Georgian Bay, Ontario
Community Arena Feasibility & Procurement Strategy
Independent feasibility, design validation, and procurement strategy to deliver a permanent, year-round community arena with major cost savings.
Project Overview
A small municipality, in Ontario, north of Owen Sound sought to transform an underperforming outdoor ice rink into a covered, year-round recreational facility. The existing rink was unusable during summer months, significantly limiting its value to the community and preventing broader recreational programming.
The municipality’s objective was to deliver a permanent arena structure that met public assembly code requirements, supported long-term community use, and remained financially viable within a constrained public budget.
Early design concepts, however, introduced substantial challenges—prohibitively high design pricing, uncertainty around suitable building systems, and no clear pathway to advance a project of this scale.
Luma Projects was engaged to provide independent feasibility analysis, building system evaluation, and procurement guidance to move the project from concept to a viable, code-compliant solution.
The Challenge
Like many community-scale infrastructure projects, this Ontario community faced multiple compounding risks:
- No clear starting point for a commercial-scale building project
- Early design pricing far exceeded available budget, threatening project viability
- Uncertainty around the most suitable building system for cost, durability, and speed
- Strict public-assembly Building Code requirements for snow loads, occupancy, and fire safety
- Pressure to deliver within a realistic approval and construction timeline
- High sensitivity to cost overruns under fixed financing constraints.
Without independent feasibility and procurement oversight, the project risked stalling indefinitely or proceeding with community needs and fiscal realities not aligned.
Luma’s Role & Services Delivered
Luma Projects provided independent planning and procurement guidance to help the community define a viable, code-compliant solution without overcommitting budget or scope.
Design Firm Procurement
- Identified qualified firms experienced in commercial arena projects
- Negotiated design services at substantial savings to the owner
- Verified National Building Code and public-assembly experience
- Ensured alignment with Indigenous community project requirements
Building System Feasibility Studies
- Evaluated steel, tensile membrane, and wood-frame systems
- Compared cost, performance, lifespan, and maintenance
- Assessed code compliance and constructability for each option
- Provided clear, side-by-side analysis for decision-making
Code Compliance & Permit Planning
- Confirmed compliance with National Building Code requirements
- Coordinated structural, fire safety, and accessibility considerations
- Supported a clear permitting strategy for public assembly use
- Supported owners with site servicing strategy
Key Findings & Insights
Independent feasibility and procurement analysis enabled confident decisions around cost, performance, and long-term value
Alternative design and procurement approaches reduced initial design costs by approximately 30%
Tensile membrane systems offered faster delivery and lower maintenance than traditional steel or wood construction.
A tensile membrane structure delivered the best balance of cost, speed, durability, and clear-span interior space.
Commercial arena code requirements materially influenced structural and envelope design.
A covered arena expanded the facility from seasonal to year-round use, significantly increasing community value
The result
- Secured approximately 30% savings on design costs
- Selected the optimal building system through feasibility analysis
- Achieved full National Building Code compliance for public assembly
- Converted a seasonal rink into a year-round community facility
- Established a clear, confident path forward for delivery
- Enabled informed decision-making without unnecessary scope or risk
The community successfully delivered a permanent arena facility—a project that would have stalled without independent procurement strategy and building system analysis.
Takeaway
This project demonstrates how independent feasibility analysis and strategic procurement enable communities to turn ambitious visions into durable, buildable realities—through clarity, cost control, and informed decision-making.
