Nov 7, 2016
Rogers Place: Laying the Groundwork for Edmonton’s “Crown Jewel”
As one of our city’s newest crown jewels, Rogers Place promises to transform Edmonton’s downtown into an entertainment hub to last for years to come. The new home of the Edmonton Oilers and the Edmonton Oil Kings will also play host to many world-class sporting events and music’s biggest stars.
The Challenge
Redeveloping 25 acres of land in the heart of downtown Edmonton was no easy task because of the aging infrastructure that is already in place. Adding a 20,000 seat arena along with all many other amenities such as hotels, office towers, and a new casino threatened to put pressure on the existing infrastructure that was built many years ago.
Locating Underground Utilities
To meet the challenge, LN located underground utilities such as lines for storm drains and water and wastewater pipes.This work allowed for reverse engineering that could connect the new facilities with the old. It also identified existing utilities that needed to be replaced in order to meet the pressure that tens of thousands of hockey fans, music fans, office workers and new residents will place on area’s infrastructure.
Keeping Safety Top of Mind
Surveying the existing underground utilities (also known as “As-built utilities” improved the ease of underground drilling. This allowed LN and others involved with the project to put together a safe plan to reduce the risk of damaging other utilities. Hydro excavation was then used as it is a non-destructive process that uses pressurized water and an industrial strength vacuum to safely remove soil around a utility.
To show its commitment to safety, LN is part of the Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA). This organization, which was established in 1975, encourages a culture of safety in the construction industry. In order to prequalify for projects such as Rogers Place, LN must track all of its safety information. The ACSA gives it a score and LN must work to maintain this score. Some of the programs include:
• Comply Works
• ISNetworld
• Canqual
• Avetta/Pics
Vehicle and Pedestrian Capacity
Not only was LN involved with surveying underground utilities, they were responsible for surveying above ground infrastructure. Just like the utilities underground, the tens of thousands of people who will be living and playing in the area will put pressure on the area’s roads and sidewalks. Because existing infrastructure would simply not meet the demands of more people, LN helped survey roads and walkways so they could be widened and upgraded to handle increased vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
The Work Keeps on Going
While the arena is fully built, the work does not stop there. There are many other developments that will benefit from the work LN did in the early days of construction.
• Grand Villa Casino (opened September 2016)
• Oilers Entertainment Group offices (opened September 2016)
• Edmonton Office Tower (November 2016)
• JW Marriott Hotel (summer 2018)
• Stantec office tower and Stantec tower retail podium (fall 2018)
• Legends residential tower (spring 2019)
• Stantec residential units (summer 2019)
As Edmonton’s entertainment hub continues to grow, LN is proud to have been part of the team that ensured the area has the necessary infrastructure for years to come.