September 9 – MLS team Vancouver Whitecaps are still in the process of discussing plans for a USL Pro team with the local community, despite their intention to start play in the 2015 season. The club signed a memorandum of understanding with New Westminster (part of the Greater Vancouver district) in July but have yet to finalise stadium plans.
Regardless of the preparations, president Bob Lenarduzzi continues to assert that the team will be playing in the league next season. “It’s our expectation to be playing next year, whether in New Westminster or elsewhere,” he said.
New Westminster would seem the ideal location as it sits just 12 miles away from the parent club’s home stadium. The likelihood of being able to meet the USL’s September 15 deadline, which must be met if they wish to compete in the 2015 season, with a different location to New Westminster looks slim.
Worryingly for the deadline, Lenarduzzi stated that they are “still in the process of determining what the support is for the USL bid in New Westminster”. But the signs do seem positive. There is an apparent 80% support for the franchise in the area, according to a recently revealed survey.
At least some of these proponents belong to the New Westminster Chamber of Commerce, Queen’s Park Residents’ Association (who live in the immediately adjacent location of the proposed stadium), and Royal Youth City Soccer Club, who are all publicly backing the venture.
“We’re encouraged by the fact that there seems to be a number of groups that feel that a USL team in New West would be good in general for the community, so we’ll continue to work towards a September 15 deadline,” said Lenarduzzi.
What makes this particular instance of soccer growth all the more interesting is the face-to-face match up it has with baseball. A baseball association currently resides in the Queen’s Park Stadium and is resisting the intruders. The city, to complicate matters more, has already previously agreed to provide new baseball facilities to the association. The football proposal has come as an unhappy surprise to baseball team.
One or another is set to give, and this small battleground may well be a marker of things to come as soccer emerges into prominence in North America.
Lenarduzzi, for one, seems fairly confident. “Ultimately it’s the community that will need to determine what is best for the community,” he said. “Our hope is that the decision is made in getting what is best for the community in general and a refurbished Queen’s Park stadium would be not only good for the Whitecaps but be good for the people of New Westminster.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734829496labto1734829496ofdlr1734829496owedi1734829496sni@n1734829496osloh1734829496cin.n1734829496eb1734829496