Numerica Skate Ribbon

Last updated
Numerica Skate Ribbon
Numerica Skate Ribbon Logo.png
RiverfrontParkSkateRibbonSkyRide.jpg
OwnerSpokane Parks & Recreation
Construction
OpenedDecember 8, 2017 (2017-12-08) [1]
Construction cost $10 million
ArchitectStantec
Tenants
  • Numerica Skate Ribbon
  • Sky Ribbon Café

The Numerica Skate Ribbon is a multi-purpose venue and attraction located in Riverfront Park in Downtown Spokane, Washington. It primarily serves as a year-round outdoor venue for skating, supporting hard surface skating activities such as roller skating, scootering, and skateboarding in the warm months, [2] and converting over for ice skating during the winter months. The ribbon also hosts other events and programmed activities, such as art walks, throughout the year. [3]

Contents

The skate ribbon, which first opened in 2017, [1] is located at the southwest corner of Riverfront Park at the intersection of Spokane Falls Boulevard and Post Street, directly across from the Spokane City Hall and River Park Square.

History

On January 22, 2018, just weeks after the Skate Ribbon opened, it was reported that a local woman who had suffered a head injury while ice skating on the ribbon the prior Friday afternoon had died of her injuries. [4]

Design

As the first ribbon-shaped ice rink to be constructed in the Pacific Northwest, the Numerica Skate Ribbon stretches 700 feet long and is completed by a trio of fire pits, allowing for a warming experience for the skaters after being out on the ice. [5] The ribbon is able to hold 300 skaters at any time, and the path is lined with lighting fixtures to keep the experience bright and safe. The path winds underneath trees and by David Govedare’s Bloomsday statues, where it leads to a round “pond” area where skaters can congregate. Just as with the Ice Palace it replaced, the developers put thought into designing this attraction for year-round use, however, it has a slightly different twist. Rather than housing miniature golf, a Ferris wheel, and a petting zoo, the skate ribbon transforms into a place for roller-skating, scootering, or amusement rides. [6] Riley Witt, the lead of Stantec’s office in Spokane and the project manager for the design and construction of the ribbon, explained that the ribbon shape and green space were designed to avoid a large concrete area within the park, and to be seen as a mirroring element of the natural falls. Due to this extra consideration to match the construction to the landscape and overcoming the challenges that come with designing a park that was once a rail yard, the project was also recognized by the Engineering News-Record as the Northwest Best Sports and Entertainment project of 2018. [7]

Developers

Stantec, an international professional services company in the design and consulting industry centered in Edmonton, Canada, happily agreed to take on this section of the Riverfront Park design. They originally signed on to design the ice ribbon and building, but the Park Board later asked that the firm be in charge of designing the entire corner of the park where the ribbon would be located. By taking on more than just the rink, Stantec was allowed to go a bit over budget, as the Parks and Recreation division addressed it as a negotiation of sorts. Riley Witt, the project manager, gladly accepted the project, as he felt it would be a great opportunity for Stantec’s promise to “design with a community in mind.” [8]

Challenges

The original planned opening date of the new addition was scheduled for the summer of 2017, but it was later delayed until December 2017 after encountering a number of unforeseen setbacks, such as larger expenses to repair bridges and soil for the rest of the upcoming projects in the area. This added up to a total of an extra $35,000, which would be covered by a $64.3 million taxpayer-approved bond. The original plans also came with a higher price tag than what was originally allotted, as the drawings were planned to cost $400,000 more than the $6.5 billion budgeted for the construction of not only the ribbon itself, but also the skate rental and concession area. Although the construction amounted to more than the budget, Chris Wright, the president of the Spokane Park Board, did not require the construction firm to redesign the ribbon. Contractors Northwest Inc. built the ribbon, with construction costs totaling $7.5 million, according to contract amendments agreed to by Spokane Park Board.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spokane, Washington</span> City in Washington, United States

Spokane is the most populous city in and seat of government of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is in eastern Washington, along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, 18 miles (30 km) west of the Washington–Idaho border, and 279 miles (449 km) east of Seattle, along Interstate 90.

