Enmax Renos Ahead of Schedule

Renovations to the Enmax Centre are moving along at a pretty nice pace.

In fact, the renos right now are a bit ahead of schedule and right on budget too according the man in charge of the facility. Enmax Centre General Manager Ashley Mathews told CJOC News this week that because things are going so well and the fact the Hurricanes unfortunately are not going to be in the playoffs this year, it gives the construction crews a chance to get an earlier jump on the work this spring.

The plan was to have the Enmax Centre close down from May first through to the end of September, but that plan has been moved up a month. Mathews told our newsroom that as of April first this year the facility will be officially a construction zone until the end of September. Mathews says fairly good weather throughout the winter has really helped crews get ahead on the work. This, despite the actual project starting late last spring.

Right now, people attending Hurricanes games, concerts, and other events really haven't noticed a lot inside the building, but things will certainly look different by the end of this year. A new media gondola will be built on the east side of the Enmax Centre and work will begin during this upcoming off-season too on moving the sound booth from the northeast corner to the new media area. Work on the banquet area on the north end of the facility will start over the spring and summer as well.

The expected completion is late 2011 or early 2012. The Hurricanes will begin the next hockey season on the road for roughly 8 games again and won't hold their home opener until around October 8th. The same will be the case in the 2011 season until the work is complete. The Enmax renovations, which are almost through their first year is costing roughly 35 million dollars. The new video score clock will be the last thing installed. It is not part of the overall renovation budget, but as Mathews has said in the past the hope is that the project will come in under budget and if that's the case they could go back to Lethbridge City Council and ask to have the new scoreboard included in the original price.

Thanks,

Pat