In Canada, it’s not uncommon for toddlers to learn to skate shortly after they learn to walk. Kids lace up their skates, with the dream of one day making it to the National Hockey League (NHL) or now the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), just like their hockey heroes. That dreamed-of journey to the NHL/PWHL starts on the frozen ponds and small community rinks scattered across the country. According to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), Canada is home to 2,860 indoor hockey rinks, as of 2023.

Keeping up with the demand for multi-use sports, entertainment and event facilities of all scales, PCL Construction is a recognized leader in Canadian sports and entertainment projects, earning multiple industry awards, including ENR Best Projects and Global Best Projects. Underpinning this success is PCL’s in-house Sports Center of Excellence (COE) with industry leading experts who bring best practices and lessons learned to drive value through all phases of project delivery.

From ice plant installations at community rinks to the renovation and construction of major new sports facilities, PCL has a long history of supporting communities, having completed more than $10 billion in sports and entertainment-related work to date.

PCL has recently executed fast-tracked projects for small, medium and large arena builds demonstrating its unmatched expertise and leadership in delivering sports construction at every scale.

Built in the 1950s, the historic Red Deer Arena in central Alberta needed to be replaced. For decades, it served as a community hub where people came together to cheer on their favorite aspiring superstars at minor hockey games and tournaments, shopped for local fare at the farmers market and gathered to reflect during the annual Remembrance Day ceremonies.

Under a design-build (DB) model, PCL and GEC Architecture partnered to deliver a modern facility for the City of Red Deer that incorporated elements of the old arena, and connected to the existing curling rink, ensuring it can host future big-ticket events. Attentive to local community input and engagement, PCL and its trade partners built the new arena on budget and well ahead of schedule.

Demolition of the old arena began in July of 2016. During demolition, through expert planning and a clear understanding of the client’s priorities, PCL worked on ways to improve on the schedule. They identified three key areas: the use of precast bleachers, precast sandwich panels between the new arena and the existing curling club, and tongue–and-groove metal insulated panels on the exterior of the building, which were designed for quick assembly. By November of 2017, the new arena was ready for handover, two months ahead of schedule.

“During construction, people would come up to us and share memories about the old barn,” says Jeremy Omstead, PCL project manager. “We could feel how much the building meant to those individuals and we knew that we had to get everything right on the new arena to best serve the community.”

To honor that history, crews were able to preserve key pieces. The neon arena sign that hung outside the old arena was saved and installed inside the new lobby. As well, the players' benches were salvaged and resurfaced for use in the drink rail section of Servus Arena.

Servus Arena features an NHL/PWHL-sized rink, bowl seating for 1,360 people, a two-lane walking track, meeting spaces, team spaces, and warm-up areas. The arena has been used to host major events like the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, the 2019 Canada Winter Games and the 2024 Grand Slam of Curling. It also continues the legacy of the original building by hosting community events.  

Medicine Hat, a southern Alberta city of 67,000, boasts a rich hockey history. Since joining the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 1970, fans have been watching future NHLers and junior hockey triumphs,  with the Medicine Hat Tigers winning two Memorial Cups and six WHL titles.

In 2013, Medicine Hat had to contend with an outdated arena that fell short compared with other WHL markets. So, the city invested in a new state-of-the-art, multi-purpose events center with capacity for more than 6,100 fans, including club seats, luxury suites, loge boxes, a multi-media centre and multiple food and beverage options. Beyond being a home for the WHL team, the space was also designed to host concerts and community events.

Procured as a DB, PCL and design partners Architecture49 were chosen as the preferred proponent based on strength of design which was optimized to accommodate multi-use flexibility, sustainability and local community presence and engagement. Responding to feedback from the City, the DB team innovated to maximize value, integrating the topography of the land into the design for enhanced accessibility, eliminating the need to climb stairs to get to the general seating area. The entrance to the arena and the concourse level were at ground level, but because of the slope of the land, the ice surface and arena bowl, which were sunken into the ground, required reduced excavation.

This fast-tracked DB project allowed only 24 months from contract execution to final occupancy, resulting in a compressed and accelerated design and construction timeline. Embracing an integrated and deeply collaborative approach that included City stakeholders, PCL’s in-house experts, key trades and consultants, PCL developed an accelerated schedule to deliver the events center on that aggressive timeline.

PCL’s solution-provider mindset led to a key schedule accelerator on the project: the use of precast foundation walls. The  foundations were  precast indoors during the winter under controlled conditions, improving quality control and avoiding any cold weather impacts. This innovative approach shaved nearly two months off the construction schedule.

“We have a deep commitment to the success of our clients, colleagues and communities. We know that when we focus on mutual success, everyone wins,” says Greg Sheremeta, PCL construction manager on the project.  “As partners. we delivered on each item the client asked for and handed over the project on budget and ahead of schedule.”

Modern arenas are state-of-the-art facilities that provide elite players with every off-ice amenity to enhance their on-ice performance, while offering fans an elevated experience through curated spaces and technological enhancements.

