Award

photos courtesy WGD ArchItects INc. I n the north end of Toronto, the former Canadian Forces Base Downsview is being transformed into Downsview Park, an urban park with an array of amenities including a 300-acre nature reserve and a new privately owned state-of-the-art four-pad hockey arena. Designed by WGD Architects Inc., with structural/mechanical/electrical design by exp Services Inc., and built by design-build contractor Harm Schilthuis & Sons Limited, Buckingham Arena is the home facility of the Greater Toronto Hockey League – North America's larg- est minor hockey organization – as well as being the host venue of a number of other leagues. The complex bears no resemblance to the utilitarian rafter-style arenas of previous generations where spectators huddled around the rink in the cold, says John Cook, VP of Buckingham Sports Properties Company, the developer and owner. For starters, it has radiant floor heating in the change rooms and the tiered spectator stands of the four arenas. Laid out in a north-south configura- tion, the arenas are separated by a main corridor and the player change rooms. Three have seating for 250, while the fourth, known as Rink 1, has 850 seats. There are views of the action in that arena from the arena's large lobby, as well as the adjacent and fully-licensed Penalty Box Restaurant, says Cook. Other features include a snack bar, pro shop, a vending centre and 24 "pro like" dressing rooms with fully- equipped washrooms and individual showers. Of special note are the fea- tures to facilitate sledge hockey, which is where the physically challenged play the game on specially designed sleighs. In two of the rinks, there are no floor bumps and the toilet stalls are equipped with extra-wide doors to accommodate wheelchair movement. Construction by Harm Schilthuis & Sons Limited started in 2011 and by September 2013 the arena partially opened its doors for business, although there was still some left to complete at that time. The majority of the complex was completed by February 1, 2014, however a grand official opening won't be held until later this autumn. "We didn't want to open in the middle of the hockey season," says Cook. In pursuing a Request for Proposal issued by Parc Downsview Park Inc., Toronto-based Buckingham teamed up again with the contractor and selected WGD Architects, a firm that specializes in designing recreational and cultural facilities. Nevertheless, the project had a number of intricate challenges that included the process of negotiating and finalizing an agreement with the crown agency. "We have a 45-year [land] lease, but would have preferred a 100-year one," says Cook. Downsview Park is home to a number of old hangars. In fact a hangar was one location the crown corporation initially suggested the arena might be located. That wasn't suitable to Buckingham and a number of other sites were proposed and rejected until both parties agreed on the present location. Even so, there were complications with that final selection, says Brian Gre- gersen, a principal with WGD Architects. "We had to position the new arena between an existing adjacent hangar building and a nearby railway line." Like most Brownfield sites, a certain amount of pre-construction site servic- ing was required. At one time a portion of the land was a two-foot-thick concrete apron used for holding planes manufac- tured at a nearby plant. The concrete had to be excavated before construction could begin. New sewer lines and other utilities had to be installed to service the arena. Although that site servicing was the responsibility of the crown agency and not Buckingham Sports, there were still some of the hurdles that had to be overcome. Asked about the design principles and philosophies that WGD brought to the project table, Gregersen suggests that not all public-private arena part- nerships are successful, pointing out that a major failure has been cramped and unwelcoming entrances. "We had to break the mould," says Gregersen, referring to the arena's spacious lobby. Highlighted with tall glass windows, it fronts onto Carl Hall Road, a major thor- oughfare, and acts as a "beacon of light" on dark winter nights. The design roots of the lobby can be traced back to the time when Bucking- ham Sports officials visited Cobourg Ontario's Multi-Use Arena Complex, also designed by WGD Architects and also distinguished by a large lobby. Substantial measures were taken to reduce the facility's environmental impact, says exp project manager Ed Kolodziejski. Elements of the mechani- cal system include a desiccant dehu- midification system and an ice plant heat recovery process for pre-heating supply air and domestic hot water. To minimize electrical consumption, exp created lighting design that allows for "borrowed" light at both levels of the arena due to the glass partitions between the spaces. "So in other words, with glass partitions used between spaces, this allows for light to be shared between adjacent rooms, and incorpo- rated in the electrical design for efficient use of lighting," says Kolodziejski. ■ Buckingham Arena at Downsview Park by Dan O'Reilly Location 57 Carl Hall Road, Toronto, Ontario owner/DeveLoper Buckingham Sports Properties Company architect WGD Architects Inc. Design-BuiLD contractor Harm Schilthuis & Sons Limited structuraL/MechanicaL/ eLectricaL consuLtant exp Services Inc. totaL BuiLDing area 176,000 square feet totaL construction cost In excess of $27 million october 2014 /65 buckingham Arena at Downsview Park

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