Canadians have a love affair with ice skating. Long cold winters and skating are intrinsically linked to our national identity. In my first full winter in Canada, with a couple of classmates, we ventured out to Bellwoods Park where an outdoor ice sheet had been prepared. They were going to introduce me to skating. One of them gave me his pair of skates and helped me lace them up. We stepped on the ice, and another took out a package of cigarettes and gave one to each of us. I followed their example, placed it in my mouth and he lit it with a lighter. The flame was warm, but the air I breathed through the cigarette made me choke and wobble. I fell and my hand ended on the cigarette and felt a burning sensation. In that instantIdecided that I would never smoke, and I would learn to glide on the ice once I had my very own skates.
A couple of years later in my mid-teens a girl invited me to a skating party. Not having skates of my own, (my parents could not afford them) I asked the owner of the house were we lived if I could borrow his. With his skates, whose size was bigger than my feet, I set upon theexperience that was awaiting me. At the skating rink, after I had donned the oversized skates, she held my hands and tried to steer me along. Butthe loosenedskates prevented me from standing on the blades. The party for me turned into an embarrassing outing. I felt totally defeated.
WhenI accompanied her home I left the skates in the front yard so as not to make noise by the door. We climbed the few steps of the porch andas the long-awaited moment was about to take place, the door opened, and her father croaked: “Did you have a good time?” The magical momentwent up in a puff of smoke. I said goodnight and walked down the steps and to my chagrin, the skates had disappeared.
Years later as an architect, I applied to have my firm considered for designing a new Twin Arena. I was invited to attend the interview and the first question asked was: “What experience do you have with designing ice skating arenas”. I told them that I had no experience with this typeof venue structure, however, I knew something about skating. Tell us, please. And so, I related the two moments stated above. There were smiles and chuckles around the table and I was told that I would hear back in due time.
A fortnight later I received a call from the manager informing me that I had been selected for this project. He would be presenting the report to the council on the appointed date and requested that I attend the meeting.
It was an evening meeting. The council room was in a nondescript office building that serves as the city hall of Mississauga, a fast-growing city.
When on the agenda the item of the Arena came forth, several councillors queried the manager’s report as to why they selected an architect whohad no experience in designing arenas. To this, Mayor Hazel McCallion responded: “If the management had presented a firm with experience, we would have had a similar arena to others. It is possible that with Mr. Maragna, without experience, we may indeed be getting something new and innovative, and at the same time show our commitment to allowing inexperienced professionals to grow and succeed. Anyway, I see that Rocco’s inability to skate did not prevent him from getting an outstanding education. I move to approve.”
I was therefore given the opportunity to design something innovative.
The arenas at this time were either single, or the few that were double had rinks side by side.Resulting in extremely bulky structures andurban-wise imposing on the streetscape, often with large parking areas in front of it between it and the street. I visited the existing arenas to see how the users operated, and I observed a series of problems that, in my opinion, needed to be solved.
The Erin Mills Arena, however, had to be more than a place to skate. It had to be a recognizable community place within the ever-developing fabric of the new community. The intentions of the facility go beyond providing quality functionalism, however, without first providing this the exercise would be futile.
Ice rinks, due to their heavy reliance on mechanical systems and numerous programmatic requirements have to have a highly ordered plan.
Two rinks,end to end, in a single complex could be achieved by centralizing most of the supporting functions in a central core – and the highly symmetrical plan emerged.
‘The twin arena’ is an architectural expression with a clear vocabulary.
The symmetrical ’ end-to-end’ plan is clearly articulated with the two ice rinks served by a common mechanical system placed in the middle. (#14 on the map shown above)
The symmetry is further articulated in the ordering of the facades clad in blue-coloured steel, it is in some respectadecorated shed on old farmland. The temple to the Canadian national sport is surrounded by ‘green ’ berms and landscaped with native plants. A soccer field is located on the western portion of the site and between it and the arenas is the parking. (as seen in the SITE PLAN)
The Erin Mils Twin Arena went on to win an Urban Design award.
The jury commented thus: “It is encouraging to see good design and innovative use of materials and colour integrated into an ordered and discipled plan. The connection of parking to entry and to the soccer field is excellent, which is essential to the success of the scheme. The articulation of the building’s vocabulary relays a sense of historical precedent of an old arena.”
