Bell Sensplex West

The Bell Sensplex is a $25.6 million, state-of-the-art sports facility that provides residents and organized sports teams with year-round access to much-needed facilities in the west end. The Bell Sensplex houses one Olympic-sized international ice surface with seating for 750 fans, as well as three official NHL-sized rinks that each seat 250 fans. The facility is also home to an indoor soccer/sports field that is suitable for a wide range of sports including soccer, football, rugby, lacrosse, Ultimate, cricket, and more. Parents, kids, coaches and players appreciate the climate-controlled, year-round playing environment.

The Bell Sensplex was specially designed to encourage comfort, fun and repeat visits by kids and parents alike. A number of special facilities, open and modern interior design features, great food and beverage outlets, the Roger Neilson Coach’s Centre for training and game strategy and the Peak Centre athletic performance team all combine to make the Bell Sensplex a preferred destination for tournaments, practices, games, summer and training camps, and other events.

One visit to the Bell Sensplex and residents will appreciate how the facility’s many recreational advantages satisfy community needs.

Benefits of Bell Sensplex to residents

• Residents benefit from a world-class recreational facility in the west end.
• Urban and rural residents gain expanded recreational and community programming through the involvement of the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club.
• Addition of much-needed indoor space for soccer, Ultimate and many other recreational and sporting activities during the winter months.

Where is the Bell Sensplex?

The Bell Sensplex is located at 1565 Maple Grove Road off Terry Fox Drive in the west end of Ottawa. View a map to the Bell Sensplex.

Milestones

The process leading up to the completion of the Bell Sensplex began in 2002 when staff at the City of Ottawa defined a need for a year-round multi-pad ice and field sports facility in the west end. City Council approved staff’s recommendation for a new facility in February 2003, and the search for a private-sector partner was launched. OCIP was awarded the contract to build the facility, and construction was launched in March 2004. The Bell Sensplex was completed in only 10 months by December 2004, when the facility became available for use.

Project Partners

The Bell Sensplex was created as a result of a Public-Private Partnership between the City of Ottawa and Ottawa Community Ice Partners (OCIP). OCIP was selected as a result of a competitive bidding process for the project.

About OCIP

Ottawa Community Ice Partners (OCIP) members include the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club, Ottawa Senators Alumni, and Morley Hoppner Group. Capital Sports Management, an affiliate of the Ottawa Senators, manages the Bell Sensplex facility on a day-to-day basis.

Contact the Bell Sensplex

The Bell Sensplex is available for use year round. Visit their Web page for the latest contact info.

The Bell Sensplex supports all kinds of regular and tournament ice sports such as hockey, figure skating, ringette, skating lessons, short-track speed skating, sledge hockey and broomball, as well as many sports that can be played on the ice pads without ice, such as floorball (ball hockey), roller hockey and arena flag football. The indoor sports field also supports a wide range of regular and tournament field sports including soccer, football, rugby, cricket, lacrosse, Ultimate and more. The facility hosts school field trips and offers summer and training camps, and the Peak Centre allows both professional and amateur athletes to receive specialized programs designed to maximize their athletic performance. Facilities are also available for other types of events such as meetings, birthday parties, etc.

This incredible facility was designed by Edmundson Matthews Architects, an Ottawa-based architectural and interior design firm, in association with the Morley Hoppner Group and the Ottawa Senators. The Bell Sensplex facility is versatile, dynamic, and an exciting environment for the community.

On the main level:

• Three NHL-sized ice surfaces each with seating for 250
• One international-sized ice surface (Olympic Rink, 100 x 200 ft) includes seating for 750
• One indoor soccer/sports field measuring 100 x 200 ft complete with an artificial playing surface and two dressing rooms
• The Warm Up, serving Starbuck’s coffee, tea, hot chocolate and pastry
• The Breakaway Café, serving hot and cold food, beverages and healthy snacks
• GEAR UP! pro shop offers a great selection of hockey sticks, shafts, blades and a large selection of accessories
• Ottawa Senators Wall of Fame - COMING SOON
• Tournament Command Centre
• 17 change rooms
• Two officials' change rooms
• Two unisex change rooms
• Ottawa Senators & Kanata Blazers Locker Room in the Scotiabank Arena
• ATM
• First aid room
• Washrooms

On the second level:

• 80-seat Roger Neilson Coach’s Centre
• Peak Centre, offering custom-designed programs to maximize athlete performance, catering to both professional and amateur athletes
• Powerplay Zone for individual skill development, sponsored by Morley Hoppner
• Overtime - offers all of the items found at the Breakaway Café plus hot menu items like wings, nachos and much more
• Stanley's Restaurant and Bar, a 220 seat full-service food and beverage emporium overlooking the Scotiabank and International Arenas
• ATM machine
• Washrooms
• Extensive viewing areas

Other features of the Bell Sensplex include:

• A wireless hot spot zone covers the entire facility, so that wireless devices such as palm pilots, Blackberries and laptop computers can work online while people are there.
• A single ice plant serves all four ice surfaces. Heat recovered from this plant is used to heat the Field House, public areas and change rooms. The systems are designed for a reduction in energy use by at least 25% when compared to the requirements of the Model National Energy Code for Buildings (MNECB) in compliance with the Commercial Building Incentive Program (CBIP).
• Special exhaust fans and outside air intakes
• Ice melt pits to melt snow and reuse water from the Zambonis instead of melting outdoors
• Dehumidification from a single system of desiccant air-drying, gas-fired heat regeneration, complete with blowers and filters
• Infrared gas-fired heaters over bleacher seating
• Hot water for the ice resurfacer is provided at a recovery rate of 2,660 litres/hour and will operate in conjunction with two 380-litre storage tanks. The heater is capable of generating 82º C (180º F) hot water and serves the locker rooms with 43º C (110º F) hot water generated.
• There are two control systems for the building; one for the ice plant and one for the remainder of the building. The systems enable pre-set computer-controlled commands for night set-back of temperatures, start-stop timer, morning warm-up, and maintenance.
• Lighting is also connected to the computer system to allow automatic de-energizing on a time of day schedule.
• The building is completely protected by an automatic sprinkler system. The commercial part of the building, change rooms and soccer/sports field are protected by a single zone wet system; the arenas are protected by a multi-zone dry system.
• The building includes an addressable single stage fire alarm system.

