Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/137453
courtesy Stuart Olson Dominion Construction Ltd. Investors Group Field by Stefan Dubowski lthough Winnipeg's Canad Inns Stadium (originally known as Winnipeg Stadium) opened in 1953 with seats for 15,000 spectators, its owners soon realized the need for greater capacity. Beginning in 1954, the stadium, home to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Canadian Football League (CFL) team, underwent a series of expansions. By 2001, the facility featured space for 30,000, including modern theatre-style seats and an enlarged press box. However, by the mid-2000s, the old structure clearly had to be replaced. "Canad Inns Stadium was a great facility for 59 years and a lot of memories were made there, but it was past its prime in many regards," says Garth Buchko, president and CEO of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He says the stadium was ill-suited for revenue-generating events other than football games, such as concerts and banquets. The concession stands were dated; the locker rooms cramped. As the facility's owner, the Blue Bombers envisioned a new stadium offering larger, better-equipped change rooms and workout equipment, unobstructed views of the field for spectators and a modern concession area where patrons could purchase a wide range of food options without losing sight of the game. In 2009, the Blue Bombers entered an agreement with the government of Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg to fund and build a new stadium. The football team would cover $85 million of the project. The governments would cover the rest of the $105 million, for a total of $190 million. The club assembled an all-star integrated project design team: Raymond S.C. Wan Architect, Stuart Olson Dominion Construction as construction manager, Crosier Kilgour & Partners Ltd. as structural consultants, SMS Engineering as electrical/mechanical consultants, Stantec Consulting for civil engineering, and McCowan Russell Group for landscape architecture. Investors Group Field p48-51Investors Group Field.indd 49 courtesy winnipeg blue bombers A Excavation began in September 2010 at a site on the campus of the University of Manitoba. The location offered plenty of parking for fans and it presented an opportunity for the Blue Bombers to build a stronger connection with the university's athletics program. As construction progressed, certain aspects of the project proved challenging. Consider the foundation. The Blue Bombers chose a bowl-style stadium wherein the field sits 25 feet belowgrade, enabling spectators to access seating directly from the concourse level. "Although this set up serves visitors well, it requires substantially more excavation than typical buildings do," says principal architect Raymond Wan. He explains that to ensure stability without breaking the bank, the construction team used a combination of steel pipe piles and precast driven piles. "The steel and concrete piles consisted of readily available materials and took less time to drive." june 2013 /49 13-05-30 2:11 PM