Shovels are “in-deep” on a new southwest Calgary arena that will be home to hundreds of city athletes and replaces a decades-old barn.
Ground was officially broken on the new athletics building on April 9, with city officials and the Hockey Calgary executive.
The facility, called the Glenmore Twin Arena, will be two storeys tall and feature two full-size ice sheets, a snack bar and classroom spaces, along with other amenities. It’s slated to open for fall 2027. The ice sheets will have space for 300 and 1000 spectators, respectively.
The facility will replace the current Stu Peppard Arena and will be built just west of the 60-plus-year-old facility in Glenmore Athletic Park.
Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner, who walked her dog, Lunar, to the announcement, described her history with what she called the “stinkiest hockey rink in the entire city.”
“This was my brother’s home rink for a long time when he was a youth. Those soccer fields were my home soccer fields,” she said.
Penner called the location of the new arena part of a master plan for the Glenmore area. Once constructed, the twin arenas will be a part of the Glenmore Athletic Park, an area with soccer fields, an aquatic centre and a new track and field space set to open in June.
“We know as busy families, we know as busy parents and we know as Calgarians, the ability to access different kinds of services in a singular location is so critically important in our lives,” she said.
The Glenmore Athletic Park was built in 1962, with a series of buildings, including the arena, built between 1962 and 1975. In 2010, there was a new concept plan for the Foothills and Glenmore Athletic Parks, and it identified Stu Peppard as nearing the end of “its useful life,” according to the city’s website dedicated to the project.
Stu Peppard holds a special place in Calgarians’ hearts
Hockey Calgary Executive Director Kevin Kobelka said that the Stu Peppard Arena will always hold a special place in the hearts of many, but could not detail how Stu Peppard’s legacy will continue to be honoured.
Kobelka said a new facility on the west side of the city was paramount, and that Hockey Calgary has worked actively to help this project come to fruition.
“It’s a great day for us here in Hockey Calgary,” he said.
Hockey Calgary has contributed $3.5 million of the project’s overall $86.6 million budget.
When the project was approved by city council in June of 2021, it was as much an effort in building more ice spaces for Calgarians as it was a replacement for an aging facility, said Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
Gondek shared that the city is aiming to increase total bookable hours at ice rinks by 25 per cent, with one sheet of ice for every 32,000 residents of Calgary.
“It’s part of a broader vision for the Glenmore Athletic Park and for our city as a whole, one where community connection, active living and equitable access to sport are foundational to how we grow,” she said.
“We are focused on investing in our cities with intention, and this project is a perfect example of that.”
Gondek acknowledged the potential for construction-related disruptions in the area and thanked residents and facility users in advance for their patience.
Heather Johnson, Director of Recreation and Social Programs for The City of Calgary, shared that the Glenmore Twin Arena is the first of many ice sheets to be built, with the goal of 68 ice sheets in the city by 2050.
Johnson said she looks forward to the benefits the project will bring for all who call Calgary home.
“For kids learning to skate, for minor hockey teams, figure skaters, Ringette clubs, earning more time to practice and play, for athletes, honing their skills, and finally, for families, just enjoying quality time together, creating lasting memories,” she said.
