The Winter Garden, a part of the proposed development in Edmonton's downtown arena district, "will allow office workers and hockey fans to go for a night on the town without stepping into the cold," according to Kevin Maimann of the EDMONTON SUN. The 34,000-square-foot, climate controlled facility "will serve as a public gathering space, connective infrastructure" for the city's light rail system and the "grand entrance to Rogers Place arena, with 24,000 square feet of programmable space for public and private events." Katz Group Exec VP Bob Black, whose company is heading the project, said yesterday that visitors "could go from work to a hockey game or other event in January without putting on a jacket." Black estimated that 70-75% of arena patrons will use the arena's entrance from the Winter Garden, "equating to 1.4 million people per year." The facility will "host a range of activities including pre-game and tailgate parties, corporate events, ceremonies, music, and arts and cultural events." Edmonton Exec Dir for the project Rick Davis said that construction on the C$56.5M facility "is on budget and on time to open" in September '16, the "same time as the arena" (EDMONTON SUN, 3/19). Black said of the Winter Garden, "We think it’s a really unique space and it will be one of the calling cards of the arena district. It will really be a hub of activity." He added, "The space itself is around 34,000 square feet, 24,000 square feet of which, is multi-use, programmable space to be used for all manner of events. It will be an actively programmed area. It also provides safe pedestrian connection between the arena district plaza, Rogers Place and the MacEwan LRT station as well as businesses and communities to the north" (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 3/19).
