[Das Ponto]

@Das Ponto Do you have any photos of your previous winning entries?

Yup I do. Here you go. In order.

2013 - Gru's House

2013 Gingercane by Ryan Ponto, on Flickr

2013 Gingercane by Ryan Ponto, on Flickr

2013 Gingercane by Ryan Ponto, on Flickr

2014 - Frozen's Ice Castle

2014 Gingercane by Ryan Ponto, on Flickr

2014 Gingercane by Ryan Ponto, on Flickr

2014 Gingercane by Ryan Ponto, on Flickr

2015 - House with Street Scaping - We auctioned off the entry feature, local contractor All-Star won naming rights.

2015 Gingercane by Ryan Ponto, on Flickr

2015 Gingercane by Ryan Ponto, on Flickr

2015 Gingercane by Ryan Ponto, on Flickr



I've got to get the photo's of the Arena with our backdrop edited, should have those done this evening.

 

[Das Ponto]

@Das Ponto Donatevoted!

Thanks man! Much appreciated!

 

[Marcanadian]

Those all look amazing. We hope to put up the story tomorrow FYI!

 

[Das Ponto]

Awesome thanks @Marcanadian

 

[Hilman]

 

[Daveography]

Katz Group promises $150,000 donation in exchange for parking lot
The Katz Group has negotiated city staff support for its contentious parking application north of Rogers Place.

It shrunk the size, committed to a shorter timeline for construction and promised $150,000 for the Central McDougall Community League.

The money will go to upgrading an unnamed local amenity, which will off-set the negative impacts of a parking lot, say staff. Katz Group officials will also have to landscape and light the parking lot appropriately, include designated accessibility parking and provide a drop-off area for the community rink.

But Scott McKeen, councillor for the area, said he’s still undecided on whether the community benefit is high enough, and warns there may be further opposition on council.

http://edmontonjournal.com/business...s-150000-donation-in-exchange-for-parking-lot

Katz Group pushes for scaled back parking lot outside Rogers Place
The Katz Group is asking city council to approve its contentious gravel parking lot outside Rogers Place under new, scaled back conditions.

A proposal from the Katz Group, going to council Dec. 12, would shrink the lot and keep it open it for fewer years than originally planned. It also promises a donation of $150,000 to the Central McDougall Community League.

Last spring the Katz Group proposed that the vacant lot next to the arena be turned into a temporary parking lot, arguing the space was needed while their underground parkade was still under construction.

But the plan drew heavy criticism from residents and councillors who argued the land should be developed. Frustration grew when pay-for-parking machines started appearing on the lot without proper zoning or permits.

http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmont...scaled-back-parking-outside-rogers-place.html

 

[Daveography]

Design firm says Rogers Place attendance has exceeded expectations since opening
The architectural firm that designed Rogers Place says attendance, now pegged at 500,000, has exceeded expectations since the arena opened in September.

Rogers Place has sold out 45 home games for the Edmonton Oilers, while the Edmonton Oil Kings had their largest attendance on opening night.

http://edmontonjournal.com/business...place-has-exceeded-expectations-since-opening

 

[Daveography]

Construction magazine awards Rogers Place top prize
Rogers Place took top prize at the Alberta Construction Magazine's 15th annual top project awards.

Edmonton's new arena bagged the project of the year and commercial design awards Wednesday, at a luncheon event held by the magazine at the Royal Glenora Club.

“Awards like this are a great validation that we are on track with our overall goals to be a part of this renaissance that's taking place in our city,” said Tim Shipton, vice-president of corporate communications for the Oilers Entertainment Group.

According to an Alberta Construction Magazine press release, judges described the arena as “one of the most significant sports complex construction projects ever undertaken in North America."

http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmont...ce-wins-top-prize-at-annual-awards-night.html

 

[Daveography]

Skaters wanted at Edmonton Downtown Community Arena
The gleaming ice of the new Edmonton Downtown Community Arena is missing something — public skaters.

