The Best Seats
In The House

Guest Blog Post Authored By: Advanced Padding Systems

We pride ourselves on being tapped to help solve complex architectural puzzles and our recent project at the University of Michigan Health’s Ypsilanti Health Center is a perfect example of what happens when innovative design meets professional installation.

When Michigan Medicine reached out, they needed more than just a regular old “padded room.” They were seeking a partner that could help them design a much needed safe and inviting sanctuary for their pediatric patients that was to become a calming room designed to provide comfort during difficult moments.

If you find yourself wrestling with outdated, manually operated basketball systems and your staff is finding it increasingly difficult, or unsafe, to set up for game day, we’re here to tell you that you aren't alone.

One of our more recent projects with the City of Ottawa was an excellent example of this after stakeholders from the city reached out to our team with the goal of replacing the aging, manual wall-mount basketball units at the Routhier Community Center with modern, motorized folding systems. To top it all off, they also were looking at upgrading the existing backboards to professional and ultra-durable glass backboards.

At Sport Systems Canada, we’ve been proud to collaborate with our trusted dealers in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia for nearly a decade now and the team at Interior Visions continues to impress us with their dedication and expertise to every project we collaborate on.

When Truro Middle School in Nova Scotia needed to replace an aging, non-operational gym divider curtain, our partners at Interior Visions responded immediately. They recognized the importance of restoring full functionality to a space that supports active learning and athletics for hundreds of students every day and quickly brought in our team to come up with a solution.

We all have a soft spot for those classic older arenas where generations have laced up their skates, cheered from creaky wooden bleachers, and created memories that undoubtedly last a lifetime. Some call them “old barns,” and with good reason as they often carry the soul of community hockey, with their character, history, and unmistakable atmosphere.

Fortunately for us, one of our more recent projects brought us to one such venue. Located in Port Hope, Ontario, Trinity College School (TCS) was founded in 1865, and now operates as one of Canada’s oldest and most respected independent co-educational day and boarding schools. Situated on a picturesque 100-acre campus just one hour east of Toronto, the school serves approximately 600 students from Grades 5–12, including a vibrant boarding community. With a strong emphasis on athletics, character development, and lifelong learning, TCS has a proud hockey tradition dating back over a century. Its on-campus Peter Campbell Memorial Rink has been a flagship facility since 1951, serving as home ice for generations of TCS Bears.

Guest Blog Post Authored By: Advanced Padding Systems

As you can very likely imagine, we receive all kinds of inquiries, covering everything from quick pricing questions on small padding projects to detailed RFPs for large institutions. But no matter the size, one request that stands out more than most is for our fire-rated safe room padding. Our Fire-Rated Wall Padding (PV-89) has become the go-to solution for architects, spec writers, and facility managers designing custom de-escalation rooms, calming spaces, and seclusion rooms in healthcare, education, and care facilities.

With well over 40 years of experience under our belts, we thrive on turning complex visions into tangible results, especially when it comes to custom grandstands. Our clients always appreciate how we are able to provide a comprehensive, full-service experience, from initial design and precise costing to seamless collaboration with key stakeholders. Over the years, we’ve found this end-to-end support keeps projects on track, on budget, and moving forward without unnecessary delays.

If you’ve been following along on our blog, you’ll remember our feature on the custom seating upgrade we completed for Rink A at the Nick Smith Arena. That project was a great example of how our team can turn tight spaces and unique site challenges into comfortable, fully accessible spectator seating.

With that in mind, we’re excited to share that the entire Nick Smith Arena project is now officially complete as we’ve just finished installing the custom bleachers for Rink B. As many of us know, no two arenas are the same and it is those on-site-obstacles, including limited space and strict budget parameters, that are all part of the challenge we love tackling.

Last fall, we shared the story of our impressive 15-row grandstand installation at the 2025 Canada Games in Newfoundland and Labrador. The project most certainly served as a true testament to our expertise in crafting high-quality spectator seating solutions, only to be followed up by our most recent coverage of another standout element of that project which just so happened to be a unique, custom-designed 6-row bleacher that perfectly complemented the venue's needs. As we’ve said many times before, we're passionate about pushing the boundaries of bleacher manufacturing to create accessible, functional, and spectator-friendly designs. Let's explore how this custom piece came to life and became a fan favorite during last year’s Games.

In addition to having built our hometown headquarters in the same town the late, great James Naismith was born, we also share it with a number of other colourful and historic people and places. One such location is nestled along the bank of the Mississippi River, which in addition to hosting our town’s annual fair, is also home to a one-of-a-kind grandstand.

Who doesn’t love a good custom job?

Across Canada, municipalities are breathing new life into aging arenas and community centres,either through full upgrades or thoughtful additions. These facilities are the heart of local recreation, and outdated spectator seating just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Here at Sport Systems, we’re proud to partner on these projects, delivering state-of-the-art spectator seating that meets modern demands. Gone are the days of cold concrete risers or worn-out wooden bleachers that should have been retired years ago. Today’s installations must fully comply with the National Building Code (NBC) requirements for spectator seating, prioritizing safety, durability, and inclusivity.