We encountered an unexpected issue during early construction of the East Rink floor at Braemar Arena. During excavation, crews discovered frozen soil deep beneath the surface. We immediately engaged an engineering firm to measure the frozen soil, which is 12 feet deep at its thickest point. Unfortunately, this will move back the completion date for the East Rink and reduce the ice time for all of our users.

Updated Timeline & Next Steps

• Thawing Process: We are working with our rink floor contractor to begin thermal soil thawing immediately.
• Re-Testing: We will conduct comprehensive soil testing in mid-October. Once tests confirm the soil is completely clear of frost, floor construction will resume immediately.
• Revised Completion Target: Originally scheduled for completion by Oct. 20, the East Rink is now anticipated to reopen by Jan. 1.
• Expedited Schedule: We are actively aligning contractor resources to accelerate construction steps wherever possible once the soil is ready.

Why Wasn't This Caught Earlier?
Prior to starting this project, two independent frost tests were conducted by licensed professional engineering firms, most recently in summer 2025. Both tests indicated no frost present. Unfortunately, soil spot testing is not a perfect science, and the full extent of the frost only became clear during full-scale excavation.

Why We Must Delay Construction
Pouring a new concrete rink floor over frozen ground would all but guarantee major structural failure down the road. To build a lasting facility, we must completely thaw the subsoil before construction resumes.

Impact on Ice Scheduling
Braemar Arena will operate with two ice sheets through the fall. We know how disappointing this delay is for our skating community and local user groups. Arena staff are actively coordinating with leaders of user groups to adjust schedules, reallocate existing ice slots fairly, and help identify alternative local ice options where feasible to minimize disruptions. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work through this obstacle to ensure Braemar’s East Rink is built safely and built to last. We will provide another status update following the mid-October soil tests.