The Best Seats
In The House

In a world that is becoming increasingly competitive, the beneficial aspects of collaboration can go unrecognized. The term “group project” can evoke a sense of dread, whether one has experienced a team assignment from the perspective of a slacker or team leader. While collaborative efforts can pose significant challenges, the complementary pairings of experts are well worth the risk. Recently, the partnership between Sport Systems and RMG Contract Interiors Inc. (RMG) provided an extremely successful outcome for three Ontario schools.

Don McGahan Clubhouse - McArthur Ave.

It is commonly believed that if everyone viewed the world through the eyes of children, society would be a much better place. Despite being at more preliminary stages of development, children see no value-based distinction amongst varying ethnicities, genders, or socioeconomic backgrounds. Implementing this child-like acceptance and celebrating the differences of each individual, the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa (BGC) has created a safe space for children and teens aged 6-18.

While we all certainly enjoy watching something come to fruition, there is something extra special about being involved in the revitalization of something as well. Over the years, we’ve been blessed to be involved in a number of these types of projects ranging from local community centres and schools all the way to nationally recognized institutions such as Queen’s University.

We’ve been granted access to stripped out gymnasiums and open athletic fields to design and eventually install state-of-the-art athletic equipment and infrastructure. From simple bleachers, to basketball systems to complete grandstands designed to accommodate tens of thousands of fans, these projects have and always will hold a special place in our hearts.

One of our most recent projects brought us to the Durham region of Ontario, located about 80km east of Toronto. Nestled in the municipality of Clarington, we were involved in some much-needed upgrades at a local recreation complex.

After experiencing significant growth over the past five years, the game of pickleball is now everywhere these days. While played outdoors the majority of the time, in Canada, the season is drastically reduced as the fall and winter months roll in. To extend the playing season, many facilities are beginning to expand facilities and programming to offer indoor pickleball courts and associated programming.

Working again with our partners at Tadeos Engineering LLC, we recently joined forces on a unique project. Operating as a structural and civil engineering firm founded in Miami in 2015, Tadeos Engineering offers a range of Structural Engineering Services for new construction, additions to current buildings, remodeling, legalization and more. The opportunity to remove old, outdated wooden telescopic bleachers and replace them with new, state-of-the-art telescopic bleachers was presented to our team by Tadeos and we were quick to reply. Organized by the City of South Miami, the project was scheduled to take place at the Gibson-Bethel Community Center. Opened in 2003, the center serves people of all ages in the community of South Miami, offering a fitness center, basketball and volleyball courts, arts and crafts rooms and much more.

With the continuing increase in mental health awareness, more and more educational facilities are turning to safe rooms, de-escalation rooms, sensory environments and the like to the keep students safe and happy while at school.

Over the past five years, our team has been involved in the process of designing, consulting and installing these types of highly specialized environments across North America. These spaces can be found in schools, mental health facilities, addiction centres, hospitals and private residences, and research shows that when utilized properly, these environments are extremely beneficial to their users.

Cartwheels, back handsprings, handstands, tumbling and balancing are all part of the day-to-day operations of today’s busy gymnastics facilities.

One of the fastest-growing segments in terms of athletic participation, today’s facilities are getting bigger and often require a great deal of planning to set up but also to keep current with what participants and parents want.

With over 40 years in the business, we have seen the growth in this sector firsthand and have adjusted our product offering accordingly. In addition to growing our product line to meet the demands, we have also turned to research and development to ensure we carry the products that are the safest available.

As our awareness of mental health continues to expand so too does the need for properly planned and inclusive spaces. These spaces are highly customized in design and often feature unique elements created with the end user or users in mind.

Today, these padded spaces are used in a number of different applications ranging from healthcare facilities and educational facilities such as schools, to a variety of mental health institutions.

With the rise in demand for these types of spaces, we have transformed our custom padding department to not only handle the increased volume of requests but have also invested in research and partnerships that aid us in ensuring they are as safe and welcoming as possible.

Working closely once again with our partners at Avron Canada, we completed an incredibly important job which began in late summer.  Keeping with the rising trend of creating inclusive and safe spaces for children with special needs or for those who simply need reprieve from time to time, our attention turned to one school that wanted desperately to make a difference for one of their students.

The school was home to one student that for reasons unknown, would become incredibly self-abusive. While the school did have a small “safe” room, it was quite small and was not set up to accommodate him.