to the The Vancouver Province can read the article at http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/index.html

Vancouver Province Investigating Tampered Online Poll

2006-05-19T17:54:00.000-07:00

The Vancouver Province is investigating how the online poll on their website was compromised on Friday. An online question asking whether readers support a 15,000 seat stadium in Gastown was enjoying almost 75% support until 2:45 PM. By the time the poll had closed at 4PM, the numbers had dramatically reversed to 71% opposed & 29% in support. For the result to switch that quickly, three times the number of people would have had to vote against the stadium in the final hour than had voted in the previous 11 hours the poll had been available on the site.

The Province has suspended the poll on the site with the message "Due to technical difficulties, the poll is temporarily suspended". A high level source at the newspaper revealed that no poll results would be published in the Sunday edition.

"I wish we could start talking about the more important issues regarding the stadium," said Friends of Soccer organizer Bill Currie. "To try and contrive artificial opposition to the project is just a silly waste of people's time and effort. As we know from a real scientific poll, from real public consultation, and from real letters, e-mails and phone calls to City Council, the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium enjoys real support from real citizens."

Friends of Soccer Teams up With Stadium Now!

2006-05-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

Friends of Soccer announced today that they'll be teaming up with the new Gastown residents & merchants group Stadium Now to support the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium.

"When we met with Gastown residents and merchants earlier this week, we offered our complete support for their efforts to truly represent the views of local residents. A large number of Gastown merchants and residents want to see all of the benefits the Whitecaps Stadium will bring to their neighbourhood, and we'll be working together to see that it happens.", said Friends Of Soccer organizer Bill Currie.

"Our first goal is to encourage the people of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland to support the merchants who are taking this courageous stand in favour of Gastown. If there was ever a time to have a meal in Gastown, browse the shops, or take in the great show at Storyeum, that time is now! Just look for the Stadium Now poster in the Window."

Friends of Soccer will continue its campaign in favour of the stadium with an appearance Thursday at a Heritage Vancouver forum. The panel discussion "Gastown up against the wall: The Whitecaps Stadium Proposal" takes place on Thursday, May 18 at 7:30 PM at the Vancouver Museum (1100 Chestnut St. in Kitsilano). The Panel features Whitecaps President John Rocha.

GASTOWN FORMS STADIUM NOW!

2006-05-18T16:59:00.000-07:00

Gastown Merchants, Businesses, and Residents unite to form Stadium NOW! in support of waterfront stadium for Vancouver

Storyeum and Arthur Griffiths join growing coalition supporting stadium

GASTOWN, BC (May 18, 2006) – Gastown residents, merchants and businesses eager to continue the heritage area’s transformation into a vibrant family-friendly neighbourhood have joined together to form Stadium NOW! in support of the development of the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium.

As part of Stadium NOW!’s launch, the organization also unveiled www.stadiumnow.org, a new web site which presents factual information and illustrations about the proposed stadium. In addition, the web site provides supporters from Gastown and around Vancouver an opportunity to register their support.

“The fact is, many people in Gastown and Vancouver support the proposed stadium,” said Stadium NOW! founder and Gastown resident John Kostiuk. “After three years of planning and consultation it’s time to move this process forward to the next step, which is moving from the conceptual phase to designing a landmark waterfront stadium. The stadium will bring a much-needed vitality to the Gastown area, along with greater diversity and more people.

In addition to widespread support, the consultant’s report confirmed that there are numerous advantages to building a stadium at the proposed site.

The consultant's Policy and Technical Report concludes on page 63-64 – “The idea of a downtown, waterfront, open-air stadium on a site with a high level of public transit service is exciting… and could help achieve the City’s goals for enhancing Gastown and the surrounding area by drawing in visitors…the idea of decking over the rail yards creates an exciting opportunity to build a bridge over the barrier that separates Gastown from the waterfront.”

Among the businesses supporting Stadium NOW! are Brioche, The Cambie, Rossini’s, Jade, Mintage, Arthur Griffith’s Infotec, Mark James and the Lotus Hotel, and Storyeum, Vancouver’s newest family entertainment attraction which has helped draw hundreds of thousands of tourists and B.C. residents to Gastown since it opened in the neighbourhood in 2004.

“As a newer, growing business in the area, we look for ways of re-inviting the whole community to the Gastown area and for everyone to see the positive improvements which have taken place within the neighborhood over the past few years,” said Brian Veitch, Vice President Storyeum, HXP Inc. “We need events and places, like the stadium, that drive traffic to our attraction, shops and services!”

