Largest rink at future arena multiplex could seat 1,000 people

Largest rink may seat 1,000

Photo: City of Kamloops

The Build Kamloops committee has been discussing preliminary design concepts for the arena multiplex at its meetings, hearing about seat capacity on Thursday.

A Kamloops city council committee on Thursday discussed seating capacity for a future Dufferin arena multiplex, with councillors told the proposed facility could include between 1,450 and 1,600 seats spread out between four rinks.

Matt Kachel, City of Kamloops infrastructure delivery divisional manager, told the Build Kamloops committee Thursday that of the four ice sheets planned for the facility, one is being planned to have 1,000 seats to accommodate larger crowds and events.

The other three are planned to include between 150 and 200 seats apiece.

For comparison, McArthur Island Sport and Events Centre includes a 1,200-seat NHL arena and an 800-seat Olympic ice sheet.

Kachel said the arena multiplex capacity was discussed with user groups, who landed on the numbers after considering a number of factors.

“The seating capacity for the facility can have a significant impact on the building design itself, because it increases the overall occupant load when we have more folks in there,” Kachel said.

He said with increased seating capacity, more washrooms, parking stalls and egress and exit systems are needed.

“You take up that space, then it will consume areas that can be used for programming, because we only have so much, you know, usable space within the facility,” he said.

“We just wanted to make sure we got that number where it needs to be, so that we weren’t going to have a big empty stadium that wasn’t being taken to its maximum utility.”

Kachel said the capacity means the city won’t have to make design concessions, like reducing the number of parking stalls.

The Build Kamloops committee was shown an example of an arena design, with Kachel noting the bleachers might end up being stacked on top of dressing rooms. This makes good use of the space underneath the seating and gives spectators an elevated view.

Jen Fretz, the city’s civic operations director, said the multiplex parking plan has accounted for people using gym space and other building amenities.

Coun. Mike O’Reilly noted accessibility is "greatly lacking" in existing sports facilities, noting it's difficult to retrofit the old rinks. He asked if this would be a focal point in the arena multiplex design.

Kachel said the city will seek to make the facilities accessible, adding the new building code includes such requirements.

“Those bleachers will need to be accessible, there will need to be spots for folks with mobility issues to get into those spots — that goes right from the parking lot, where they get out, all the way to get through every aspect of the building,” he said.

The multiplex has been estimated to cost $140 million, with the City of Kamloops receiving permission earlier this year to borrow up to $125 million for the facility's design and construction.