Scotiabank Centre

[q12]

The Scotiabank Centre is 40 years old today.

The original ice slab will be replaced this summer.

https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default...0213rc1414.pdf

http://www.metronews.ca/news/halifax...timeframe.html

Completed upgrades up to now include new seats, upgraded concourse and mezzanine washrooms a new basketball floor, an LED lighting update, and roof replacement.

In addition to the new ice slab, further planned upgrades include more exterior repairs and ice level washroom upgrades.

We’re officially the big 4-0 today!
🎉
On this day in 1978, we had our official grand opening. The memories are endless— cheers to 40 years of fun, #Halifax!
🎈

https://twitter.com/ScotiabankCtr/st...08015597080578

[ns_kid]

The CHL is to announce in early April the venue for the 2019 Memorial Cup. Scotiabank Centre and Halifax Mooseheads are pushing hard for the rights; their only competition is Moncton, which is touting their new arena, due to open this fall.

Of course a new $112 million building is a big draw. Scotiabank Centre's $6 million upgrade may suffer by comparison. On the plus side, SB Centre will still have 1700 more seats, and the Mooseheads are pushing the fact the SB Centre is connected to (or within a block of) seven hotels with something like 1600 rooms. (Moncton's new arena hotel, with 120 rooms, won't open til 2020.)

(Another major consideration, in my view, is that Moncton last hosted the Memorial Cup in 2006: for Halifax it's been 18 years.)

SB Centre is supposed to have a new ice surface installed this summer. But here's my question: the original plan for the upgrades, approved by council in 2013, included $2 million for a new clock/scoreboard/screens. That should add lustre to Halifax's bid, but I've heard nothing more about it. Moncton is planning to spend $1.4 million on its new clock.

Of course, if you've been in a major arena lately, you'll know that today's "clocks" are supersized, fully digital LED screens.

Anyone have an update on this?

[Keith P.]

The best thing that they could do for the Halifax building is to rip out a bunch of Fred MacGillivray's "skyboxes" which make the place feel claustrophobic and reduce sightlines.

[MonctonRad]

Gilles Courteau, when he visited the events centre in Moncton a few weeks back declared it the second best venue in the Q (after the Centre Videotron in QC) but I think your assessment is correct. I think the Memorial Cup will be in Halifax this time.

- Moncton held the Memorial Cup in 2006. That's not too long ago. Halifax is more due for the cup than Moncton is.
- This is the Moosehead's 25th anniversary isn't it?
- There are two new hotels going up within walking distance of the Moncton events centre (Hyatt, Hilton), but neither will be ready in time for the Memorial Cup.
- The Mooseheads currently are icing a better team that the Wildcats. That's always a consideration.

So, I vote for Halifax in 2019. Given the rotation between the leagues in the CHL, I would suggest a Quebec based team in 2022 and Moncton hosting the event in 2025.

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

The best thing that they could do for the Halifax building is to rip out a bunch of Fred MacGillivray's "skyboxes" which make the place feel claustrophobic and reduce sightlines.

No argument here. The view from the higher upper bowl seats is horribly obstructed; I don't know why anyone pays money to sit there. (I vowed I never would again after my first couple of experiences there and I've kept my promise.)

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

So, I vote for Halifax in 2019. Given the rotation between the leagues in the CHL, I would suggest a Quebec based team in 2022 and Moncton hosting the event in 2025.

If the new building in Gatineau is ready by 2022 it would be an ideal host. That would give us something like:

2019: Halifax
2022: Gatineau
2025: Moncton

Outside of those three the other potential hosts for the future could be, IMO, Quebec, Saint John, and Blainville. I can't imagine the Q doesn't go back to the Videotron Centre at some point as it's an NHL arena, which means it wouldn't surprise me if Moncton is pushed back to 2028. Regardless, it's looking like Halifax is likely for 2019.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by JHikka

If the new building in Gatineau is ready by 2022 it would be an ideal host.

It's supposed to be ready for the fall of 2020.

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by ns_kid

SB Centre is supposed to have a new ice surface installed this summer. But here's my question: the original plan for the upgrades, approved by council in 2013, included $2 million for a new clock/scoreboard/screens. That should add lustre to Halifax's bid, but I've heard nothing more about it. Moncton is planning to spend $1.4 million on its new clock.

Of course, if you've been in a major arena lately, you'll know that today's "clocks" are supersized, fully digital LED screens.

