Months after construction started on Edmonton’s downtown arena, Rogers Place, officials with the City and the construction company building the structure gave an update on progress.
On the site, located on 104 Avenue between 101 and 104 Street the outline of where the ice will be, and the first sets of stands are going on.
On Tuesday, officials said 289 construction workers are on site – with a number of cranes being utilized to erect steel beams, the structure rising from the concrete foundation.
It’s estimated it will take about one year to put the thousands of steel pieces – 15,390 pieces – in place.
“The Winter Garden will be going on concurrently with that, and we should be starting across the street sometime soon,” Mike Staines with PCL said. “The roof itself is one of the more complex pieces, that will take approximately three to four months to get the work finished and over the bowl itself.”
For the Winter Garden, bridge construction on the bridge that will span 104 Avenue is expected to start in late November.
“It’s going to be something to behold, again, there’s going to be disruptions as you cross the street, we’re hoping to do that not during peak hours,” Arena project Executive Director Rick Daviss said.
Another unique feature: officials said the building will be the only arena in North America with no back door.
“All sides of the facility are designed to be public facing, it will not turn its back on any of its neighbours,” Katz Group Vice President Bob Black said.
Currently, the City is in talks with Boyle Street, as officials said they were working to find ways to address social issues in the area.
“There is no intention to push or move,” Daviss said. “It’s to how we can work better with [Boyle Street] to make sure their programs are addressed.”
As for parking once the arena is completed, there will be 350 parking stalls underneath Rogers Place, and the private sector is expected to build more.
However, officials hope most people attending games and events at Rogers Place will leave their cars at home and take public transit.
“Once the 102 Avenue alignment is complete, there will be seven LRT stops within a 10 minute walk of the area,” Black said.
Meanwhile, officials said the arena is on time, and on budget – and is still expected to open in time for the 2016/2017 hockey season.
Preparations for the facility are also being done by police and arena officials – members of the Edmonton Police Service and arena officials will travel to Los Angeles and Columbus to gather information and learn how police in those cities patrol major sports complexes there.
With files from Veronica Jubinville