With its close proximity to transit routes, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and the West Coast Express, the proposed stadium will be one of the most transit friendly ever built anywhere, and its construction offers an excellent way to reclaim the waterfront for public access while preserving the industrial transportation hub.

“We believe like the frontrunner Woodward’s project, that heritage and new construction can complement one another,” said Kostiuk. “A privately financed stadium will be a valuable gathering place in Gastown that will be an exciting venue for various sporting, cultural, and other public events. We feel strongly that City Council should allow the Whitecaps to proceed to the development application phase, and encourage Vancouverites to contact City Council to voice their support.”

For more information and updates on Stadium NOW! please visit www.stadiumnow.org.

Vancouver Overwhelmingly in Favour of Downtown Stadium - City Hall Consultant

2006-05-15T19:29:00.000-07:00

A consultant's study, based on public consultation held by the City of Vancouver in March, has confirmed that an overwhelming majority of GVRD residents are in favour of the proposed Whitecaps stadium on the downtown waterfront. Of the 795 people who filled out questionnaires at neighbourhood open houses, 67% said they believe the downtown waterfront is a good location for a stadium. Only 27% were opposed. Among Vancouver residents, 63% were in favour of the downtown stadium.

The report echoes the previous independent study done by the Mustel Group on behalf of the Whitecaps. Their survey indicated that 71% of Vancouverites supported the downtown stadium proposal.

Most striking was was how the consultant's study dispelled the myth that the majority of residents in the immediate area were strongly opposed to the stadium. The Open Houses revealed that 38% of Gastown / Downtown Eastside residents support the proposed location, while 15% like the idea of a downtown stadium, but have concerns about the location. Only 40% of local residents were strongly opposed.

A companion technical report on the project concluded that there are concerns about the conceptual design, but agreed that the issues could be addressed if the Whitecaps re-visited the concept. This could be addressed through the re-zoning process."

"This tells us what the people of Vancouver have been telling us for months," said Friends of Soccer organizer Bill Currie. "They want the Whitecaps stadium built. They want it built downtown, and they want it built now."

Vancouver City Council will decide whether to advance the the project to the re-zoning process on June 15.

CSA to MLS: Make room for 2nd Canadian team in 2010

2006-05-11T19:12:00.000-07:00

As Toronto FC unveiled it's new Major League Soccer logo today, Canadian Soccer Association C.O.O. Kevin Pipe had a clear message for the league: make room for a 2nd Canadian team in 2010.

That team is most likely to be Vancouver.

With strong ownership, a new downtown stadium in the works, and a stated goal to play at the top level of North American professional soccer, the Vancouver Whitecaps appear to be next in line for MLS expansion. Mr. Pipe pressed that point today on MLS Commissioner Don Garber.

"Don, keep a second spot open in 2010. We know you're working towards having 16 clubs. I'm going to keep your feet close to the fire on that as we move forward. We have other Canadian cities who are really looking at Major League Soccer in a very serious way."

The only other contender is Montreal, who recently delayed plans to build a Soccer Specific Stadium.

The new National Soccer Stadium in Toronto is being built primarily using municipal, provincial and federal funds with a minority investment made by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. When Toronto City Council approved funding for the stadium in October, 2005, Mayor David Miller said "It's a great deal for Toronto. The city gets a $60 million community asset for only $9.8 million."

The Vancouver Whitecaps proposed stadium is privately-financed on land they purchased from Fairmont - a private company. They have said previously that they are financially committed to making the stadium happen. The new Vancouver stadium would be an invaluable asset to Canadian soccer, as Vancouver has the only climate in the country that allows for year-round soccer.

Major League Soccer has designed special rules which force Toronto FC to field a predominantly Canadian team. Mr. Pipe believes that the arrival of MLS in Toronto will have an immediate impact on the fortunes of Canadian Soccer.

"Today is a day of celebration. The arrival of MLS in Toronto is going to change the game overnight. Here in this city we will see the finest players in North America. The immediate impact is apparent. It's going to allow our national team players to finally play in Canada at a complete professional level. We expect to see a lot of our players returning home from Europe to play for Toronto FC. We also expect to see immediate improvement. With two seasons under our belt, we fully expect our national team to achieve it's goal of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.""

Besides the new MLS team, Toronto's National Soccer Stadium will also play host to the second biggest event in Men's soccer: The Fifa Under-20 World Cup. While Vancouver's Swangard Stadium will be a venue for the preliminary matches of the tournament, it will be Toronto's shrine that hosts the final.

