Skyway Community Centre in Burlington will get new arena, park space, playgrounds

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Published September 29, 2022 at 11:19 am

Skyway community centre video lapse building construction NHL
This is how the finished building will look. Watch the progress.

With demolition scheduled to start in early October, Skyway Park is getting more than just a new arena. In fact, there will be upgrades to the entire complex.

Once the demolition is complete, construction will begin on a new Skyway Community Centre, which will have many new and upgraded features for community use, as well as key items to reduce the carbon footprint. Skyway Park will also be undergoing a renovation.

The new building is expected to open in spring of 2024 at 129 Kenwood Ave. in the southeast area of the city. During this time, to ensure public safety, the park and building will be closed for public use.

Among the new Skyway Community Centre features will be:

  • New 47,000-sq.-ft building
  • NHL-sized ice pad (85×200 feet)
  • Spectator seating with accessibility options
  • Lobby with furnishings, self service area, customer service area and offices
  • Warm and cold viewing areas with accessibility options
  • Universal washroom
  • Six change rooms with showers and washrooms (one designated accessible)
  • Multi-use program space with kitchenette and exterior doors
  • Sound system for arena, seating, lobby, program room(s), washrooms etc.
  • Three lane indoor walking-track

“The new Skyway Community Centre will be a state of art community facility and designed to be consistent with achieving our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions,” said Allan Magi, executive director, Environment, Infrastructure and Community Services

“The park and building will be a key feature and highlight for the City, residents and visitors.”

The design of this facility will reduce annual emissions approximately 85 per cent (as compared to a facility without these features) as there will be no use of gas at this facility.

The mechanical system will include geothermal as well as the use of recovered heat from the refrigeration plant to heat portions of the facility.

A zero emissions electric ice-resurfacer will be used instead of the typical compressed natural gas resurfacers and the roof will be built to support future solar panels.

Because the new building is larger than the existing Skyway Arena, more space is needed. As a result, Skyway Park will be renovated with the following features:

  • New baseball diamond with backstop, line fence, irrigation, drainage, accessible dugouts, player’s benches and bleachers with an accessible area
  • Natural (not plastic) children’s play area with climbing apparatus, ground components and swings
  • Shade structure
  • Site furnishings including benches, bike racks and waste bins
  • Accessible pathways and passive open space
  • Access to parking
  • Exterior access park washrooms to be included in the arena building
  • Park and playground will be closed for safety during the entire project

“The new building will have community rooms and features the existing building did not have, and the ice surface and dressing rooms will be much improved; all of which are things we’ve heard from facility users,” said Chris Glenn, director of Recreation, Community and Culture.

“We’re looking forward to adding this facility to our programming and rental options.”

Information and updates on the project will be available at the city website.

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