The Best Seats
In The House

This past June Sport Systems was awarded the project to remove the out-of-date wooden bleachers located in the gymnasium of St. Catharines Collegiate and replace them with our industry-leading KODIAK telescopic bleacher system.

The gym at St. Catharines Collegiate was to undergo a series of upgrades over the summer which included updating their wooden gym bleachers as well as the installation of a brand new wood athletic floor.

The job was broken down into a couple of phases as Sport Systems worked in conjunction with the school and the District School Board of Niagara and external contractors to ensure the job went smoothly.

As with any of our installations in Canada, this project was designed, manufactured and installed all in accordance with the Ontario and National Building Code requirements. The under structure was designed completely of galvanized steel and featured a clear span design allowing for circulation under the building. Access to the press box was provided via stair case access and landings to the ground level as well as a back catwalk allowing access to the exterior doors as well.

The press box itself measured 8’ x 24’ and featured a divided interior space providing three separate rooms for visitors, home and the media. The space inside the press box was completely finished and fully equipped with vinyl flooring, a suspended acoustical ceiling and painted vinyl gypsum board walls.

In addition to servicing and supplying a wide variety of institutions here in North America, we at Sport Systems are quickly creating an international demand for our product line. One area where we have noticed particular growth is the Middle East, where American style educational and athletic complexes are beginning to be developed at a rapid pace.

We recently were contacted by KAZOU Architectural Products located in Kuwait to supply athletic infrastructure equipment to the newly-built American United School of Kuwait.    

The American United School of Kuwait is an expansive 129 000 square foot educational facility which opened its doors in September of 2013 for students aged Pre-K – Grade 5, and has plans to open its middle school (Grades 6-8) this Fall of 2014. The school has continued plans to expand and open both its Middle & High School portions of the facility in fall of 2015.

As we move into the new school year, we mark the completion of a record breaking summer season for the replacement of retractable bleachers for us at Sport Systems. Our most recent telescopic bleacher replacement project was a big help in pushing us over the top.

Back in July, we were commissioned by MGP Architects-Engineer Inc. on behalf of the Algoma District School Board. The project required us not only to remove and dispose of their existing wooden bleachers, but also to supply and install our 2400 series KODIAK Telescopic Bleacher Systems in three schools across the School Board.

Given the timing of the project, it was obvious that we were going to be under some tight timelines in order to have the deliverables completed before the start of the school year.

We quickly got to work immediately after the contract was awarded, operating as the general contractor to oversee the removal and disposal of the existing bleachers on site, as well as any corresponding electrical work. The existing bleachers had to be removed in a timely fashion, allowing the care staff at each institution enough time to perform any and all floor resurfacing and maintenance as needed.

As part of the gymnasium renovations at Parry Sound High School, we were commissioned last month by W.S. Morgan Construction on behalf of the Near North District School Board to supply and install a new set of  retractable bleachers.

The first step for most facilities is evaluating the bleacher systems available to them, and determining whether or not telescopic bleachers are a good fit. These seating solutions offer facility operators a versatile spectator seating solution, giving them the opportunity to seat the masses when need be, or simple tuck the seating away for extended floor space for non-spectator events.

Portable bleachers can be a great addition to any sports facility, giving your added versatility and the ability for your fans to watch your event in multiple locations. There are a couple of factors to consider when thinking about purchasing transportable bleachers, firstly whether they will be used primarily indoors or outdoors and then you must determine what size of bleachers your facility will need.

For indoor applications our Tip & Roll Portable Bleachers are tough to beat. Just as the name suggests, these bleachers can easily be tipped up and rolled to any suitable location inside your facility and can typically be moved by just one person. These units have the ability to seat anywhere from 16-42 people depending on the size chosen, and allow for easy movement for using multiple units to increase crowd size.

Typically speaking, elevated bleachers are larger in size and are used when spectator visibility is a main concern. These elevated units offer a clear line of sight by eliminating visual distractions, such as passers-by, walls, barricades or other ground-level obstructions.

The qualifying feature of elevated bleachers is that when one sits in the front row, their feet are at the same heigh as the elevated front walkway.  The elevation is determined by the client's specific needs and in most cases require stairs, ramps & handrails.

Conversely, non-elevated bleachers are usually smaller and more versatile and require no additional walkways or stairwells.  With non-elevated bleachers, when sitting on the first row, spectators' feet are at ground level.

Below we have included a number of images to help you further visually decipher the difference between the two types of bleachers:

               Elevated Bleachers - University Of Ottawa                                                                 Non-Elevated Bleachers

Whether you operate or are part of an indoor or outdoor athletic facility, the issue of useable space is often a topic of discussion. Today, we expect more from our sports fields and facilities optimizing both available space and cost effectiveness.

The majority of smaller bleachers are designed using the standard angle frame structure, ensuring a solid foundation for your spectator seating. While this design does not pose any problems whatsoever and is widely used across North America, more outdoor facilities are switching to the permanent I-Beam structure for use with their grandstand seating.

Having gone through the process of deciding which seating solution is right for your indoor gymnasium seating needs, you have settled on telescopic seating, simply because of its unbeatable versatility.

After evaluating and making the initial decision to go with a telescopic bleacher system for your gymnasium, the next question is what type of seating you would prefer for your future spectators.

When it comes to the actual seating platform, you have a couple of additional choices to make, depending on the exact needs of your facility: