Nick Smith Centre Arena August Update

Wednesday was a very exciting day for the Nick Smith Centre with the successful completion of the slab pour on the Glenn Arthur Arena. This is a crucial milestone in the project that we’ve captured in another time lapse video. You can see the implementation of reinforcing steel followed by refrigeration piping being installed under a top layer of overlapped steel mesh. Aside from the 194 sheets of steel mesh, total of 4,351 lengths of steel bars and anchors with a cumulative length of over 20km went into the concrete of Glenn Arthur Arena to ensure that the structure can withstand the test of time. The concrete pour and finishing for the arena slab took place over a non-stop 17-hour period. The team brought on to do this work has extensive experience with arena slabs. Water will be maintained on the concrete for the next week to avoid cracking during the curing process.

While we wait for the concrete to properly cure over the coming weeks, the dasher boards, glass and spectator stands can progress. Once the concrete is sufficiently cured, we can commence the cool down procedure, gradually bringing the temperature lower so that the first ice can be made.

The project is going well but, as with any retrofit construction project of this magnitude, the schedule must be adjusted when complication temporarily slows progress. Based on the current progress of this project we are anticipating an adjustment to opening dates of both arenas with each arena anticipated to re-open for public use as below:
- Glenn Arthur Arena: Thursday, September 25, 2025
- Bert Hall Arena: Saturday, October 25, 2025

Bert Hall Arena will continue with preparations for its upcoming slab pour in September and construction continues on the new meetings rooms, storage rooms and the mezzanine level located in this space.