We’re always proud to celebrate another successful project with our valued, repeat customers and our friends at Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario are no exception to that rule. Their vibrant George Leach Centre, a cornerstone for varsity sports like basketball, volleyball, and more, demanded a seating solution that could keep up with the energy of the school and their budding athletic programming. The school made their goal clear as they were looking to efficiently equip their popular gym with portable telescopic bleachers that were easy to manage, space-efficient, and designed to elevate the spectator experience. Like always, our Kodiak 2400 Series bleachers rose to the occasion and delivered a game-changing upgrade for Algoma’s facilities team and fans alike.

Here at Sport Systems, we pride ourselves on working with indigenous communities across both Canada and the United States. We’ve been working with First Nation communities for decades now and always enjoy the opportunity to learn more about both their history and their plans for the future. 

In one of our more recent projects, we were once again linked up with a Canadian First Nation who was in search of a new and reliable seating solution for the gymnasium in the community’s busy recreational centre.

One of our more recent projects landed us in the beautiful Leslieville/Riverdale neighborhood of East Toronto. Not far from the Don River, it’s also home to the Riverdale Collegiate Institute (RCI), which was founded in 1907 as Riverdale Technical School, and now operates as a public high school, serving around 1,340 students in grades 9-12 under the Toronto District School Board. 

In addition to offering strong academic programming, the school boasts over 90 clubs and teams, including athletics, arts, and social justice initiatives and fosters a vibrant community. In the 1990s, Riverdale Collegiate Institute underwent significant renovations to modernize its facilities while preserving its historical character. The original 1907 building, designed by C.E.C. Dyson had its facade meticulously maintained to retain its architectural heritage. Other  renovations included upgrades to the interior infrastructure, classroom and library upgrades, along with various accessibility improvements to ensure the school remained functional and relevant while honoring its historical significance.

As part of some recent upgrades to one of Ottawa’s premier golf courses, the Marshes Golf Club, located in Kanata’s high-tech hub, is opening some new facilities next month and turned to our team for help in getting everything set up.

While the facility is best known for its buttery-smooth greens and picturesque fairways, the club has become a hub for action for locals and tourists alike. In addition to the Championship 18-hole course and 9-hole short course, the property is adjoined by the prestigious Brookstreet Hotel, attracting visitors from across the country and around the world.

Bourgade Catholic High School was founded back in 1962 by Bishop Green to serve Catholic students on Phoenix’s west side and is named after Archbishop Peter Bourgade, a French missionary priest. Boasting a 27-acre campus that offers a college-preparatory curriculum with a strong emphasis on Catholic formation, the school enrolls around 350-400 students in grades 9-12. 

In addition to its academics, Bourgade ranks in the top 20% of Arizona private schools for sports and extracurriculars, offering 12 interscholastic sports including football, basketball, volleyball, soccer, baseball, softball along with clubs like Student Council, which earned National Gold Council Excellence Awards from 2013-2016. Serving as home to the Golden Eagles, the school unfortunately had two of their outdoor bleachers recently handed failing grades after being inspected.

As part of the upcoming Canada Games in St. John's, which are set to take place from August 8 to 25, 2025, in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, we've been tapped with helping supply a few grandstand seating structures.  As part of the 16th edition of the Canada Summer Games and the 31st overall Canada Games, this is the third time Newfoundland and Labrador has hosted the event (previously in 1977 and 1999) and the second time for St. John's specifically (previously in 1977). The Games are Canada’s largest multi-sport event, bringing together over 4,800 athletes, coaches, and managers from all 13 provinces and territories to compete in 19 sports across 17 disciplines.

Working down in eastern Canada is one of the many perks of our organization. We’ve been building a better game across Canada since the late 1970s, and that includes some wonderful projects over the past few years in beautiful New Brunswick.

As part of Canada’s maritime provinces, it’s a beautiful part of the country and one that we thoroughly enjoy working in any time we get the chance. In having an established relationship with our partners at Interior Visions for a number of years now, we’ve only since grown our market share in the region, a true testament to both our relationship with our partners in eastern Canada and our products.

The Aamjiwnaang First Nation (AFN), formerly known as the Chippewas of Sarnia, is a First Nations community of approximately 2,500 Chippewa (Ojibwe) Aboriginal people, with 900 residing on the Reserve. Located on the St. Clair River, 3 miles south of Lake Huron's southern tip, the community is situated within Sarnia's city limits in southwestern Ontario, directly across the US border from Port Huron, Michigan.

Having worked with a number of First Nations communities across both Canada and the United States, we were thrilled to have been brought into this project. We were first contacted by the community’s Manager of Community Services who was looking for help with replacing some outdated equipment in the facility’s gymnasium.

In yet another instance of a recurring issue faced by aging institutions, a local school board found itself at an impasse with its aging folding partition. The once-functional partition, responsible for dividing the school’s large gymnasium into separate areas, had reached a point of disrepair.

Years of constant use and wear and tear had taken their toll on the folding partition. Its once smooth operation had become a thing of the past, replaced by a frustrating series of jams and other malfunctions. The financial burden of maintaining and repairing the aging partition had finally come to a point where it made little sense to continue with the dated partition.

While renting bleachers might initially appear to be a budget-friendly option for sporadic or even annual  events, a deeper analysis reveals a multitude of drawbacks compared to the long-term benefits of investing in permanent bleachers. For many facility owners and operators out there,  the bleacher rental game can, at times, feel like a hamster wheel that you can never get off. 

There is little doubt that the initial cost of ordering and installing permanent bleachers may seem daunting (and expensive), it’s worth noting that the long-term cost savings can be substantial. Rental bleachers undoubtedly come with a long list of drawbacks including recurring expenses, availability among many other factors. Permanent bleachers, on the other hand, are a one-time investment that have the ability to eliminate these ongoing costs and headaches almost instantly.

In addition to the above, here’s a few other costs associated with bleacher rentals which can make you feel as though you are running in circles.