www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, November 4, 2011 · 12 Continued from page 1 Oakville Arena is definitive of an era in Ontario The story is much unchanged since The Oakville Beaver last checked in on the arena's status in 2005. At that point, the landmark arena that opened in 1950 and is representative of many in small-town southern Ontario had a reprieve -- thanks in part to the continued lack of public ice facilities in Oakville. Oakville Arena was slated to be reduced to M Se ic T ni ha h Se or el G e N pt Sc . ew em ho De be ol Gr r 2 op oo 01 eni te 2! ng Th Th he e vis visi i ion ion beh beh hind ind t in thi th hi is pro pro oj je jec ect is is ba bas b a ed as d o on n cre ea ati at ting ti n a stu stu st tuden d t de t-c -c cent cen nt tr red ed le lea l ea arn rni r ni n ing ng env en e nvir n nv viro ir ron ro nm me m ent nt to to unl unl un nlea lea eas eas sh the th t he h e aca ac ac ca ad dem de em e mic ic pot po oten ot ent ent ntial ial ia al o al of all st all stu stu tuden ents en ts in in t the th he h e Colleg ge and and to to ma ax xim imi mize t acc the com mpli plis li is sh hm h me ent nts n s an and n po pot p o ential al l of f o ou ur r g gra radua d ate tes es. s. - Mar arc Ayo Ay tte Ay e, H Hea ad of Co Col Col olleg le eg ge socialize, cheer, and come together for a variety of reasons. I believe operating this facility is costly and renovations would be expensive, but even in its current condition, it effectively serves local community and recreation needs." Duddeck said she anticipates possible designation of the site will be one of the options staff will present. It's not just a school, it's a reinvestment in our future. Hillfield Strathallan College is an independent day school for students from Montessori 3 and Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12. Visit us at www.hsc.on.ca. worth it. Call Yes, my child is 905-389-1367 Scott Barton at rubble in 2008, but a second look and a commitment to put some money in the facility was approved so the arena could stay open for business until 2013. The Town spent approximately $178,000 to repair the arena so it could continue to function. Another $307,500 was to be added to a 10-year budget forecast for maintaining the building and grounds for public use. The expense was examined in detail via the annual budget process. The Town then evaluated the arena annually. A staff report of the time, noted the arena is one of only a few remaining from its era. Construction of Oakville Arena was completed in 1950. Its roof is what's called Hipel Truss, a distinctive design common in Ontario communities from the 1930s to 1950s. Very few Hipel truss arenas remain in operation today. Norman Otto Hipel (18901953) of Preston, Ontario, was an accomplished builder who patented his arena roofing sys- MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER LANDMARK: Oakville Arena opened in 1950. tem in 1928. From the early 1960s to 1999, regular structural reviews of Oakville Arena were completed by L.W. Ward Limited, a local engineering firm. In 1976, the roof trusses were reinforced and renovations to the ice plant were completed in 1992 and 1996. Identifying that construction of Oakville Arena began in 1948 and noting that the normal life expectancy of such a building would be 60 years, L.W. Ward Limited recommended the arena be replaced in 2008. In 2001, Group Eight Engineering was contracted to complete a structural audit of Oakville Arena. The audit was to provide a second opinion on the proposed replacement date. The structural audit confirmed the existing truss conditions did not differ significantly from conditions noted by L.W. Ward Limited and it was recommended an annual inspection be done to ensure the ongoing integrity of the structure. The Oakville Arena has played a significant role in Oakville since 1950. It provides ice and floor rental opportunities to diverse users and serves as the only "event" style arena with about 1,200 seats. -- with Oakville Beaver files David Lea can be reached at DLea@oakvillebeaver. com or follow him on Twitter at @DavidLea6.