With hockey season officially in full swing, we recently completed a significant project at a beloved community rink in the heart of Canada’s capital. Given the volume of hockey games being played each and every year across the country, our team is always busy leading up to hockey season helping rinks ensure their spectator netting is in the best shape possible.

One of our more recent hockey-focused projects brought us to Tom Brown Arena, a community ice rink nestled in the vibrant Hintonburg neighborhood, just west of the city's downtown core. Opened in 1967 as part of Ottawa's network of recreational facilities, the arena has served as a vital gathering spot for decades, hosting ice hockey leagues, public skating sessions, figure skating programs, and community events in a facility that also includes a single NHL-sized ice pad.

We take a lot of pride in delivering top-quality products and installations across Canada (and around the world!). But the real magic happens thanks to our exceptional network of Dealers and installers, who bring local expertise and dedication to every project.

A shining example of this is our decade-long partnership with Interior Visions, based in Dieppe, New Brunswick. For nearly 10 years, we’ve worked hand-in-hand with their talented team to bring our innovative solutions to life in the Canadian Maritimes with each project seemingly getting better than the last. Much like all of our dealer network, this collaboration ensures our customers benefit from local expertise, with "boots on the ground" for precise site visits, accurate measurements, and seamless installations.

While most companies and industries today seem to be moving away from phone conversations, here at Sport Systems, we continue to embrace them. While it is something that we consider to be a vital part of our customer experience, it’s also in light of the fact that many of the products we sell are unique and nuanced in design. 

One such product category that requires a conversation just about every time we sell them is our bleacher and seating department. With unique capacity and design needs, we pride ourselves on customizing solutions fit to each individual project where required. In addition to mapping out seating requirements, a challenge many buyers are now facing is navigating seemingly complex national or regional safety and building codes.

Here at  Sport Systems, we pride ourselves on our expertise in installing high-quality netting barriers for municipalities, ball fields, soccer fields, golf courses and various other facilities across Canada. While we’re known for our top-notch new installations, we’re equally skilled at upgrading, repairing, and replacing existing netting systems to ensure safety and longevity.

Outdoor netting barriers are critical for protecting passersby, nearby vehicles, and surrounding areas from stray balls. However, these barriers face constant exposure to harsh elements like wind, UV rays, and flying debris, which can inevitably degrade them over time. Eventually, every netting system reaches the end of its lifespan, leaving facility managers with a choice: patch it up year after year or invest in a professional replacement for a lasting solution.

Serving as something of another feather in our cap, we’re proud to announce our recent collaboration with VCL, a trusted local contractor, to supply and install high-quality padding for the state-of-the-art pickleball courts at Altea Fitness Club in Ottawa. Located conveniently on Carling Avenue in the Nation’s Capital, this 129,000-square-foot flagship facility which was previously a Canadian Tire store, has transformed into Canada’s largest premium fitness and wellness club. 

Across Canada, communities are recognizing the challenges of maintaining outdated wooden bleachers in their parks. These outdated structures are often cumbersome, costly to upkeep, and most importantly, fail to meet current safety and building codes. For municipalities looking to modernize, we proudly offer a reliable, high-quality solution that is made right here in Canada.

Doing something of a clean sweep this year, the Township of South Frontenac decided it was time for a complete overhaul of the seating at a number of their outdoor recreational facilities. As part of the sweep, the township’s facilities team and Public Works Department made the forward-thinking decision to replace all aging wooden bleachers. And to make a good decision even better, they went ahead and chose our stellar line of “Gold Model” bleachers to replace them with.

It’s been a little over a year now since we first installed some beautiful bleacher seating at Chatham-Kent’s Fergie Jenkins field. Last spring we were tasked with the challenge of installing a brand new grandstand into the existing infrastructure at the legendary park, a challenge we believe we passed with flying colors. 

Building on our previous success at this beloved ballpark, the City of Chatham-Kent once again came to us with another project for the ball park. 

Nestled just north of Toronto, Richmond Hill, Ontario, is a vibrant city known for its blend of urban growth and green spaces. With a rich history dating back to its founding in the late 18th century, the city has grown into a bustling community that values its recreational facilities, like Crosby Park. This local gem, home to ball fields and community gatherings, recently faced a challenge that required a tailored solution to keep its visitors safe.

The City approached us earlier this year with a unique request: design and install a custom netting barrier at Crosby Park to prevent foul balls and home runs from reaching an adjacent parking lot. This wasn’t a straightforward task, as the site presented several challenges that demanded creativity and precision.

While we’ve been known to travel across the country and install projects from coast-to-coast, sometimes working in your own back yard can be a nice change of pace. Having our headquarters located just outside of Canada’s National Capital Region definitely has its perks. From access to a world-class city, the parliament buildings and attractions that draw in visitors from around the world, our installation teams and trucks can be found in parks, schools, community centers and other athletic facilities across this great city.

Nestled in Ontario’s French River or Rivière des Français region, lies the peaceful town of Noëlville. Located about 70km from Sudbury, the town, formerly known as Cosby, traces its roots all the way back to the early 1900s. Named after the river that runs through its small towns, the municipality is also home to the region’s only French school known as École publique de la Rivière des Français.

Serving as home to the Rivière des Français Rapids, the school’s athletic programming supports sports such as volleyball, basketball, and badminton. As the school’s programming has continued to expand, so has its need for additional modern seating to help elevate the spectator experience and support the school’s active athletic culture.