Registered: Jan 2005
Location: south ontario
Posts: 80

I have attended a world curling championshipevent, a couple of Roar of the Rings events and a half dozen or so Briers and have never been in a facility with such poor faciities for the spectators as the K Rock Center in Kingston where day1 is just wrapping up!
The location of the most uncomfortable seats i have ever had to endure was excellent but that was the only thing good about them and we departed after the 5th end of first draw and although we have tickets in same location are uncertain that we will return. On top of the uncomfortable seats were the unacceptable toilet facilities in both arena and Patch 3 urinals and a couple of stalls outside of Patch area and only washroom we attended in arena similar.
WE are not sure we will return to any draw due to above .... this will be my last Brier for sure. What a disappointment despite the excellent on ice performance by participants,
Organizers ha better do some closer scrutiny prior to awarding such a marvelous event to locations such as this one that I and hoprfjlly the majority of others would deem to be unacceptable.
After having said that I don't feel one bit better about it!!

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Redneck Saskatchewan
Posts: 1503

Although the memory is fuzzy because of age, distance and booze I seem to remember the 'hated trough' at Taylor Field, and the line up where you danced and jived to hold it until you would get your turn to expel the alcohol you smuggled in to the Rider game.

Saskatoon almost had a civil war back in the eighties over location and size of a facility to replace The old "Barn" downtown. In the end they built an arena that remains a fantastic venue for watching anything. Unfortunately the "build it downtown' faction has baby fever again.

Sorry, off the subject of the Kingston arena's shortcomings other than to say the planning and approval debate over new needed facilities can be painful.

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Registered: Feb 2020
Location:
Posts: 18

curl canada should put thr LEGEND scouting facilities,very knowldgeable plus knows everything about toilets

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Registered: Mar 2013
Location:
Posts: 1875

Legend sounded a little flushed in his washroom review. The rest of his toilet reviews can be found on his trip advisor account call name. Royal flush.

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2668

Well they only want you drinking not eating in the Patch. Only One food counter that ran out by 12:30. Horrible washrooms and not big enough.

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Last edited by curlerbroad on 03-02-20 at 03:46PM

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Registered: Feb 2020
Location: Ohio
Posts: 167

From an American making a pilgrimage to Kingston - seating is REALLY tight.

I can’t imagine how uncomfortable a packed house would be. Patch is fun. Food there is hard to get. Really hard. I had to wait fifteen minutes for a hot dog. Need food trucks here or something.

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Redneck Saskatchewan
Posts: 1503

From the comments about the lack of bathroom facilities and concessions I had a picture of this arena being older.
It's not.
Built in 2006 when the architect should have known better.

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2668

Only one food concession. Looks like the organizers didn’t anticipate the success! After my earlier griping, I do want say all of the staff were very friendly, even the security guard apologized for having to search my back pack. But by Monday, volunteers weren’t subject to searches. They were very kind to the seniors (never can tell what they might be hiding in their cane!). Volunteers (I was one) were treated very well lots of Tim Hortons coffee & baked goods. I didn’t bother with the crappy hotel breakfast thanks to this. Curling Canada officials were great with the volunteers too.

A shame about the patch. However the local restaurants will be happy to serve you. So eat before you go.

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2668

quote:

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Originally posted by Manitoba Legend
Really no excuse for CCA organizers not checking & supervising the progress of local committee.

Head of committee also bears responsibility for not having checks & balances in place.

Facility wise - architects only work with so much floor plate; they are hesitant to add washrooms and rest space because its NOT PRODUCTIVE and more importantly ADDS TO COSTS.

CCA new what they had in the Kingston facility - they just turned a blind eye cuz they were happy Kingston bid on the Brier with a substantial guarantee.

Patch food & beverage should be far more balanced from what I've been told, not totally weighted to booze. Should be 33% food/67% beverage w/ lots of 50/50s, souvenirs, t-shirts, other promotions, etc.

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Registered: Apr 2014
Location: In the House
Posts: 608

quote:

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Originally posted by curlerbroad
Only one food concession. Looks like the organizers didn’t anticipate the success! After my earlier griping, I do want say all of the staff were very friendly, even the security guard apologized for having to search my back pack. But by Monday, volunteers weren’t subject to searches. They were very kind to the seniors (never can tell what they might be hiding in their cane!). Volunteers (I was one) were treated very well lots of Tim Hortons coffee & baked goods. I didn’t bother with the crappy hotel breakfast thanks to this. Curling Canada officials were great with the volunteers too.

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Registered: Feb 2020
Location: Ohio
Posts: 167

They fixed the bathroom issue by Tuesday. The patch had a row of portable bathrooms.

It was a much better time than the complaints here let on. Arena didn’t feel 10-15 years old though. Felt older than that. Maybe it’s not so much the arena as the lack of real amenities there.

Also - I had a radio that picked up the producers feed for TSN - not the television feed that they broadcast (it was 10-20 below the bottom of the standard fm dial). That’s pretty cool to hear. I hadn’t been able to pick that up at a sporting event in years.

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Registered: Mar 2013
Location:
Posts: 1875

Fixed with porta potties. As McEnroe would say, you CAN not be serious. National event with porta potties. Well done. Not.

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Registered: Apr 2014
Location: In the House
Posts: 608

quote:

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Originally posted by fresca
My wife and her friends voluntered for years and loved it

The now $100 fee is the cost of an upper deckJets ticket - and they were able to attend a major entertainment event for 10 days with coffee, sandwiches, donuts, A thank you party at the end , And jackets they all still wear with pride - never heard one complaint

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Last edited by On The Nose on 03-06-20 at 02:40AM

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Redneck Saskatchewan
Posts: 1503

quote:

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Originally posted by IN-OFF-FOR-2
Fixed with porta potties. As McEnroe would say, you CAN not be serious. National event with porta potties. Well done. Not.

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Registered: Feb 2020
Location: Ohio
Posts: 167

So I'm not familiar with what the solution for this would normally be - are the portapotties not normal at the patch?

If I went to a professional golf event here or something where the purse is in the 20mil range, portapotties are pretty standard. The closest thing I compare the patch to is.. like an Oktoberfest party? Those would have portapotties too.

What would normally happen for that many people? Just talking from a place of inexperience at the Brier. They seem pretty standard for me. Besides, they were red and white. Felt very Canadian.

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Registered: Oct 2004
Location: Twin Snowbanks
Posts: 2068

quote:

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Originally posted by Manitoba Legend In Brandon 1982 all volunteers paid $40 for a deerskin orange sport jacket (still have mine 40 yrs later) and $12 for a pair of slacks (gone long ago) Still have a bit of my old Brier memorabilia though . . .

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Lots of major youth (<21) events. Nice for Murdoch... and us :-D.

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