Children's Hospital sale prompts debate about where ballpark could work

The possibility of building a baseball stadium at the site of the former Montreal Children's Hospitalhas some wondering: Where else in the city would a ballpark work?

• Speculation about old Children's Hospital has baseball fans dreaming
• New owner of former Children's Hospital hints at using site for baseball stadium

Developer Luc Poirier sparked the discussion by raisingthe possibilityofa baseball stadiumat Atwater Street and Ren Lvesque Boulevardafter acquiring the1.4-million square foot property.

But there are several other locations around the city that have been floated as possibilities.

Other possible locations

In a2013 study by Ernst &Young, theChildren's Hospital site stacked up well againstformer Blue Bonnets onDecarieBoulevard, as well as a site near the Bonaventure Expressway and another at the Peel Basin.

The study noted that theBonaventure Expressway site lacks public transit, although some light rail might be built in the future.

The Wellington Basin site, also south of downtown,lacks public transportation but has the advantage of not requiring any demolition or expropriation.

The report notes that the old Blue Bonnets site onDecarieis 10 km from downtown and is not within walking distance. However, nodemolitionor expropriationwould be required at that site.

The study urged Montreal to follow the Minnesota Twins' experience, asMinneapolisSt. Paulhas a similar population and also came close to losing its team afterfans slowly soured on the older stadium.

The new Target Field has been a success, which has injected money into the area around the stadium, the study notes.

The case for and against an Atwater ballpark

The62-pageErnst&Young studynoted that the Children's Hospital site isin the heart of the city and is easily reached by Metro.

One close observer agreedthat the location has some major upsides.

"It's a wonderfullocation for a stadium," said RobertLibman, an architect who has worked with the Montreal Baseball Project.

"Ithas the aura of being the near the oldMontrealForum, andit's easily accessible to downtown if,architecturally, you could finda way to fit it on the site," saidLibman.

"But it's thought to be a little too small."

There isconsiderable support from the top,as Mayor DenisCoderrehas been a major proponent of the return of Major League Baseball to Montreal.

But even that has its limits, asLibman, a former Montrealexecutive committee member, noted.

"The mayor can really push it with great momentum, but there areregulatory hurdles, azoning modificationprocess, citizen consultations and borough and city council has to be on board," he said.

Expos' boosters skeptical

Some of thekeenest supporters ofthe return of the Exposare not sold on the idea ofa ballpark near Atwater,tellingCBC Montreal's Daybreak on Tuesday that a different site might be a better bet.

"It's not the ideal situation but certainly something you could look at," said MarcGriffin, a former major league player who now works on TV as abaseball analyst.

Warren Cromartie, a former Expo who has tirelessly lobbied for the return of the teamthroughhis Montreal Baseball Project, was also skeptical.

"I just think it's too small," he told Daybreak. Cromartie said that in spite of the limited options, there is still hope that a differentlocation will emerge.

"We're honing down on a couple of sites, and we don't want to get the public into a frenzy."

Other small ballparks

A ballpark at the Atwater site would be a tight fit.

Here are some comparisons, according to unofficialmeasurements taken from Google Maps.

• The Atwatersitewould potentially occupy a footprint of roughlyjust under190 metres by 210 metres if the adjacent Cabot Square is absorbed into the project.
• Target Field in Minnesotaoccupies a footprint ofroughly 155 metres by 235 metres.
• Wrigley Field in Chicago measures about 100 metres between WavelandAvenue and Addison Street, and 196 metres between Sheffield Street and Clark Street.
• The unusually-shaped Fenway Park, a much-venerated structure built in 1912, has four unequal sides of roughly 230 metres,180metres,110 metres and100 metres.