Lacrosse and indoor hockey teams started playing in the new Poirier Forum this week.
And on Saturday morning, the public will get a chance to tour the new facility that's expected to host a quarter of a million sports users a year, at the corner of Poirier Street and Winslow Avenue.
The $3.9-million dry floor venue may have come on budget but it definitely did not come on time. Due to construction and weather delays, the Forum opened three months behind schedule - a problem for several clubs that scrambled to find alternate indoor practice sites for the winter.
But now that the 25,000 sq. ft. structure is up and running, it's getting good reviews, said Brent Cormack, Coquitlam's manager of facilities, planning and construction, during a sneak peek on Wednesday.
"People are happy to have an indoor dry space," said Chris Siddaway, the city's parks, sports and events supervisor.
Measuring 80 feet wide by 185 feet long, the arena includes a polished concrete floor (a urethane finish was ruled out by lacrosse and ball hockey organizations), four heated change rooms, two public washrooms and bleachers under a stretched-fabric roof. Up to 150 sports users can be on the floor at one time, or 1,140 attendees for special events and trade shows, for example. Cormack also envisions the Coquitlam Farmers' Market using the premises.
As for bookings, the Forum is near capacity and will be open year-round from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. every night.
Cormack said he's aware parking may be tight; however, this spring, staff will study options to expand the existing parking lot, which is now being used by Dogwood Pavilion and Poirier community centre. Still, he said, the entire Poirier precinct - including Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex, across the street - has some 400 spots available.
The Forum has a lifespan of 25 years while the fabric roof is good for another 20 years, Cormack said.
Approved unanimously by city council in July 2013, the Forum will also be used for the BC Seniors Games, from Aug. 23 to 27, 2016, as well as Coquitlam's 125th anniversary celebrations that same year, a city spokesperson said.
The Poirier Forum will be officially opened to the public on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 11:30 a.m. There will be live music, kids' activities and free hot chocolate. The event runs until 1 p.m.
@jwarrenTC