Anyone have an update on this?

Checked with city staff this week and confirmed that Scotiabank Centre's score clock replacement is still in the plan, likely for next year. I would expect if Halifax wins its bid for the 2019 Memorial Cup we'll see it installed it time for the mid-May opening.

Here's an image of the score clock installed in Regina's 6500-seat Brandt Centre in 2015. Regina is hosting this year's Memorial Cup. (This installation had a price tag of $3 million, though that included structural upgrades.) Source: Global TV

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by musicman

I explained why the roof cannot be raised on here before... The structure as it is built is NOT easily expandable due to how the roof is constructed and how the supports for both the roof and bowls are constructed... The roof can be raised however the load that the roof supports for large concerts would have to be drastically reduced making it useless for basically any winter concert of any size due to increased snow load and only marginally usefull for summer concert use.

I am no engineer so I would be interested in an explanation of why this cannot happen. Looking at the pictures posted here it appears the main roof structure is supported by 4 large columns, one in each corner of the building. Could these not be made into/replaced with taller ones?

[IanWatson]

Not an engineer either, but I suspect you need something under the columns (footings) to spread the weight. So I doubt the answer isn't so much, "It's impossible," as, "It's gonna get real expensive real fast."

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

Not an engineer either, but I suspect you need something under the columns (footings) to spread the weight. So I doubt the answer isn't so much, "It's impossible," as, "It's gonna get real expensive real fast."

And you would have to shut down the arena for a couple of years during the construction process too.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

Not an engineer either, but I suspect you need something under the columns (footings) to spread the weight. So I doubt the answer isn't so much, "It's impossible," as, "It's gonna get real expensive real fast."

But you're not adding any weight to the roof, you're just raising it.

https://www.therecord.com/sports-sto...-a-novel-idea/

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

But you're not adding any weight to the roof, you're just raising it.

https://www.therecord.com/sports-sto...-a-novel-idea/

It's an interesting concept for sure though Kitchener ultimately opted for a more modest $9.6 million expansion that -- as I understand it -- extended the roof on both sides, rather than raise the existing roof. It added about 1000 seats (for a total of about 7800), plus a new concourse, dressing rooms and other features. The hockey club, the OHL Kitchener Rangers, paid for it using a loan from the city, which they've pledged to pay back within 15 years...when, it's said, they might be ready to shop the idea of a new rink.

It's always seemed to me the potential was there to do something similar for the Scotiabank Centre, extend the building perhaps at the ends, where the roof slopes. But like you I'm no engineer, and there's limited wiggle room on any open side of the building.

There's no doubt in my mind that Halifax, long considered one of the best rinks in the CHL, is slowly losing that distinction as other cities replace their buildings. (In the Q alone that includes Moncton, Quebec City and Gatineau.) As events the city once hosted have themselves grown (like the World Junior and World Men's hockey championships) the chances of them returning to Halifax becomes more and more remote.

In the meantime, more incremental improvements would be welcome. In addition to the aforementioned scoreclock, upgrading the concourse with suspended ceiling materials and flooring tiles would make those areas a lot more inviting. Rebuilt entranceways will be critical IMHO if improved security screening and metal detectors are to become permanent. And tearing out stairwells to install escalators would be a godsend.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by ns_kid

It's always seemed to me the potential was there to do something similar for the Scotiabank Centre, extend the building perhaps at the ends, where the roof slopes. But like you I'm no engineer, and there's limited wiggle room on any open side of the building.

...

In the meantime, more incremental improvements would be welcome. In addition to the aforementioned scoreclock, upgrading the concourse with suspended ceiling materials and flooring tiles would make those areas a lot more inviting. Rebuilt entranceways will be critical IMHO if improved security screening and metal detectors are to become permanent. And tearing out stairwells to install escalators would be a godsend.

I remember statements made at the time the Metro Centre opened that there were provisions for expansion. I assume but do not know for sure that those involved upper level seating at either end. The damn skyboxes at the south end eliminate any option for that unless they are removed, so you are left with the Duke St side, which is not the most desirable seating (blocked during concerts, etc).

