Structural Supports for Richmond B.C. Speed Skating Oval-2010 Olympic Facility
Albina Pipe Bending Co., Inc. played an instrumental roll in creating the unique roof structure of the 400-meter speedskating oval located in Richmond, B.C. The oval is the home of the speedskating events for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Albina rolled 36 lengths of tube steel (12" x 12" x .375" wall thickness and 54 feet long) to a 101 foot inside radius. In total, 113,000 pounds of material was rolled to create the structural steel supports for the concrete-roofed dome.
The concept of putting 400-metre speed-skating tracks indoors is relatively new. Until the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, Olympic competitions were held outdoors. Calgary's organizers convinced the International Skating Union to put its track inside a concrete-roofed room. In doing so, they created a facility that moderated ice conditions.
To read more about the unique architecture of the Richmond Speed Skating Oval, please read the article titled "Richmond Oval Breaks New Ground" in the National Post, December 2008.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
