The unmistakable form of a hockey rink is taking shape in the new multimillion-dollar downtown arena in Moncton.
The ice is set to go in next month.
“At this point we have all of the mechanical systems started and we've started our commissioning process, getting all of the bugs worked out,” says construction manager Serge Martin.
The oval in the plaza outside is already being flooded to test the refrigeration system that will allow for skating for four months of the year. The new arena is equipped with a state-of-the-art visual and sound system, including a $1.4-million scoreboard.
The city of Moncton says the building is on budget and ahead of schedule. It will be finished on Canada Day and turned over to the city.
A grand opening is set for September.
“We need to go through the building and obviously SMG's going to be in the building as well training their staff during that period of time,” says Isabelle LeBlanc, spokesperson for the city of Moncton. “We also have the Wildcats who have now signed on as the major tenant of the facility.”
LeBlanc says community tours are a possibility before the doors open for good.
“We are starting to plan the community opening. We want to make this a special opening for our residents,” she says.
But as one arena gets set to open, another is about see a reduced role. The Wildcats are wrapping up their final few games at the Moncton Coliseum, and a number of events are planned to give the 45-year-old building a proper send off.
“The Wildcats have been honouring teams all year long through the season as moncton moves downtown in the fall of 2018. A lot of history here as well, for a lot of monctonians to it's a grand old building,” says Wildcats play-by-play announcer Marty Kingston.
This weekend the team will wear vintage Moncton Hawks jerseys, paying tribute to the American Hockey League franchise that called the coliseum home from 1987-1994.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jonathan MacInnis.
