Should city spend $90k to upgrade Essar Centre arena glass to NHL standard?

Player safety is cited as a reason the city is recommending arena glass at the Essar Centre be replaced to NHL standards at a cost of up to $90,000.

But the tempered glass system currently surrounding the ice surface at the Essar Centre is fully-compliant with current Ontario Hockey League (OHL) standards.

The Community Services Department is recommending the arena be retrofitted, with tempered glass being replaced with acrylic glass throughout.

The change to acrylic glass will be done to NHL standards, at a cost estimate of $80,000 to $90,000.

Only one supplier was consulted for the cost of the upgrade.

The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge will be held October 28 to November 6, 2016 and will not require the upgrade, but will benefit from added safety, says the city.

The recommendation suggests hockey spectators will also benefit, as acrylic glass is less prone to abrasion and is easier to clean.

The city acknowledges the upgrade is not necessary to comply with current OHL standards, but suggests the change may be required in the future.

The city says acrylic glass is more forgiving and will increase player safety. 

Curved acrylic panels will be added to termination points, such as the stanchions at either end of the player bench areas.

The intention of those curved panels is to prevent player injuries, such as one suffered by Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty, who was sent to the hospital with a fractured neck and severe concussion when he collided with a rink stanchion in 2011.

By the 2012-2013 NHL season, all league rinks were required to feature the curved acrylic panels.

Each pane weighs 100 pounds less than an equally-sized pane of tempered glass and the city says this will result in faster changeovers when glass is added or removed, reducing labour costs.

The city says about $120,000 is remaining in a fund established for Essar Centre upgrades, which will be mostly drained by this proposed retrofit.

The matter will be voted on at tonight's city council meeting.

(FILE PHOTO: Marks seen on tempered glass at the Essar Centre in Sault Ste. Marie. The city is considering retrofitting the arena to acrylic glass at a cost of $90,000. Kenneth Armstrong/SooToday)