Hockey Heritage project enters third period.

Kirkland Lake -- The long-awaited Hockey Heritage North (HHN) tourist attraction in Kirkland Lake is in the third period of its construction and completion of the almost four-year project.

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After a silver hockey stick broke ground on a cold November day in 2004, symbolically marking the first step in the construction of the physical building, workers are now entering the last phase of the $10.5 million, multi-phase project.

Official plans to build the facility were released by the board of directors on January 26, 2002. As a means to celebrate the history of hockey (from amateur to professional) in all of northeastern Ontario, fundraising events and contributions from all levels of government and private sector establishments have been ongoing for several years.

A steady stream of hockey regalia and artifacts which cover the history of hockey to present day, is being compiled and prepared for exhibition. They are worth more than $1 million.

The site is located on Highway 66 on the west side of Kirkland Lake beyond the Miners' monument, an acknowledgment of the town's mining history. Transfer of the property from Kirkland Lake Gold was approved and finalized in January, 2004.

In July of that year, Alex MacIntyre and Associates completed the demolition of the Teck Assay building, a historical site. The service of the demolition was offered in-kind, a donation Steve Cox, operations manager, was pleased to receive.

"It was nice that one of our local companies stepped forth," he says.

Originally, it was hoped the Assay building could be incorporated into the newer structure to preserve its heritage, but studies deemed it structurally unsafe and not cost effective to utilize. Consequently, it was taken down.

As a show of good faith and an acknowledgment of the former historical site, HHN incorporated some of the bricks into the architecture in the lobby and identified them as such, Cox says.

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The process of preparing the site for construction of the physical building involved many local and regional companies in northeastern Ontario.

After the demolition, Pedersen Construction Co. received the $700,000 contract to clear and grub the land. They put in the water, sanitary and storm sewer services to the new building, as well as a granular base for the parking lot and access road.

Karl Pederson, president, says it was about an eight-week project that employed six to 12 workers.

"Quite a bit of fill had to be hauled in to raise it up," says Pedersen. "It took about 60,000 tonnes of granular-B fill."

Other local companies that benefited from the project were Souriol Armand Trucking and Lad Shaba Testing, which tested the concrete and compaction of the gravel.

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The second phase of the project was performed by Cy Rheault Construction out of Timmins. Although they were unavailable for comment, Cox says the construction is proceeding to their satisfaction.

Another integral part of phase one and two, was the design and architecture of the complex. David Ellis from EPOH Inc. Architects and Consulting Engineers, out of Sault Ste. Marie, was the design architect for the 18,000 square-foot facility.

"What they wanted was something that aesthetically replicated the feeling of a hockey rink," Ellis says. "After that, it was up to us to facilitate it."

Ellis observes that it looks more modern from the outside with the large roof with big wide spans and a large canopy for drop off, but the one-level complex replicates the history of the sport on the inside.

"It actually goes back in time from the way it is built, to the exhibits," he says. "It's describing the grassroots of the sport, which lies within most rural communities and small arenas."

Ellis says the design process was a huge undertaking that involved a team of about 70-80 people. Overall, he says the design intent was kept intact and came in on budget.

The last phase of the project, the construction of the exhibits, is currently underway. Toronto-based Bronskill & Company, a key member of the architectural selection committee, is responsible for that task.

The company creates unique, integrated environments from individual product displays through highly themed interiors, delivering a complete interactive environmental experience, according to their website.

They are prominent in their field for creating Fan Fantasy Zones for major league baseball games, says Cox.

Also part of the facility will be an outdoor hockey rink, which has yet to be tendered out, and a travelling exhibit on loan from the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. The exhibit is part of the HHN, but Cox says the artifacts will change.

Like the facility itself, the construction of the HHN was a collaboration of northeastern Ontario companies' ideas, skills and efforts.

"Hockey Heritage North is about hockey in the North, because we're about the whole North, not just Kirkland Lake," Cox says.

www.hockeyheritagenorth.ca

By ADELLE LARMOUR

Northern Ontario Business