The Bell Sensplex was completed under an innovative Public-Private Partnership (P3) between the City of Ottawa and Ottawa Community Ice Partners (OCIP). OCIP includes the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club, the Ottawa Senators Alumni, and Morley Hoppner Group. The terms of the partnership are:

• The new facility was built through private-sector financing and the debt was guaranteed by the City under a Municipal Capital Facilities Agreement.
• Project costs were projected at $25.6 million, which includes design, building and financing.
• City of Ottawa waived property taxes and development charges.
• City of Ottawa purchases 2,400 hours of prime ice time annually (rate for City’s time to be $143 per hour compared to the City’s public-sector comparator of $250 per hour).
• The City resells the 2,400 hours to users at the existing City rate.
• The City of Ottawa set up an Operating Reserve funded through an $850K contribution from the OCIP and annual contributions of $250K from the City, until the reserve reaches the value of a one-year lease repayment.
• A Lifecycle Renewal Reserve (1% of construction value contributed annually) was also set up by OCIP to ensure timely capital maintenance of the facility.
• At the end of this 30-year agreement, the City will purchase the facility and land for the sum of one dollar.
• OCIP is responsible for all programming and marketing of activities within the complex.
• OCIP sets its own fees for programs and services offered.
• Funds in addition to operational requirements will be generated from this operation and will be used as per the not-for-profit charter of OCIP to support community recreation.

Along the path towards completion of new city facilities under Public-Private Partnerships, there are a number of reports presented to various Committees and Council, which form the basis for decisions about location, scope, budgets, timelines and other issues related to the facility. You can review the reports related to the Bell Sensplex, as follows:

26 June 2002
Public-Private Partnerships

23 October 2002
Public-Private Partnership (P3) Projects for Earliest Implementation

4 February 2003
Public-Private Partnerships for New Ice Surfaces

20 May 2003
Public-Private Partnerships -- New Ice Surfaces

16 September 2003
Public-Private Partnership -- New Ice Surfaces West District

10 December 2003
Public-Private Partnership -- New Ice Surfaces West District

What is the Bell Sensplex?

The Bell Sensplex is an indoor sports facility serving west-end Ottawa residents. The facility includes four ice surfaces, including an international-regulation surface, an indoor soccer/sports field, the Roger Neilson Coaches Centre for game analysis, teaching and strategy, the Peak Centre to help maximize athlete performance, the Powerplay Zone mini synthetic ice training zone, a sports restaurant and bar overlooking two of the ice surfaces, change rooms and administrative offices.

What is special about the Bell Sensplex?

The Bell Sensplex is a vibrant complex that was specially designed for children and their parents to enjoy. Unlike many multi-surface facilities, the Bell Sensplex has lots of windows with views to the outdoors to bring in a light and airy feel, as well as windows onto the ice and soccer playing areas. Heating in stands in the arenas make watching children’s hockey more enjoyable for parents, as well as the many comfortable heated viewing and socializing areas such as the sports restaurant and bar and the windows overlooking the ice pads.

The Bell Sensplex is a non-traditional sports environment, reflecting a modern and upscale approach to everything: beautiful interior design, themed arenas with photos and stories in their corridors, pleasant and nutritional foods such as Starbuck’s coffee, pastries baked fresh onsite, and healthier snacks such as fruit juices for kids.

The Bell Sensplex also has several operating aspects to note, such as the ice melt pits, where snow cleared off ice surfaces by the Zamboni is melted and re-used instead of being dumped outside. A computer-controlled system also reduces energy consumption by automating lights and temperature according to the schedule of booked ice times. In addition, a specially designed refrigeration system recaptures exhausted heat and recycles it into the building to save energy.

How big is the indoor soccer/sports field at the Bell Sensplex?

The indoor soccer/sports field at the Bell Sensplex measures 100 x 200 ft complete with an artificial playing surface and two dressing rooms

How big are the ice surfaces at the Bell Sensplex?

There are four ice surfaces at the Bell Sensplex. Three are NHL size and one is international size.

How many parking spaces are there at the Bell Sensplex?

There are 502 parking spaces at the Bell Sensplex.

Where is the Bell Sensplex located?

The Bell Sensplex is located at 1565 Maple Grove Road, just off Terry Fox Drive in Ottawa’s west end. View a map to the Bell Sensplex.

What types of activities does the Bell Sensplex support?

The Bell Sensplex supports all kinds of regular and tournament ice sports such as hockey, figure skating, ringette, skating lessons, short-track speed skating, sledge hockey and broomball, as well as many sports that can be played on the ice pads without ice, such as floorball (ball hockey), roller hockey, and arena flag football. The indoor sports field also supports a wide range of regular and tournament field sports including soccer, football, rugby, cricket, lacrosse, Ultimate and more. The facility hosts school field trips and offers summer and training camps, and the Peak Centre allows both professional and amateur athletes to receive specialized programs designed to maximize their athletic performance. Facilities are also available for other types of events such as meetings, birthday parties, etc.

How do I contact the Bell Sensplex?

Contact Bell Sensplex staff at 613-599-0363 or visit their website at www.sensplex.ca.