The Olympic Oval in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is North America's first covered speed skating oval; it was built for the 1988 Winter Olympics and opened 37 years ago on September 27, 1987. Located on the University of Calgary campus, it is the official designated training centre for Speed Skating Canada and the Elite Athlete Pathway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oaks Amusement Park</span> Amusement park in Portland, Oregon

Oaks Park is a small amusement park located 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Opened in May 1905, it is one of the oldest continually operating amusement parks in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campus Martius Park</span> Park in the United States

Campus Martius Park is a re-established park in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. After the Great Fire of 1805, Campus Martius was the focal point of Judge Augustus Woodward's plans to rebuild the city. It was named for the principal square in Marietta, Ohio, the first capital of the Northwest Territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Expo '74</span> Worlds fair held in Spokane

Expo '74, officially known as the International Exposition on the Environment, Spokane 1974, was a world's fair held May 4, 1974, to November 3, 1974 in Spokane, Washington in the northwest United States. It was the first environmentally themed world's fair and attended by roughly 5.6 million people. The heart of the fair park grounds was located on Canada Island, Havermale Island, and the adjacent south bank of the Spokane River, comprising present-day Riverfront Park, in the center of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pettit National Ice Center</span> Building in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

The Pettit National Ice Center is an indoor ice skating facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, featuring two international-size ice rinks and a 400-meter speed skating oval. Located adjacent to Wisconsin State Fair Park, the center opened on January 1, 1993, and was named for Milwaukee philanthropists Jane and Lloyd Pettit. Pettit National Ice Center Inc., a non-profit organization, has operated the site since the facility opened.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downtown Spokane</span> Central business district of Spokane in Washington, United States

Downtown Spokane or Riverside is the central business district of Spokane, Washington. The Riverside neighborhood is roughly bounded by I-90 to the south, Division Street to the east, Monroe Street to the west and Boone Avenue to the north. The topography of Downtown Spokane is mostly flat except for areas downstream of the Spokane Falls which are located in a canyon; the elevation is approximately 1,900 feet (580 m) above sea level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spokane Convention Center</span>

Spokane Convention Center is the primary convention center in Spokane, Washington, in the northwest United States, and consists of two interconnected buildings along the south bank of the Spokane River in downtown Spokane. The facility, owned and operated by the Spokane Public Facilities District, is part of a larger campus, historically referred to as Spokane Center, that also contains the adjacent First Interstate Center for the Arts which is connected to the Davenport Grand hotel across the street via a skywalk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detroit International Riverfront</span> Area of Detroit, Michigan that borders the Detroit River

The Detroit International Riverfront is a tourist attraction and landmark of Detroit, Michigan, extending from the Ambassador Bridge in the west to Belle Isle in the east, for a total of 5.5 miles along the Detroit River. The International Riverfront encompasses a cruise ship passenger terminal and dock, a marina, a multitude of parks, restaurants, retail shops, skyscrapers, and high rise residential areas along with Huntington Place. The Marriott at the Renaissance Center and the Robert's Riverwalk Hotel are also situated along the International Riverfront. Private companies and foundations together with the city, state, and federal government have contributed several hundred million dollars toward the riverfront development. Key public spaces in the International Riverfront, such as the RiverWalk, Dequindre Cut Greenway and Trail, William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor, and a cruise ship passenger terminal and dock at Hart Plaza complement the architecture of the area. The area provides a venue for a variety of annual events and festivals including the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, Detroit Free Press International Marathon, the Detroit International Jazz Festival, Motor City Pride, the North American International Auto Show, River Days and Detroit China Festival. In February 2021, the Detroit International Riverfront was voted best riverwalk in the United States by USA Today readers. It was selected a second time as the best riverwalk in the U.S. in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lasker Rink</span> Ice rink and swimming pool in New York City

Lasker Rink, dedicated as the Loula D. Lasker Memorial Swimming Pool and Skating Rink was a seasonal ice skating rink and swimming pool at the southwest corner of the Harlem Meer in the northern part of Central Park in Manhattan, New York City. Designed by the architects Fordyce & Hamby Associates, it operated from 1966 to 2021. Lasker Rink was demolished after its final season of operation and is to be replaced by a new facility known as the Harlem Meer Center in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink</span> Multi-purpose venue within Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois

McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink or McCormick Tribune Plaza is a multi-purpose venue within Millennium Park in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. On December 20, 2001, it became the first attraction in Millennium Park to open. The $3.2 million plaza was funded by a donation from the McCormick Tribune Foundation. It has served as an ice skating rink, a dining facility and briefly as an open-air exhibition space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in Spokane, Washington</span>

Spokane, Washington has a rich sporting culture and the area residents are active in many spectator and participant sports. Although Spokane lacks any major, nationally recognized professional sports team, Spokane has a sports friendly atmosphere, and was recognized and rated #99 in the Sporting News 2006 "99 Best Sporting Cities" list. In 2009, Sports Business Journal rated Spokane as the fifth best minor league sports market in America out of 239 markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riverfront Park (Spokane, Washington)</span> Urban park and Expo 74 legacy site in Spokane, Washington, United States

Riverfront Park, branded as Riverfront Spokane, is a public urban park in downtown Spokane, Washington that is owned and operated by the Spokane Parks & Recreation Department. The 100-acre (40 ha) park is situated along the Spokane River and encompasses the Upper Spokane Falls, which is the second largest urban waterfall in the United States.