"July 22, 2007 - When the Fifa Under-20 World Cup Final is held in the new National Soccer Stadium, there will be over 100 million people worldwide watching soccer from Toronto. Who ever would have thought it?"

To help make the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium a reality, visit us at www.friendsofsoccer.org .

Friends of Soccer Call for Pro-Stadium Volunteers

2006-05-07T12:06:00.000-07:00

Over the last few weeks, we've been forming the strategy for the public campaign for the stadium through Friends of Soccer.

Now, we need volunteers to help execute it.

We have exciting plans to hit the streets to encourage the soccer community and citizens of Vancouver to contact City Council. There are many facets to this strategy, and we'll be holding a meeting for volunteers this week to discuss them. In short, this is where the campaign leaves the internet and turns into real flesh and blood support!

If you're interested in getting involved to help make the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium a reality, please contact me as soon as possible at friendsofsoccer@hotmail.com .

Thanks,
Bill Currie
www.friendsofsoccer.org

Stadium Opponents Stumble on CKNW

2006-05-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

A corporately-funded Stadium opposition group suffered a serious setback today on the Bill Good Show on CKNW 980. The newly-formed Gastown Neighbourhood Coalition was bombarded by calls in favour of the Whitecaps new stadium.

Most stunning were the phone calls from Gastown residents and business owners that claimed the coalition doesn't speak for residents of the area. One caller revealed that the coalition's chief spokesman, Jon Stovell, heads acquisitions and development for a real estate company that owns several of the buildings behind the stadium site. He also revealed that this “grassroots” coalition has hired an exclusive communications firm, Reputations Corporation, to handle its public relations.

In the past, Reputations Communications worked on the election campaign for Mayor Sam Sullivan, and handled his media relations at the recent Winter Olympics & Paralympics.

It would seem that the two biggest lobby groups opposing the stadium, Gastown Residents Association & the Gastown Neighbourhood Coalition, aren't very grassroots or representative at all. In fact, according to internet domain registration information, it would appear they were created at the same time, by the same people.

With support among the public overwhelmingly in favour of the stadium, it's more important than ever to let your voice be heard. And it will be the powerful, positive message of soccer fans and citizens of Vancouver that will bring the stadium home! Write, call, and e-mail City Council and the Mayor and let them know where the real power is!

Here is a link to to an MP3 of The Bill Good Show:

http://www.vancouversouthsiders.com/media/billgoodshowmay4.mp3

Yours in Soccer,

Bill Currie

The Pro-Stadium Campaign Is On!

2006-05-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

The Friends of Soccer Pro-Stadium campaign is about to get underway in full force...and we have big plans. We haven't been idle over the last few weeks...we've only been planning for the next phase of the campaign to begin. Our biggest plan is to mobilize the full force of BC's soccer community and citizens of Vancouver to let City Council know beyond a doubt that Vancouver wants the stadium.

You'll be hearing about some of the ways we'll be doing this in the next few days. To get an idea of one of the things we have planned, check out the website at www.friendsofsoccer.org .

You'll also be hearing from our opponents as well. Don't worry about the handful of headlines they're grabbing. They're a small, negative group who have a long history of opposition. If we all band together as both a soccer community and a group of positive, concerned citizens, we'll overwhelm city council with our numbers alone. The key to success here is to focus on the positives of the stadium and ignore our opponents' negativity.

I hope we can count on your support. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with me at friendsofsoccer@hotmail.com .

Cheers,
Bill Currie

First Stadium Open House A Success

2006-03-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

The Open House on Monday was a casual, but very informative affair. The City has a very good display that outlines the schematics of the stadium and the neighbourhood. It addresses many questions such as trafiic flow, pedestrian congestion, noise levels, and sightlines from street level. There was a good mix of supporters and opponents, but the format of the open house allowed everyone to air their opinions in a non-confrontational way. There's also a very detailed questionnaire to fill out, so everyone can leave their opinion.

I was very impressed with Kevin McNaney and the rest of the City staff. They are very approachable and willing to listen to all viewpoints in the process. If you happen to go to one of the meetings, seek him out. I also encourage you to talk to the consultants who are putting together the report as well...Gary McDonald & Sheri Winowski represent the consulting firm at the open houses, and are especially attentive when hearing the arguments in favour of the stadium.

That being said, two things are becoming clear:

A.) There are a lot of misconceptions & preconceived notions that Whitecaps Soccer games attract the same type of audience as the Canucks & Lions. Many of the people involved in opposing the stadium or writing the report have never attended a Whitecaps game, so they don't understand that the games attract a broad cross-section of people from all cultures, genders, ages, and social backgrounds. In other words, the Whitecaps attract a crowd that's more representative of Vancouver.

