Logan Boulet Arena in Lethbridge, one of the facilities in the community that's received an upgrade to its refrigeration system. (File photo: LNN)

By Justin Goulet

Lethbridge arenas get refrigeration upgrades

Mar 1, 2024 | 11:53 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Arenas in Lethbridge are out of the ice age and into the present day.

Starting in 2019, the City of Lethbridge Facility Services department began work on arena refrigeration plant replacements and upgrades. Facilities where this work was done included:

• Logan Boulet Arena
• ENMAX Centre
• Civic Ice Centre
• Labor Club Ice Centre
• Henderson Ice Centre

Officials said many of the projects included relocating refrigeration plant components from within buildings into purpose-built portable structures.

Muhammad Durrani, facilities engineer said, “This not only enhances safety by segregating the components, but the new plants also require far less ammonia refrigerant, with reductions ranging from 46 per cent to almost 96 per cent.”

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Freeing up space within the facilities for other functional purposes was also a priority. The layouts allow for improved access for maintenance and operational personnel. The City said modern technology is also allowing for more efficient oversight.

Mike Jensen, HVAC and controls technician said, “The new automated control systems can be accessed remotely to streamline system controls and monitoring.”

He added, “We’ve also introduced redundant components that boost reliability and increase capacity for year-round programming.”

The new refrigeration plant rooms meet all safety code requirements. The City added that site fencing and alarm systems are installed at each structure for enhanced security.

Facilities planning and projects manager Sam Conard said, “I would like to thank everyone involved in this five-year initiative.”

“When we undertake lifecycle replacement projects, our team often considers associated improvements that can be made to increase safety, efficiency, maintainability, accessibility, and functionality. These refrigeration plant upgrade projects are great examples of this comprehensive approach to project delivery.”

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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