The City of Kamloops is giving residents a closer look at the team behind the much-anticipated Arena Multiplex, a major new sport and recreation facility slated for construction on City-owned land at 2070 Hillside Drive.

Using an integrated project delivery model, similar to the approach taken with the Kamloops Centre for the Arts, the City is bringing all partners together early in the planning and design process to ensure the facility meets community needs while staying on budget.

Matt Kachel, Infrastructure Delivery Divisional Manager, explained to Radio NL that the collaborative model allows the City to select top specialists for each discipline, rather than relying on a single contractor to assemble the team. “We were able to pick the best of each discipline to bring them together,” Kachel said. “It’s not just about locking people in—it’s also about helping the community understand what we’re doing and why, and that there’s still lots of opportunity to be a part of the project.”

The Arena Multiplex Integrated Project Delivery team includes:

• Group2 Architecture – Calgary, AB
• Bird Construction – Kamloops/Kelowna, BC
• WSP (electrical and structural designers) – Victoria, BC and Calgary/Edmonton, AB
• AME Group – Vancouver/Kelowna, BC
• JS Refrigeration – Vancouver, BC
• Kerr Interior Systems – Edmonton, AB
• Westcana Electrical – Kamloops, BC
• Interior Plumbing and Heating (IPH) – Kamloops, BC
• Yeti Refrigeration – Prince George, BC
• Collins Steel – Edmonton, AB
• McElhanney – Kamloops/Vancouver, BC
• WEFT Strategies – Kamloops, BC
• EXP – Kamloops/Burnaby, BC

Kachel emphasized that while these groups form the core team, many aspects of the project, including work packages for subcontractors, are still open. “Trades and companies are just looking at the general contractor’s tender process versus the City’s, but there’s still lots of work to come. We’ve got a lot to do,” he said.

When asked about the short-term timeline, Kachel said the project is progressing as planned. “We’re where we hoped we’d be with this process. There’s quite a bit of earth moving to do up there, so that’s going to be the leading part of the project this year, while the buildings are being designed. Then that’ll come as the next phase of construction.”

Kachel also explained why the City is staggering earthworks and building design rather than doing everything at once. “Some other projects might combine the two and wait for the site to be completed as one package. We’re overlapping them to get some speed and get this thing moving,” he said.

Public engagement remains a key focus. Kachel highlighted the importance of user groups in shaping the facility. “The details within the facility still need to be figured out, and that will be done in collaboration with user groups. The general layout is set, but the finer details will reflect the community’s input.”

This spring, the team will deliver a validation report outlining the investment required for the facility. Following that, the project will move into detailed design and implementation, with subsequent subcontractor opportunities. Earthworks are set to begin later this year, main construction is expected to start in 2027, and the Arena Multiplex is projected to open in 2029.

Traffic concerns raised by area residents will also be addressed through improvements along Hillside Drive. “We’re aware of concerns around increased traffic, and we’re planning improvements to make the corridor safer and accommodate future demands,” Kachel said.

For more information and to stay informed about engagement opportunities, visit LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/ArenaMultiplex.