I wonder if the pending (?) sale of the WTCC will impact the ability to do much with the concourses and the like. The ticket sales space on the 4th floor of the WTCC is badly underutilized and could be an asset to events. I fully agree with you re the need to do something with an alternative to the stairwells. I seldom use Scotia Square to park in for events there but several years ago I did that and because of weather used the tunnel to get into WTCC and then up to the arena. The stairwells were shockingly steep and narrow. I found myself wondering if it was even possible for someone in a wheelchair or with other disability to get from the WTCC into the arena without going outside. Accessibility may have been improved since but at the time it seemed very poor.

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I wonder if the pending (?) sale of the WTCC will impact the ability to do much with the concourses and the like. The ticket sales space on the 4th floor of the WTCC is badly underutilized and could be an asset to events. I fully agree with you re the need to do something with an alternative to the stairwells. I seldom use Scotia Square to park in for events there but several years ago I did that and because of weather used the tunnel to get into WTCC and then up to the arena. The stairwells were shockingly steep and narrow. I found myself wondering if it was even possible for someone in a wheelchair or with other disability to get from the WTCC into the arena without going outside. Accessibility may have been improved since but at the time it seemed very poor.

There is one elevator. It is located near the southeast (Carmichael/Grafton entrance) corner of the building. From the 4th floor (box office) level, it's just inside the left entry door (the one nearest Carmichael Street). It's poorly marked and requires an operator to run it. If you didn't know where it was you'd have a devil of a time finding it. Of course from Argyle Street or pedway it means taking two elevators to get to the seating.

You're right to flag the WTCC problem. The other reality with attracting major future events to Scotiabank Centre is that they often relied on the WTCC for support functions: media centre, registration, security and first aid rooms, meeting space, hospitality suites, food service/catering and the like have all been housed in WTCC. I have no idea where those ancillary services are supposed to go for future events.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by ns_kid

You're right to flag the WTCC problem. The other reality with attracting major future events to Scotiabank Centre is that they often relied on the WTCC for support functions: media centre, registration, security and first aid rooms, meeting space, hospitality suites, food service/catering and the like have all been housed in WTCC. I have no idea where those ancillary services are supposed to go for future events.

That's something I hadn't thought of, good point. I assume that big WTCC kitchen has been decommissioned by now, which is a shame. And all those other things would be gone as you note. I remember when the Brier was here they used a lot of WTCC space. This is potentially a big problem.

[TheNovaScotian]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I wonder if the pending (?) sale of the WTCC will impact the ability to do much with the concourses and the like. .

I'd always wished they'd re-purpose the WTCC by changing the orientation of the metro center and going down the hill to make up the height difference.
It's time we at least started on a plan to replace the facility but I'm sure the usual crowd would put the kibosh to that.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by TheNovaScotian

I'd always wished they'd re-purpose the WTCC by changing the orientation of the metro center and going down the hill to make up the height difference.
It's time we at least started on a plan to replace the facility but I'm sure the usual crowd would put the kibosh to that.

Who would do that? Is there a 'friends of Scotiabank Centre' organization?

What you are suggesting sounds like a 'tear it down and build new' project, as I suspect that would be the only way to attain that end result.

If this was done, is there any place in the city that could substitute for Scotiabank Centre while a new one was being built?

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Who would do that? Is there a 'friends of Scotiabank Centre' organization?

What you are suggesting sounds like a 'tear it down and build new' project, as I suspect that would be the only way to attain that end result.

If this was done, is there any place in the city that could substitute for Scotiabank Centre while a new one was being built?

The only choices are the Forum (5600) and Dartmouth Sportsplex (3000). The Forum holds more spectators but is old and lacks amenities, while the Sportsplex is (will be) nicer but holds fewer people. That being said, the Moosesheads and Rainmen could probably muddle through a season sharing these facilities if needed.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by terrynorthend

The only choices are the Forum (5600) and Dartmouth Sportsplex (3000). The Forum holds more spectators but is old and lacks amenities, while the Sportsplex is (will be) nicer but holds fewer people. That being said, the Moosesheads and Rainmen could probably muddle through a season sharing these facilities if needed.

I never think about the Forum, even though it was the mainstay in Halifax before the Metro... errr... Scotiabank Centre was built. I recall seeing a few Nova Scotia Voyageurs games there back in the day - also remember it as a concert venue, though I was too young to attend before the SC was built.

Moving events to the Forum would be an inconvenience, but I agree that it could work for a season. Could even be an argument for some Forum renovations to get it through.

Not sure that this has much meaning, though, as Scotiabank has just invested a bunch of money in upgrades which would lead me to believe that the plan is to keep as is for a few years at least...