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While so much has been written and said about the new Rogers Place arena and ICE District in downtown Edmonton, one question has been on the city’s collective mind since the idea of a new downtown arena began: What will become of Rexall Place, which has been the Oilers’ home since 1974?
The answer to that question is now starting to come together, in the form of Vision 2020, a complete re-imagining of Rexall Place and the surrounding area known as Northlands.
Northlands was founded in 1879 — well before the incorporation of Edmonton as a city — as an agricultural exhibition. The Northlands complex today is home to Rexall Place arena, the 522,000-square-foot Expo Centre (the second-largest trade and conference centre in Canada), as well as the Northlands Park horse racing track and casino.
Major annual events hosted on the grounds include the K-Days exhibition and midway (previously known as Klondike Days as a nod to the gold rush), and the Canadian Finals Rodeo.
Vision 2020 completely re-imagines how Northlands could look in a future without the Oilers or horse racing. The plan looks to draw in even more activity and events through the creation of an ice tournament centre, an urban festival site connected to nearby Borden Park, and a new concert and events venue inside the Expo Centre.
In a design collaboration between BBB Architects and Dialog Architects, the Ice Coliseum repurposes Rexall Place and divides it into seven ice sheets for community and tournament use, including curling and minor hockey, with the goal of helping to make Edmonton the tournament capital of Canada.
Each sheet can also be adapted to host other sporting events such as indoor volleyball, lacrosse, and soccer.
Inside the Expo Centre, Hall D would be reconstructed as a 5,000-seat venue for concerts, sports, and other events.
Replacing the current horse racing track and tying the site together with Borden Park to the south, the urban festival site imagines a large open site for festivals, outdoor concerts, and as a venue for the Canadian Finals Rodeo.
Northlands is also looking at the possibility of building up the area with new hotels, residential buildings, commercial and retail space, a new LRT station between Stadium and Coliseum stations, and space for an expansion of Concordia University’s campus to the south. The overall scheme intends to keep the area activated year round whether or not events are underway.
While Vision 2020 may seem bold, changing times and new challenges requires a bold vision to keep Northlands active and to continue to bring visitors and new economic growth opportunities to the northeast part of the city.
Vision 2020 is still a work in progress, and residents have the opportunity to help shape the vision and goals through an online survey.
Additional images and information can be accessed in our Database files linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads for the Ice Coliseum and Vision 2020 or leave a comment below.