The city-run rink is tucked around the back of the new Rogers Place arena downtown.

The arena boasts seating for 1,000 spectators, five dressing rooms with showers, and direct access to the MacEwan LRT station.

The Edmonton Downtown Community Arena opened in September 2016. (Supplied)

Since opening in September, the arena has been used by groups such as the Edmonton Oilers, the Edmonton Oil Kings and the MacEwan Griffins Hockey Team.

But Brett Prosser admits the new Downtown Community Arena needs to attract more members of the public.

"Six of the seven days a week there's public programming and it's free of charge," said the City of Edmonton sport programmer.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/edmonton-community-arena-downtown-1.3878804

 

[quit]

Went skating here on the weekend with the girlfriend. It was quite fun. Also had to grab some tickets today, so snapped a few pictures.

 

[Hilman]

 

[Daveography]

Council approves parking lot at Rogers Place
The Katz Group is getting the 600-stall surface parking lot it asked for beside Rogers Place, but only on the condition that it builds something better after three years.

Councillors voted 7 to 5 (Coun. Mike Nickel was absent) in support of the contentious lot Monday after the Katz Group promised to present councillors with an 'urban village' plan for the site by next year.

The decision means another surface lot will be added to downtown's already formidable parking inventory, in contradiction to administration reports suggesting the core didn’t need another to accommodate Rogers Place parking for Oilers games and events.

http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmont...ves-parking-lot-at-rogers-place-edmonton.html

Edmonton city council votes to let Katz Group build contentious parking lot by Rogers Place
Months after it first made a controversial application to rezone some of its property by Edmonton’s new downtown arena, the Katz Group – which owns the Edmonton Oilers and runs Rogers Place – has been given permission to convert the property into surface-area parking for the next three years.

City councillors voted seven to five Monday evening to allow the Katz Group to run a parking lot with 600 spaces just north of the arena. However, the deal also stipulates Katz must do more with the lot after three years.

Simon O’Byrne, an urban planner for Stantec who addressed councillors on behalf of the Katz Group Monday, said the group has no intentions of keeping the parking lot open longer anyway as this lot would simply serve to bridge the gap between now and when a larger, forthcoming Ice District parking facility opens.

http://globalnews.ca/news/3123236/e...uild-contentious-parking-lot-by-rogers-place/

Katz Group pushes money at city to help build parking lot in commercial zone

Katz Group parking lot for 'large trucks and SUVs' gets go-ahead

 

[archited]

@Daveography, I think they (the City) have successfully bound up Katz's property to prevent it becoming a long-term parking area. My projection -- one more hotel on the north property (possibly on the site of the soon-to-be-demolished casino) plus an imaginative mixed-use residential/retail "village" -- we'll see! Are you still concerned about the parking outcome.

 

[Daveography]

@archited It's a better deal than before, but I still feel council was wrong in approving it (the ones who did at least, it was narrowly passed). Not needed, only encourages more people to drive, more traffic, at the expense of the neighbourhood.

 

[archited]

I hear you, @Daveography. And I am in complete agreement. The thing is -- should it be left as a landscape void until it is developed? or fenced off so that no-one can access? -- or maybe a regular stop for food trucks (construction workers would probably like that)? I just hope that what ultimately goes there is well thought out and provides a vibrant community entity, building on that which is already committed to the ICE District, not just the equivalent of album filler. If concepts were a little further along, perhaps work could already begin on another large underground parking structure. I still think that M. Katz is smart enough to realize that the ICE District is going to engender a huge demand for downtown residential -- and with that retail and hospitality. Who knows what is going on behind the scenes -- as I said previously, I expect to see the announcement in the first quarter of 2017 naming a new major hotel (Edmonton is sorely lacking in this area). If you look at L.A. Live you get a clear picture of the momentum created by a downtown sports complex connected to hotels and retail -- more hotels, retail, entertainment venues, and an increased desire to live downtown (where the action is). I like that the City is at least keeping the pressure on.