Local

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

For the love of football

Decades-long fan checks out Bombers' newest home during sod-turning

By: Bruce Owen

Posted: 05/21/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

WAYNE.GLOWACKI@FREEPRESS.MB.CA Enlarge Image

Excavators await the official start of the construction Thursday morning.

Ernie Karlowsky is tired of sitting in the rain and snow during Winnipeg Blue Bomber home games.

The season ticket holder of 63 years has sat behind the Bombers' bench since the club's current home opened in 1953. For six years before that, he sat in Osborne Stadium (now the Great-West Life building at Broadway and Osborne Street).

Enlarge Image

KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS / MAY 20 2010 - 100520 - BRUCE OWEN STORY - Blue Bomeber Doug Brown talks to Ernie Karlowsky grain farmer a 63 year ticket holder before ground breaking cerimony connection to Izzy Asper - New Blue Bomber Stadium ground breaking took place at the UofM -the stadium will feature a world class 33,000 seat , to 40,000 for Grey Cup seating , 80% of fans will be weather protected , 40 private boxes - will be home to the Bombers and UofM Bisons - minor football palyers were invited with CFL Com. Mark Cohon , Greg Selinger , David Asper , Sam Katz , UofM President David Barnard

Related Items

Columns
- Not much has changed since last stadium was built

The 86-year-old Brunkild grain farmer doesn't want to sit in the wet and cold in the new stadium.

So, he showed up Thursday at the University of Manitoba for the sod-turning for the new stadium to find out if he'll stay dry.

"I want to find out if there'll be a roof," Karlowsky said.

When the time was right, Karlowsky asked David Asper that question. Asper's Creswin Properties is building the $115-million stadium. It will seat 33,000 and will be open for the 2012 CFL season.

Asper told him there will not be a full roof, but much of the lower bowl will be covered. The upper bowl of the new stadium will be fully covered.

"You'll be wind-protected because it will be down low," Asper said.

That satisfied Karlowsky. It beats where he sits now when the north wind blows.

At the sod-turning, three big excavators signalled the start of work on the new building.

The project seemed doomed mere weeks ago, mostly because of financial pressures caused by the North American recession, but was revived by Premier Greg Selinger.

The deal involves the provincial government taking out a $90-million loan to finance the bulk of the stadium's construction costs, with $15 million more coming from the football club and $10 million from Creswin Properties. It will be owned by the city and U of M.

Kawlowsky told Asper he crossed paths with the Asper family many years ago.

He told him that when he was getting into farming, he needed a loan to buy machinery. He went to the then-Farm Credit Corp. for help. The lawyer who helped him?

"It was Izzy Asper," Karlowsky said.

"C'mon," replied Asper. "Did he do a good job?"

"Well, I'm still farming," Karlowsky said.

Now it was Asper's turn to talk football.

"Are you fired up about this season?" Asper asked.

"Oh, I sure am," Karlowsky said.

"What do you think about (quarterback Buck) Pierce?" Asper said. "He's the starter."

"Well, I'm quite excited about what's happening," Karlowsky said.

Actual construction on the stadium begins in a few weeks on the site, now a grass field at the corner of Chancellor Matheson Drive and University Crescent. Area residents worried about noise, traffic and parking have filed an appeal of the new stadium's zoning, which was approved several weeks ago.

"I wish everything about the project was easy, but it's not," Asper said.

This weekend, he'll be in Las Vegas at Recon 2010, a four-day trade show for high-end retail real estate developers that attracts 1,800 exhibitors from all over the world. Creswin's goal is to sign up to 40 per cent of retail clients for The Elms, the retail development Creswin wants to build at the old stadium site.

Karlowsky also got to talk football with Selinger.

Both listed off players over the years: Jack Jacobs, Bud Grant, Leo Lewis and Farrell Funston.

"I'm a fan, too," Selinger said.

Karlowsky said he'll continue going to Bomber games for as long as he can.

"When I'm not at the game, I'm on the combine listening to it on the radio," he said.

bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 21, 2010 B1

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

WFP Hockey

Download our new hockey app for the iPhone for Winnipeg Jets updates
Editor's Bulletin

Sign up for daily bulletins from editor Margo Goodhand
Winnipeg Jets

All things NHL on our Jets landing page
Twitter

Follow our reporters and our news feeds on Twitter
News Cafe

Check out the menu, read our blog posts or get info on coming events
Facebook Fanpage

Follow our Facebook Fanpage for story links, contests and special events