Ottawa Baseball Stadium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
|
| Former names | Ottawa Rapidz Stadium (2008) Lynx Stadium JetForm Park (1993-2002) |
|---|---|
| Location | 300 Coventry Rd Ottawa, ON K1K 4P5 |
| Opened | April 17, 1993 |
| Owner | City of Ottawa |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction cost | CDN$17 million |
| Capacity | 10,332 |
| Field dimensions | Left Field - 325 ft (99 m) Center Field - 404 ft (123 m) Right Field - 325 ft (99 m) Alleys - 380 ft (120 m) |
| Tenants | |
| Ottawa Lynx (1993-2007) Ottawa Rapidz (2008-2009) |
|
The Ottawa Baseball Stadium (formerly JetForm Park) is a baseball stadium in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada with a seating capacity of 10,332.[1] The stadium is located in the city's east end near the interchange of Queensway and Vanier Parkway. It has been used for minor-league professional baseball and music concerts since 1993.
Contents |
[edit] History
The stadium was built to house the Ottawa Lynx of the International League and opened prior to the 1993 season. In its first season, the Lynx sold out 43 games and set an International League attendance record by averaging 9,772 fans per game. However, annual attendance steadily declined from there, except for a modest increase in 2001. After 1996 Ottawa perennially had the lowest average attendance in the league. The Lynx relocated after the 2007 season.
After the relocation, the City of Ottawa considerered other proposals for the site but decided to keep the stadium as a baseball facility. A new team, the Ottawa Rapidz of the Can-Am League, was established in December 2007 and began to play in 2008. They folded and were replaced by a new team, called the Voyageurs. The Voyageurs, however, never made it to the field in 2009. The Can-Am League was faced with two teams (including Ottawa) without financial backing and decided to go with a six team League in 2009. Ottawa baseball fans are still hopeful a new funder can be found. They point out that there was evidence of support for Can-Am baseball in 2008, despite a poor showing on the scoreboard. Almost 5,000 fans came out to the final game in 2008, and attendance was consistently middle of the pack for the Can-Am League.
Among the proposals rejected by the city:
- Frank D'Angelo of Steelback Brewery was associated with a proposal to convert the stadium into the "Steelback Centre", a variable-use complex that could host 25 000 for concerts and 15 000 for sporting events.[2]
- the stadium could be replaced by a casino.[2]
- larger Ottawa Congress Centre could replace the stadium on site.[2]
- redeveloped as conventional retail or office space.[2]
Ottawa company JetForm first bought the naming rights to the Stadium. The name was changed to simply "Lynx Stadium" after the 2002 season when JetForm changed its name to Accelio. Accelio was in turn bought by Adobe Systems. For the 2008 season, the Rapidz marketed the stadium as "Rapidz Stadium".
- In 2009 the Ottawa Rapidz declared bankruptcy and cancelled the 09' season, the stadium now sits ownerless waiting for its new owners
[edit] Design
The stadium is in the popular split-level design, with a concourse running around the middle of the seating bowl. This concourse is at street level, so fans in the "lower" seats walk down, and fans in the "upper" seats walk up. All seats are blue chair-back models. Concessions, restrooms, a gift shop, and a kids' play area are located along a wider concourse (also at street level) located underneath the upper seats.
The stadium also features skyboxes and the "Upper Deck" restaurant (open to all fans) perched behind home plate. While the windows do open, there is no outdoor seating at this level. Access is by elevator from the concourse below. There are open-air picnic tables down the left-field line which are also available to all fans.
Coventry Road runs along the left-field fence, and the game can easily be seen from the street while driving or walking. There is less than 50 feet (15 m) of buffer between the stadium wall and the road, so flying balls can occasionally pose a hazard to passing cars.
[edit] Concerts
Concerts have been held at the stadium on rare occasions:[3]
- 19 July 1998: Stardust Picnic with Blue Rodeo, Great Big Sea, 54-40, The Waltons and Weeping Tile;
- 20 September - 21 September 2002: Molson Canadian Snowjam featuring Treble Charger, Dropkick Murphys, Gob, Swollen Members, Simple Plan, Mudmen, and Bowling For Soup;
- 5 July 2007: Nickelback, Daughtry, Puddle of Mudd, State of Shock
[edit] Gallery
|
|
[edit] References
- ^ Lynx Stadium Facts
- ^ a b c d Zakaluzny, Roman (3 September 2007). "Businessman reveals ambitious plans for Lynx Stadium". Ottawa Business Journal. http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/289740073760027.php. Retrieved on 2007-09-03.
- ^ McQueen, Ann Marie (6 July 2007). "Lynx Stadium, Ottawa - July 5, 2007". Canoe. http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/N/Nickelback/ConcertReviews/2007/07/06/4317819-sun.html.
[edit] External links
- Ballpark Reviews - Ottawa Stadium
- Ottawa Stadium Views - Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues
- Ottawa Stadium Facts (official site)
Coordinates: 45°25′12.51″N 75°39′12.85″W / 45.4201417°N 75.6535694°W
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