B.) The opponents of the stadium are making a deliberate effort to mislead people by focussing attention on the land just to the east of the site. Greg Kerfoot owns the land, and opponents are raising the spectre of another line of Yaletown-like condo developments along the Waterfront. They've even gone so far as to call it a "Mega-Project", suggesting that the current hearings is about the entire tract of land instead of the single stadium project. Other than the stadium, there hasn't been a single proposal or even speculation as to what will go up on the rest of the land. And when there is a proposal, it will go through the same type of public scrutiny the stadium is going through.

I highly encourage everyone to attend the remaining Open Houses. It's vitally important that our silent majority make our voices heard. The next Open Houses are being held on:

Tuesday, March 7, 3:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Storyeum Lobby, 142 Water Street

Wednesday, March 8, 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Harbour Centre Lobby (Hastings Entrance), 555 West Hastings Street

Saturday, March 11, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Location: VPL, Central Branch Promenade, 350 West Georgia Street

Once again, if you don't live in Vancouver, or can't make it to the meetings, you can send written comments to:

Kevin McNaney,
Planner, Central Area Planning, City of Vancouver
#406 - 515 West 10th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5Z 4A8
kevin.mcnaney@vancouver.ca

Thanks again!
Bill Currie

Whitecaps Stadium: A Call to Action For Soccer

2006-02-14T13:24:00.000-08:00

Hockey may grab the headlines, but no other sport embraces the spirit of British Columbia the way soccer does. Across the province, soccer plays a huge role in the daily lives of men, women & children, and it remains the only sport that breaks through every national and cultural barrier known to humanity. The joy of soccer is the great equalizer for all of us, and we all have a responsibility to share and grow our game.

That's why if you're involved in soccer in any way, as a player, coach or fan of the game, you have a stake in ensuring the success of the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. And now is the time to participate.

Last October, the Vancouver Whitecaps proposed to build a spectacular new stadium on Vancouver's downtown waterfront. This shrine to the game will host both the Whitecaps' womens' and mens' teams, International soccer & rugby events, local soccer teams, multicultural festivals, concerts, and even the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. With direct access to Skytrain, the RAV line, West Coast Express, buses, seabus, seaplanes, and tens of thousands of parking spaces within a ten minute walk, it will be one of the most easily accessible stadiums in the world. The Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium is a tremendous gift to both the City of Vancouver and Canadian Soccer by the team's owner Greg Kerfoot, as it will be built on private land with private money.

But the stadium still needs to be approved by the municipal government before the project can start, and now is the time to let your voice be heard. The City of Vancouver is about to hold public meetings on the stadium and we need to let City Council know that there is broad public support for the project. The City of Vancouver is also accepting written submissions, so if you believe in the stadium project, but don't necessarily live in Vancouver, you can also participate. You can find the dates and locations for the meetings listed below. Every voice counts in this process!

This stadium is critical to the evolution of soccer in our city and country.

Take the United States, for example. Over the past decade, the United States has built a top flight professional league and modern stadiums devoted entirely to soccer. Their efforts have paid off with regular appearances in the World Cup, and a Quarter-Final finish in 2002. Their best players now have the choice to play professionally at home instead of abroad, and the U.S. have taken huge leaps towards their goal of being a serious contender for the World Cup in 2010. A new downtown stadium in Vancouver, along with an eventual jump to Major League Soccer could give Canadians the same opportunity.

The opportunities for Womens' soccer are tremendous as well. A new stadium would bolster Canada's future bid to host the Womens' World Cup, and provide greater exposure for the many national team members who play for the Whitecaps Women. The Whitecaps stadium would inspire new generations of female players for decades to come.

There are also benefits for Vancouver's large and diverse multicultural community. No sport unites the world the way soccer does. The Whitecaps Stadium will play host to the best international teams from around the world, and provide an attractive, inclusive venue to celebrate our rich cultural fabric.

So you see, we all have a stake in making this happen.

It's important to note that there are opponents of the stadium in Vancouver's downtown eastside. They include residents and activists who are generally opposed to private development in the area. Other opponents are property owners who are concerned with how the stadium will affect their views, traffic patterns and property values. Some intend to use the stadium proposal as a platform to air grievances on matters completely unrelated to the stadium, such as social housing, drug rehab centers and the lack of parks in the area. While these are views that should be listened to, respected and addressed, the opponents of the proposal should not be allowed to derail the benefits and positive economic impacts of the Whitecaps Stadium with issues that are not directly related to the Stadium project. That is why your support is so important.

