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The Downtown Arena Project was a initiative that was opened to the public in 2016 as Rogers Place and the Ice District.
The Downtown Arena & Entertainment District Project was built as a multi-faceted initiative with a number of related facts, issues and decisions pertinent to the long-term revitalization of Edmonton's downtown.
The City of Edmonton was one partner in the arena project.
The EAC was the other partner in the arena project.
ICON was the project manager for the downtown arena project.
ICON has been the project manager for 9 new arenas, including:
PCL was the construction manager for the downtown arena project.
PCL was hired to prepare the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for the downtown arena project. Upon presenting a GMP that was on budget and accepted by the City and the Katz Group in February, 2014, PCL was hired as the construction manager for the arena project.
The City of Edmonton issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) in January 2011. The RFP covered both pre-construction and construction criteria as it is common practice for the pre-construction manager to become the construction manager in a GMP process.
Criteria considered in the evaluation of the construction managers included:
A fairness advisor aided the selection process. PCL received the highest score of all proponents and was selected as the pre-construction manager for the arena project.
Why use a GMP process?
A GMP helps mitigate the risks involved with a project such as the downtown arena. Without a GMP, the final cost would be unknown until the design was completed and construction firms bid on the contract. The GMP also mitigates the risks of schedule overruns.
The GMP process allows the construction manager to be involved in the design phase of the arena. This leads to improved designs as the team can collaborate to identify design alternatives that help the project stay on budget and on schedule.
Although this was the first City of Edmonton project to use a GMP process, GMPs are often used for large-scale projects. For example, this format has been used at other public institutions recently built in Edmonton including the Mazankowski Heart Institute, the Robbins Pavilion at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and the new Royal Alberta Museum. With a GMP, the contractor is responsible for cost overruns.
HOK was the architect for Rogers Place (the original architect was 360 Architecture, which was purchased by HOK)
One of their best-known projects is the Columbus Nationwide Arena, which is part of a larger arena district which successfully revitalized the surrounding area.
Local subcontractors working with HOK include:
The arena is a landmark building featuring stunning architecture that speaks to our great city's history and promise.
Response to the design was very favourable, as 80% of respondents during public consultation agreed the arena design is "landmark"/iconic.
Rogers Place features 4 public artworks. Each piece invites the user to interact with it
Artwork was created through the City of Edmonton's Percent for Art policy , which dedicates 1% of qualifying construction costs to acquiring public art in City infrastructure.
The Edmonton Arts Council manages the selection process, acquisition and conservation of Edmonton's public art.
The largest piece will be a spectacular 14-meter diameter circular mosaic set in the floor of the Winter Garden for Rogers Place.
World-renowned Aboriginal artist, Alex Janvier, created this artwork. Mr. Janvier has deep roots in Edmonton, and his work not only ties the Winter Garden to the local art community, but also makes Rogers Place a unique reflection of our history and culture.
This piece honours the land area where Edmonton is located, highlighting the colours of beautiful sky, the stories of the area, and clear waters from far away mountains.
It illustrates Edmonton's history and continuing legacy as a meeting place: "All roads lead to the area, Edmonton, as it is a central destiny for all who came before, and who came after."
The Artist: Alex Janvier
Alex Janvier was born in 1935 and is of Dene sųłı̨né and Saulteaux descent. He is a Residential School Survivor (Blue Quills Indian Residential School near St. Paul, Alberta).
Mr. Janvier is one of Canada's most significant, pioneering Aboriginal artists. As a founding member of the Professional Native Indian Artists Incorporated (PNIAI) – the so-called "Indian Group of Seven" he was key in challenging perceptions of Aboriginal art.
“Essential Tree"
Essential Tree, designed by the Berlin based artist collective realities:united, is a large representation of the abstract trees used by architects in their design models.
The artwork explores the natural environment, while at the same time paying homage to the topiaries of the European Baroque era.
Placed in a planter on the north west plaza outside of Rogers Place, the sculpture interacts with the real Ash trees, which will be planted in the area. It will take 60 years for one of these trees to reach the scale of this 14.5 metre tall, faceted sculpture.
The Artist: realties:united
realities:united is the brainchild of brothers Jan and Tim Edle. The Berlin-based “studio for art and architecture” has gained international recognition for the initialization and realization of art and hybrid art installations at an architectural and urban scale.
Pieces by the brothers can be found both in private and museum collections, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York as well as several public art collections all across the globe.
Their “Phantásien” installation for the Mill Woods Branch of Edmonton Public Library has just been completed.
Skater’s Arch (North East Plaza)
This brightly coloured, circular sculpture achieves a dramatic pictorial presence. Its flowing, window-like form becomes a framing device capturing the dynamics of ice-skating. The push of the blade, as it cuts into the ice surface to propel the skater forward, is exemplified through a myriad of cut-out shapes, which evoke the style of Henri Matisse, creating the sculpture’s dynamic form.
A stepped, podium-like plinth combined with the sculpture’s frame-like form create a welcoming symbol just outside of the Downtown Community Arena in the north east plaza – an artwork functioning as a place-maker identifying the facility and the activities therein. The setting encourages citizens and visitors to embrace it as a meeting place and to use it as a dramatic backdrop for photo opportunities.
The Artist: Douglas Bentham
Douglas Bentham, RCA, lives and works in a rural setting near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The recipient of numerous awards, Bentham graduated with a BA Advanced degree in painting from the University of Saskatchewan in 1969 and a MFA in sculpture in 1989. His sculptures can be seen in many settings across Canada.
Figures in Motion
Figures in Motion, created by St. Albert-based artist Al Henderson, combines the disciplines of painting and sculpture to create an artwork that celebrates movement and motion. In creating the work, the artist thought about the rink and the activity that will animate it; “These places have a sense of community, are a little wild sometimes, a bit proud and a whole lot of fun.”
Bold, enticing, and free flowing, the work centres on a skater, and changes when viewed from many distances and angles by both pedway and rink users. The closer you get to the artwork, located inside the entrance of the Downtown Community Arena, details such as pucks, skates, gestures, and small figures reveal themselves.
The Artist: Al Henderson
Al Henderson was born and raised in Alberta and studied at the Alberta College of Art & Design. He has created a number of public commissions within Alberta and has consulted on public art at the provincial level. The recipient of project grants from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA), Henderson’s works are included in the AFA Collection.
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