Arena Construction and Renovation

What makes an arena different

Arenas combine a large, cold, open volume with warm spaces for players, officials and spectators. Moisture, condensation and air movement need careful design, or ceilings rust, ice quality suffers and energy bills climb.

Dehumidification, ventilation and radiant heating all affect the ice and the crowd, so the mechanical design has to be right from the start. Our mechanical crew installs HVAC and plumbing, and our in-house engineering team coordinates with refrigeration specialists on the ice system.

Electrical and lighting

Arena electrical loads are large. Lighting, scoreboards, sound, ice plant support and kitchen equipment all pull from the same service. Our electrical crew, led by a Master Electrician, plans and installs distribution, controls and emergency systems under one schedule.

Lighting upgrades are often the first step for older arenas. Our arena lighting page covers that work in detail.

Renovation and phasing

Most arena projects are renovations. Dressing rooms, washrooms, concession areas, entrances and seating are often updated while the ice surface stays in service for as much of the season as possible.

We schedule noisy and dusty work around ice-in and ice-out dates, protect the ice and occupied areas, and keep safe, separate routes for the public. Alberta winter weather is part of the plan, especially for concrete, roofing and loading.

Plan for these items

Early decisions save the most money. Good questions to settle before design:

• Which seasons can the building close, and for how long
• Accessibility upgrades to entrances, washrooms and seating
• Dressing room count, size and shower layout
• Energy and heat recovery targets
• Spectator capacity and fire separation requirements

Who you work with

Your project manager is supported by our estimators, our in-house engineers and our trade leads. Adam Williams, our Electrical Manager and a Master Electrician, leads the electrical crew. Early estimates reflect real crew costs, not rough allowances passed through a chain of subcontractors.