The Global Business Environment: Success or Struggle?

The Global Business Environment: Success or Struggle?

Richard Starnes is right

In the end, does Ottawa even care?

Perhaps not, as Ottawa Citizen soccer columnist Richard Starnes rightly points out in his article today. In the ongoing, and by now seemingly endless, Battle of the Stadium Proposal debate.  With a price tag in the billions, a time span of 20 years and a chance to increase the city's profile on the world stage, you'd think that perhaps some of the citizenry would show some excitement. 

Then again, perhaps not. And you have to wonder why Jeff Hunt, Eugene Melnyk and their respective teams even bother. Then again, I shouldn't be surprised. I've lived here for 10 years now and I've never seen a city so content to parse its enthusiasm for things unknown and unproven. Maybe it's because this is a government town first, populated by people who are risk-averse by nature and who'd rather not be associated with a decision that has any chance of failure. But I have to agree with Randall Denley: When other cities undertake bold moves to make their stamp on the world, Ottawa responds with a a shrug. Of course it's to our own detriment. And I'm worried that either Ottawa isn't aware of the opportunities it's missing, or even worse, is aware of them and just doesn't care. 

Either way, it's just plain sad.

Now, by way of mea culpa, I should add that although I am indeed more interested in this topic than most people I know, until now I've shared my views primarily with N. and any fellow players who care to listen. Not exactly the evangelist, I know. So consider this a small gesture to make amends. 

Now it's time for full disclosure - as you can probably imagine, I am a strong supporter of bringing soccer to Ottawa. I love the game. I love that being part of the soccer community plugs me into the world in a way that no other sport can. 

Note that I said I support "soccer," not "Eugene Melnkyk's proposal." Truth is, I've been mulling this over for weeks now and I'm still not sure which side I come down on. Living as I do down the street from Landsdowne Park, I'd love to be able to walk to the games. No doubt the Bank St. bars would also appreciate the added foot traffic. Yet the revised Landsdowne stadium will not be soccer-specific and hence, not to MLS' liking. 

This I understand. The setting is crucially important to the sports viewing experience - just look at the renaissance of the Alouettes in Montreal after the move to McGill. MLS has every right to want the best packaging for its product, if I can be so crass. Melnyk has proposed a soccer-specific stadium in Kanata to anchor his development plans. Yet until this city solves its transit problems, getting to the game is going to be aggravating. And however enticing a destination Melnyk's proposed development will be, I can't see myself driving out there on off-nights just to walk around. For N. and myself, the market is that much closer.

So where does that leave us? 

I want soccer to come to Ottawa. An entirely different Ottawa than the one I was used to turned out to the U-20 world cup. These fans brought passion that I rarely see in this town. I would also welcome the new fields that Melnyk's team is promising to build as well. So I guess I'm supporting his bid, albeit almost by default, because it represents the best chance of landing a team. I can deal with the traffic if it means a chance to bring the world to Ottawa. 

This debate is, indeed, more than a "sewers or stadium...take your pick" moment. It is one of those rare opportunities for the city to seize on a vision and run with it. With any luck this post will be the first note in a grand chorus of support.

Kickoff

This is a blog born of frustration. Frustration at the lack of coverage our sports radio station in Ottawa gives to the fastest-growing sport in this city and, happily, in the country. Frustration that our national news media gives soccer such short shrift. 

This is also a blog born of passion. I've been playing recreational soccer for nearly 5 years now. True, I came to it late and almost on a lark. Yet it has taken ahold of me like no other sport I've played. I now play year-round, indoors and out for teams both good and bad. Come between me and my soccer game and there will be hell to pay.  

I read somewhere that when you plug into soccer, you plug into the world.  As someone who saw every game held in Ottawa during the recent FIFA U-20 tournament and marveled at the passion of the cosmopolitan crowd that turned out, as someone who travelled to Montreal to watch our men's national team lose its World Cup qualifier to Honduras, and as someone who spends many hours dreaming up his next trip, I truly believe that. 

With this blog, I hope to reveal the vibrant, growing and dynamic soccer community in Ottawa. I'm not in this for the money. I'm not in it for the fame. I'm in it for the passion. 

After all, this is why we all play the game.