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Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2010 23 Oakville's new rink will tribute Sixteen Mile Creek By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR Ever since Oakville was founded at the mouth of Sixteen Mile Creek nearly 200 years ago, the creek has been a central part of the town -- both figuratively and literally. It powered some of the town's first industries, bordering five sawmills in the early 1800s. It has played a role in determining Canadian Open tournaments, winding through Glen Abbey Golf Club. It's the scenic backdrop to some of the most beautiful trails throughout the town. And it has helped produce Olympic champion paddlers in Larry Cain and Adam van Koeverden, members of the Burloak Canoe Club. "It's like it's magic or good luck," said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. Perhaps, by naming its newest sports facility after the historic creek, the Town is hoping some of that magic rubs off. The $38-million quad-pad arena on Neyagawa Boulevard, north of Dundas Street, will be named Sixteen Mile Sports Complex, the Town announced Friday during a preview of the facility for local media. The name is the brainchild of David Logan, whose suggestion "We've all longed was one of more than 350 names for a world-class submitted by showcase, and Oakville residents now we finally as part of the Name have one." the Quad Pad contest. n Oakville Mayor "I submitted a Rob Burton few names, and this was the geographic alternative," said Logan, who attended Friday's preview of the 196,000-square-foot facility. "It's such a gorgeous creek that runs through the central part of Oakville. I just thought it made sense, based on the location." For having his suggestion selected, Logan received a one-year family skate pass, an Oakville Blades season pass and a VIP invite to the official opening ceremony in September. Sixteen Mile Sports Complex, built by EllisDon and on schedule to open in September, will include a number of recreational and cultural facilities. The arena will feature a 1,500-seat Olympic-sized ice surface, three NHL-sized ice pads, two shooter pads, a restaurant and concession stands, three multi-purpose community rooms and a pro shop. In the future, it will also serve as a connection point to a community centre and aquatic facility. "This is a dream come true," Burton said. "All the hockey dads that I've (spent time) with over the years, and everyone else in the ice sports... we've all longed for a world-class showcase, and now we finally have one." Each rink viewable from concourse The four rinks are side by side and are all viewable from a long and spacious concourse that is accessed from the main entrance. Twenty-four dressing rooms, an athletes corridor and a snack bar will be located on the lower level, along with the ice pads. The entire floor of the lower level will be rubberized and the dressing room floors will be heated. The Olympic-sized rink will be surrounded by a full bowl of stadium seating and a scoreboard will hang from the ceiling over the middle of the ice. It will almost certainly be the new home of the Blades, whose dressing room is being roughed in. "All the Blades fans, myself included, are very excited to think we'll have this type of audience potential for the Blades," Burton said of the junior A team, which currently plays in the tight confines of Joshua's Creek Arenas. "Ultimately, you'd like the junior A team not to be a drain on the owner. You'd like him to be able to make a little money at it." The ice pad next to the Olympic-sized rink will have Plexiglas see-through boards at the penalty boxes and player benches to accommodate sledge hockey. Figure skating harSee Sledge page 25 PHOTOS BY NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE: In top photo, a computer-generated preview of what the main entrance to Oakville's new quad-pad arena, Sixteen Mile Sports Complex, will look like. Bottom left, David Logan -- who thought of the name for the facility -- and daughter Delaney, 4, like what they see. Bottom centre, the 1,500-seat Olympic-sized surface is nearing completion. Bottom right, EllisDon VP Design Build Construction Bob Smith (left) and Oakville Mayor Rob Burton share their thoughts about Sixteen Mile Sports Complex.