Nice Rink!

Just a few thoughts regarding the new arena:

1) After being at three events there in three days, I'm still having difficulty actually believing that it's here. I caught myself on each of the three days thinking "wow, this is really Kingston!" It's an awesome facility, with a very motivated and energetic staff. Even the Fronts have taken their game up several notches.

2) Kingston people have needed the ability to drink beer at their seats for sporting events and concerts for far too long. At the Hip show on Saturday, one could hardly get to one's gate for the long lines of thirsty music fans waiting in line to buy beer. During the show, people in our row kept going back for more. At five bucks a cup, it's not only one of the best prices downtown, but it's also going to dig a huge chunk out of what we owe for making this place.

3) The Fronts games will slowly become better-attended. The thousands of faithful who said they'd never go "all the way downtown" for a game? Well they came. Hundreds more were at their first OHL game in a long time (or ever), and they'll come back. It's excellent hockey, and it's cheap!

4) The people who cried about how the parking was going to be a disaster have gone back to complaining about other things such as expensive gasoline and the fact that they'll never stop using the word "township" to describe parts of our city. At the end of the Bulls-Fronts game Friday, I waited at my seat for about 15 minutes to let the crowd die down, fully expecting the streets to be crazy with people. They weren't. I was home in the west end just 15 minutes later. It was even more efficient after the Hip concert Saturday. Sunday was even better. The arena will not be the source of traffic headaches. CFB Kingston/RMC/every government office, all spilling out at exactly the same time will continue to be a far bigger problem. This is where I could tell you to use Kingston transit, but I get the feeling you're just not listening when I say how easy, cheap and efficient it's become.

5) Downtown bars, restaurants and shops are LOVING the response to having an arena downtown! Even after the game on Sunday afternoon, it was tough to get seated in some places. The best thing that could happen is more great restaurants, bars and shops opening to take advantage. Perhaps our old derelict Police Station would be the anchor in a block of cool new places running down Queen from King Street.

6) Wolfe Island people will love how easy it is to get to and from the arena. In the summer, Marysville residents won't even need to take their cars! However, they'll be unhappy that some will continue to park on the ferry dock instead of paying for the incredibly cheap parking that's available.

7) It still needs a name. Maybe the Drivec? I'll keep working on that.