Preliminary drawings of the inside of Maple Leaf Gardens show students will have to climb to the third floor to skate the ice of Ryerson’s athletics complex in 2011.
The drawings are just the latest renditions provided by BBB Architects & Stadium Consultants International, and the final design could still change, said Ryerson President Sheldon Levy.
“I think it’s fantastic. I think it’ll be just an unbelievable design,” Levy said.
Currently, the second floor will hold the basketball and volleyball courts. They’re slated to be positioned off to the side to give the playing areas high ceilings.
The third floor, Levy said, will hold the ice rink. The positioning of the rink was decided first and the other facilities were planned around it, he said. It’d be possible to see onto the courts from this level.
The concourse level would allow spectators to look down on the ice rink, he said.
Some of the space on the drawings have been “roughed in,” with facilities to be decided later.
“We’re not even getting into speculation of what else because we have to be open in a year from now,” Levy said.
Most of the changes that could be incorporated into later drawings would involve structural issues or budgetary considerations.
The project is budgeted at $60 million, with $20 million coming from student fees once it’s completed.
Costing the plans will take about six weeks. If it exceeds the school’s budget, plans will have to be rejigged, Levy said.
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