Getting involved can be as simple as writing an e-mail to the mayor and city councilors, attending a community meeting, or by making a written submission to the Central Area Planning office of the City of Vancouver. For more information on what you can do to help make the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium a reality, visit www.friendsofsoccer.org.

Here are the list of Open Houses:

Monday, March 6, 2:00pm - 8:00pm
W Room at Woodwards,
101 West Hastings Street

Tuesday, March 7, 3:00pm - 8:00pm
Storyeum Lobby,
142 Water Street

Wednesday, March 8, 2:00pm - 8:00pm
Harbour Centre Lobby (Hastings Entrance),
555 West Hastings Street

Saturday, March 11, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Vancouver Public Library,
Central Branch - Promenade,
350 West Georgia Street

You can find details on the project and the time frame for the City Planning report at:

http://www.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/currentplanning/whitecaps//review.htm

Whitecaps Stadium Public Hearings Planned

2006-02-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

Hello all,

Not much has been happening on the Whitecaps Stadium front since the local elections in November. On the whole, the election of NPA & Vision Vancouver candidates appears to have been positive news as there are now no clear opponents of the stadium project on council.

However, the public consultation process is about to get underway and we need voices to counter the local opposition to the stadium. The public meetings are called "Open Houses", and they're less confrontational and softer than formal public hearings. There's a list of dates and times below. The City of Vancouver is also accepting written submissions, so those of you who believe in the stadium project, but don't necessarily live in Vancouver can also participate.

In some of the discussions I've had with councillors and the people involved with City Planning, it's becoming apparent that there is a huge awareness gap when it comes to soccer and the need for Soccer Specific Stadiums in North America. The more people can talk about the growth of the game and the benefits of having the game in its own home, the better. The submission I'm working on also emphasizes the transit-friendly location of the stadium and the positive economic benefits to Gastown, Downtown and the Downtown Eastside.

If you'd like to make a written submission, you should address it to:
Kevin McNaney,Planner, Central Area Planning, City of Vancouver
#406 - 515 West 10th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5Z 4A8
kevin.mcnaney@vancouver.ca

Here are the list of Open Houses:

Monday, March 6, 2:00pm - 8:00pm
W Room at Woodwards,
101 West Hastings Street

Tuesday, March 7, 3:00pm - 8:00pm
Storyeum Lobby,
142 Water Street

Wednesday, March 8,
2:00pm - 8:00pm
Harbour Centre Lobby (Hastings Entrance),
555 West Hastings Street

Saturday, March 11, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Vancouver Public Library,Central Branch - Promenade,
350 West Georgia Street

You can find details on the project and the time frame for the City Planning report at:http://www.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/currentplanning/whitecaps//review.htm

Whitecaps Stadium Passes first hurdle

2005-10-21T17:59:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

The Standing Committee on Planning and Environment held its first public council meeting on the Vancouver Stadium project this afternoon. They approved the City Manager's recommendation to undertake a $164,000 consultant's report (at the Whitecaps' expense)that will be researched and written over the next 6 months, which will include a thorough public consultation process. Residents of Vancouver's downtown eastside spoke against the project for the most part. Their main concerns are the impact on their neighbourhood, lack of parks, green space and community facilities in the area, and they complained about a lack of consultation prior to the Whitecaps announcement. There were a few exceptions...some business owners spoke out in favour of the project and the study, as well as a community youth group that trains aboriginal youth in the construction trades.

As you might imagine, business leaders and Tourism Vancouver spoke out in favour. A surprise however, was a presentation by the Gastown Business Improvement Association that was in favour of the consultant's study, but neither for or against the stadium. Their major concern seems to be the additional land along the waterfront that the Whitecaps own adjacent to the proposed stadium, and they want the study to include land use issues for those parcels as well. They're worried that additional developments next to the stadium will obscure views and take away from Gastown's mystique.

What we know is this:

- Counc. Peter Ladner is rock solid in support of the Stadium- Counc. Tim Louis is extremely hostile to the Stadium.

- Both mayoral candidates Jim Green and Sam Sullivan say they're in favour.

- All the current councillors want to see the study.

If you're interested, the City of Vancouver Web Site should post the video soon. You should be able to find it at:http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20051020/pe20051020.htm

I'm currently forming a pro-stadium citizens group. The website can be found at www.friendsofsoccer.org.

Cheers,
Bill Currie