Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/549108
62 | august 2015 BMO Field Expansion – Phase 1 "We actually demolished suites on both the north and the south ends of the west grandstands in order to make way for the super columns that will support the roof," Barrows explains. "That's hap- pening next year – this year we drilled the micropile foundations; we couldn't get a drill rig in to do the traditional foundation approach for these super col- umns, so ended up drilling somewhere in the range of about 100 micropiles that will support massive poured-in-place concrete foundations." "The new roof will be an iconic, highly visible feature from the Expressway when complete," R andolph adds. "Because the Gardiner Expressway is elevated, currently it is possible to miss the stadium visually against the sur- rounding context; to support this even- tual metamorphosis in Phase I, Gensler focused on taking the Toronto FC brand to the next level, translating team ele- ments to the exterior facade of the building. Red and dark grey panels on the exterior establish this as the home of TFC on your approach to the stadium from Lakeshore." All told, it's been a gargantuan undertaking for all involved thus far. And clearly there are just as many hectic days and late nights to come in Phase 2. But all involved are eager to get back at it and make their mark on one of the city's most impressive sports venues. "In my mind, there has been noth- ing but positive feedback about the improvements," says Barrows. "Where the existing stadium was a pre-manu- factured aluminum stadium-type solu- tion, we've now gone to a structural steel and precast solution, which is more robust and feels more like what you would expect in an Air Canada Centre, world-class facility . . . and obviously the play of the team, I'm not going to attri- bute it all to the expansion, but they've definitely gotten better." A Location 170 Princes' Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario owner/DeveLoper Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment architect Gensler and Associates GeneraL contractor PCL Constructors Canada Inc. StructuraL conSuLtantS Entuitive Corporation / Thorton Tomasetti, Inc. MechanicaL/ eLectricaL conSuLtantS H.H. Angus & Associates / ME Engineers, Inc. totaL Size 159,693 square feet totaL coSt $75 million (Phase 1) renderings courtesy gensler and associates Fourwinds