The Edmonton Oilers joined PCL in hosting the Rogers Place Workers Appreciation Safety BBQ on Friday August 22, at the arena construction site. The slab of cement that will eventually be the locker room area for the Oilers was the site of the day’s events.
“We do this regularly on our projects. It’s a way for us to reward the men and women on our projects but also to reenforce some important messaging. One, our partners and two, safety with respect to the project. With this project it is the third that we’ve done. With us having poured the slab we are standing on today in the Oilers locker room area we thought that it would be pretty neat to put an event on that involved the Oilers this time,” PCL Construction Manager Mike Staines said.
Staines and Oilers Vice President of Communications Tim Shipton spoke to the workers on site, while Oilers players Anton Lander and Martin Marincin signed autographs, handed out gifts and took pictures with the crowd. Food was served to everyone and important safety announcements were made regarding the construction project. At the end of the lunch event, names were drawn to win prizes such as the jerseys of the players in attendance.
“It’s nice to come out and meet the guys who are actually doing the work,” Shipton said. “Everybody is excited to be on this project but when you meet these guys who are doing the heavy lifting it is really rewarding. Also having Martin and Anton out, I think for them as well that they’re getting excited about playing here in two short years. Anytime we can come down to the Rogers Place construction site it’s a treat. To meet the guys doing the work makes it even better.”
Having the Oilers players there was a great experience for the workers, who lined up to shake hands and meet the professional hockey players.
“We have numerous men and women on this project that are season ticket holders that go to the games and to be able to associate that and tell their kids and their families that they met a couple of the guys today and maybe go away with an autograph, maybe go away with a jersey if they’re lucky, then I think it’s a big win for everybody,” Staines said.
Along with the City of Edmonton, the Oilers and PCL have a growing partnership that has by all accounts made the huge undertaking of the construction of this iconic arena get off to a smooth start.
“It’s a match made in heaven,” Shipton said of the partnership. “We have the City of Edmonton and PCL which is a local construction company here, but they are renowned across North America. They’ve built some of the great stadiums in pro sports and all of the sudden we are in Edmonton with our iconic building Rogers Place and to have a company like PCL as our partner is perfect. It’s going to go down in the history of this city as one of the great partnerships. I know in talking with the guys at PCL that the pride their company has matches the pride the Oilers have in the project so it’s been great.”
— Chris Wescott