Ontario Construction News staff writer
Construction has started at the Brantford Civic Centre, soon be home to an OHL team moving from Hamilton.
The arena addition will house the team’s dressing rooms and renovations include building a new press gondola, concession stands, scoreboards, and sound system.
Project contractor Vicano Construction and the Brandford Bulldogs posted a construction update last week.
“It’s going to be a great experience. This old barn is getting a real facelift,” said Dean Fulton, Vicano’s site superintendent.
The construction project had three phases including the addition, renovations on the arena and a 220-foot catwalk.
The Bulldogs home opener is scheduled for Oct. 7.
“Come down to the Civic Arena,” Fulton said in a video. “Check out everything we’ve done. It will have been six months of hard work on the part of a lot of people to make this happen.”
The $7.5-million construction project started in March.
About $4.67 million will come from the city, including $1.63 million to install a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.
The current capacity of the Brantford and District Civic Centre, built in 1967, is 3,000.
Renovations are expected to add some capacity as well as safety upgrades, larger player benches and a new video scoreboard. The design included input from the Oak View Group run by former president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Tim Leiweke.