Numerica Credit Union is a credit union founded in 1937. Numerica serves the Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Wenatchee Valley regions of Washington state, as well as the North Idaho Panhandle. It is regulated under the authority of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). As of June 2022, Numerica managed over $3.5 billion in assets and served more than 169,000 members. Numerica's headquarters are located in Spokane Valley, Washington.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Spokane, Washington, USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stantec Tower</span> Skyscraper in Edmonton, Canada (opened 2018)

Stantec Tower is a 66-story building and 4 underground, 250.8 m (823 ft) mixed-use skyscraper in Ice District in the downtown core of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. On May 23, 2018, it reached a construction height of 197 m (646.3 ft) and surpassed the JW Marriott Edmonton Ice District & Residences, becoming the tallest building in Edmonton and one of the largest mixed-use projects in Canada. The office area of the tower opened on September 26, 2018, and the residential portion opened in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City Line (Spokane, Washington)</span> Bus rapid transit line in Spokane, Washington, United States

The City Line is a bus rapid transit (BRT) line in Spokane, Washington, United States, that opened on July 15, 2023. The 6-mile-long (9.7 km) route, which is operated by the Spokane Transit Authority, runs from Spokane's Browne's Addition neighborhood, through Downtown Spokane and the University District, including the WSU Health Sciences campus and Gonzaga University, before ending at the Spokane Community College campus in the Chief Garry Park neighborhood. The project budget as of 2023 was $92.2 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Skate</span> Roller sports governing body

World Skate is the only governing body in the world for all sports performed on skating wheels. The organisation is the successor of the Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS) founded on 21 April 1924.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Podium (sports facility)</span> Multi-use indoor sport and entertainment venue in Spokane, Washington

The PodiumPowered by STCU is a 135,000-square-foot (12,500 m2) indoor multi-use sports facility located in Spokane, Washington, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Spokane, Washington</span> Overview of the architecture in Spokane, Washington

Spokane and its neighborhoods contain a patchwork of architectural styles that give them a distinct identity and illustrate the changes throughout the city's history. Spokane has a rich architectural history for a western city of its size and much of it is a product of its circumstances at the turn of the 20th century when as a rapidly growing city, the Great Fire of 1889 destroyed 32 blocks of the city center which was quickly rebuilt in a more grand fashion by a community flush with money coming from regional mining districts. Many of the architects that found work in the city and building on the blank slate of the downtown commercial district became highly esteemed architects such as Kirtland Cutter, who has been credited with giving the city a distinctive character. In particular, the city has a high concentration of Romanesque Revival style institutional and commercial buildings and American Craftsman bungalow residences. The architecture of Spokane gained national recognition in industry publications in the early 20th century.

References

  1. 1 2 Hill, Kip (October 30, 2017). "New $10 million skating ribbon to open in Riverfront Park for the holidays". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  2. "Skate Ribbon opens in Riverfront Park for free roller skating". KHQ-TV. April 2, 2018. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  3. "Skate Ribbon at Riverfront Park". Visit Spokane. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  4. "Officials: Ice skater injured at Spokane rink has died". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. 22 January 2018.
  5. Witt, Riley. [ideas.stantec.com/blog/spokane-s-new-ice-ribbon-helps-park-slide-into-its-next-era "Spokane's New Ice Ribbon Helps Park Slide into Its next Era-a Year-Round Destination"].{{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  6. Youngs, J. William T. (1996). The fair and the falls : Spokane's Expo '74 : transforming an American environment. Eastern Washington University Press. ISBN   0910055335. OCLC   35714357.
  7. White, Rebecca (December 26, 2018). "Ice ribbon attendance remains above former rink's numbers, park leaders say". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  8. Bjerken, LeAnn (November 5, 2015). "Stantec seeks to increase its volume in Spokane area". Spokane Journal of Business. Retrieved May 1, 2019.