The GTA Construction Report – March 2009 – PAGE B3
Canadian hockey to benefit from new facility
MATTHEW DESROSIERS – The GTA Construction Report Editor
national teams.
The Hockey Hall of
If there’s one thing Cana- new, four-pad arena, these Fame will have a special
dians are known for, it’s organizations are getting area put aside for use as a re-
hockey. ready to move to the new source and archive centre.
Now, thanks to a partner- site on the corner of Kipling Apart from the wide va-
ship between the Giffels and New Toronto Street. riety of uses for the arena,
Corporation, the Lakeshore Ken Burns, vice presi- the facility itself is unique in
Lions Club, Maple Leaf dent of the Giffels Corpora- that it boasts both a full heat
Sports & Entertainment tion who both designed and recovery system built off of
(MLSE) and other commu- built the facility, said it is the refrigeration plant, and a
nity and hockey partners, we scheduled to be complete by dehumidification system de-
have a new, state-of-the-art September of this year, just signed to also use waste heat
facility to use for the train- in time for the Leafs’ train- from the plant.
ing and development of our ing camp. “It will be the first arena
players. The new arena has four in Toronto that will have that
Since 1951, the ice pads, three of which are (heat recovery system),”
Lakeshore Lions Club has National Hockey League said Burns.
operated the Lakeshore (NHL) size. The fourth is an In fact, this is the first
Lions Memorial Arena, a Olympic sized pad that can new arena to be built in
staple of the local hockey be converted to NHL size by Toronto in 28 years.
community in Etobicoke. moving the dasher boards. It Former Toronto Maple Leafs captains Doug Gilmour (left), Wendel Clark, Darryl Sit- The entire project is pri-
Thousands of children have will be built with 1,000 tler and Rick Vaive, join Toronto Marlies mascot Duke the Dog and two local hockey vately financed, and won’t
played in the arena as part of seats, but there are plans to
players to break ground on the new Lakeshore Lions Arena on March 26, 2007.
cost the taxpayers a penny,
the Faustina Sports Club increase that to 4,000 per- he said.
house league, or as part of manent seats, said Burns. Toronto Marlies, will have ing, instead of practicing for MLSE in a press release. With the building now
the Etobicoke Dolphins, The Maple Leafs, who 8,000 sq.-ft. of similar space down at the Air Canada “(It will be) a global model enclosed and the majority of
Canada’s second-largest have also contributed finan- adjacent to another pad. This Centre, they can practice that caters to every level the internal masonry work
women’s hockey organiza- cially to the project, will allows both teams to prac- here as well,” said Burns. from grassroots to high per- completed, workers are
tion. have a 14,000 sq.-ft. training tice simultaneously. Local hockey clubs, formance.” pouring the rink pads and
The Toronto Maple Leafs area with their own locker There is also a separate house leagues and commu- Hockey Canada will also completing work on the re-
also use the arena as their room adjacent to one of the NHL dressing room for vis- nity skaters will have access have access to the facility frigeration plant in this new
practice facility. pads in the southeast corner. iting teams who wish to to the various ice rinks when for both office space, and to hockey gem.
However, with construc- Their American Hockey practice prior to their game. the professional clubs aren’t train and develop Canada’s
tion wrapping up on the League (AHL) affiliate, the “Whatever team is visit- using them.
“The facility will be a
great community asset that
makes the sport accessible,
while at the same time, sup-
porting the growth and de-
velopment of hockey in
Canada,” said Bob Hunter,
executive vice president of
venues and entertainment
Niagara Column
New Projects in Grimsby
SANDRA KING – The GTA Construction Report
In light of the federal government’s re-
cent infrastructure announcements, it
There has been a great deal of con- (Leadership in Energy and Environ- seems like this would be an ideal time
struction buzz in Grimsby these days mental Design) project. Luckily, most to provide such a facility to an area that
and it won’t be long before ground is arguments are for the pro side and to is sorely in need of an infrastructure
being broken for several important me, it seems like this is a no-brainer. boost.
projects. The Town Hall Addition and LEED buildings have less impact on The YMCA hopes to continue to
the Centralized Sports Centre are at the the environment; provide a healthier explore options regarding the con-
top of the list, and even though a third indoor work environment, and gener- struction of a facility that would serve
project, the construction of a West Ni- ally pay for themselves through energy West Niagara. If all three municipali-
agara YMCA, has been put on hold, savings in a relatively short period of ties agree on funding a portion of the
council members have assured resi- time. costs, then the facility would likely be
dents that they will be revisiting plans The Centralized Sports Centre, a built at the QEW and Bartlett Avenue
for this much anticipated facility in the $4,000,000 project, will provide more in Grimsby.
future. playing fields for local residents, and This is exactly the type of project
The decision to expand the Town this is great, but along with the resi- that would benefit a great majority of
Hall was made in July 2007 due to the dents or Grimsby, Lincoln, and West the community, now, and for many
growth that has taken place in the area. Lincoln, I am greatly disappointed that years to come. The timing is perfect,
More residents means more staff is re- the YMCA project has been shelved the federal budget is geared towards
quired and it looks like the project will for another year. It seems that funding this type of project, and residents of the
soon get underway. Currently, there are is part of the problem and Grimsby has three communities are eager to get fit
discussions as to whether or not the been looking for a financial commit- at their very own Y.
Town Hall Addition should be a LEED ment from Lincoln and West Lincoln.
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