In many cases, the arena is just one component of a larger construction project, with owners aiming to develop entertainment districts around their venues. Hotels, office space, restaurants, bars and shops provide opportunities to increase revenue for owners. Perhaps more importantly, they can act as a catalyst for additional investment around the arena district. PCL has been integral in the development of ICE District in Edmonton, True North Square in Winnipeg and Scotiabank Arena and Maple Leaf Square in Toronto.

In Edmonton, Rogers Place anchors a major downtown revitalization and has spurred roughly $5 billion in private and public developments, including ICE District, Canada’s largest sports and entertainment area. The model for future builds showcases the substantial impact a mixed-use district can have on a city’s core and identity. Building on that success, an event park and urban village are planned for the next phase of development at ICE District.

Michael King was senior project manager on Rogers Place and the neighbouring JW Marriott hotel. The high-profile, technically complex project employed more than 9,500 workers, most of them local trades. King recalls the civic pride that was on display during construction, “We had great support from the construction community, suppliers and businesses. Everyone wanted to contribute to the success of this project because the Oilers mean so much to the City of Edmonton.”

The ICE District project required meticulous coordination and strategic planning. As Construction Manager, PCL leveraged its extensive experience in large-scale developments involving multiple stakeholders under a collaborative delivery model to successfully meet the aggressive timeline. From the start of construction, it was imperative the building be ready for the start of the 2016/17 NHL and WHL hockey seasons. The project team met this goal by delivering the 1.1-million-square-foot facility in 30 months and within the Guaranteed Maximum Price Contract. 

PCL’s expertise extends beyond arenas to stadiums and ball parks, where players trade their skates for bats and gloves, and owners pursue modern amenities to elevate the fan experience. These features include expanded concourses, luxury suites, a variety of dining options and state-of-the-art technology.

Like many aspiring athletes, John Schmalz knew at an early age his future would not be on the ice. The youngest of five boys, he was also last on the depth chart when it came to hockey skills. But he was a strong contributor to the family construction crew and followed his dad’s lead, working for PCL.

Schmalz cut his teeth on construction projects across Ontario. His pioneering work on Lakeridge Gardens Long-Term Care Home accelerated build was foundational to his lead project manager role on other fast-track projects like the multi-year Rogers Centre renovation.

As Construction Manager, PCL supported a multi-phase transformation of the stadium into a modern ballpark, elevating the fan experience and delivering world-class player facilities over three Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons. Highlights include a new outfield district with five neighbourhood social spaces, raised bullpens, upgraded sightlines, a rebuilt 100-level seating bowl and premium clubs.

Phase one, comprising 14 integrated projects, was completed on a six-month fast-track schedule ahead of the 2023 season. PCL implemented double shifts six days a week, leveraging its CM role to focus on preplanning, early procurement, and efficient site staging—enabling rapid mobilization and seamless coordination with trade partners.

“We don’t just build and renovate stadiums and arenas,” says Schmalz. “We strengthen the entire process—from design reviews to value engineering—creating unparallelled performance, schedule certainty and revenue optimization.”

Phase two of the renovation nearly doubled in scope with 18 months of work required to be completed in just five months. To meet this non-negotiable deadline, the team created multiple iterations of the schedule, identified tasks that could be completed during the preconstruction phase and recognized any challenge that could potentially impact the schedule. By implementing a temporary modular access bridge, the team was able to keep demolition, excavation and formwork on track, saving eight days in the schedule and ensuring the project remained on its critical path.

With an unparalleled portfolio of multipurpose arena and sports facility work across Canada, PCL is uniquely equipped to leverage its experience and expertise, partnering with clients to bring their vision to life.

In Toronto, PCL is involved in a multi-phased renovation of Scotiabank Arena. The constructor’s extensive knowledge of the arena as the original design-builder, combined with its impressive sports construction resume, earned the trust of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) executives to lead the Scotiabank Arena Venue Reimagination Project.

While construction was set to begin during the off season for the Maple Leafs and the Raptors, PCL, as construction manager, had to implement an intricately detailed construction schedule to navigate the venue’s jam-packed event calendar and ensure timely project completion.

Following the success of phases one and two, which included remodeled executive suites, a premium lounge, renovated concourse spaces, and new food and beverage options, crews are focused on phase three which will further enhance the fan experience and solidify Scotiabank Arena as a best-in-class events venue.

“Facilities like Scotiabank Arena are built to create magical moments and memories,” says Peter Olive, senior construction manager with PCL.  “The goal we are delivering for the client is to enhance the environment and allow fans to fully experience the heights of sports entertainment.”

As leaders in sports construction, PCL has delivered projects of all scales and complexity across Canada from the heart of remote communities to the hub of major urban centers. PCL’s Sports COE and construction experts have the specialized knowledge needed to guide owners through the project life cycle, while bringing an unmatched passion to these unique community-centered projects. Through the lens of players from beginners to the pros; users from proud parents to ardent fans; and community impacts from sustainability and flexibility to operational efficiency and built legacy, PCL’s A-Team is driven to deliver more than just buildings—with focus on creating championship-caliber experiences for every client and community.