About Facility
The Olympic Speed Skating Oval in Lake Placid, New York, is an iconic venue renowned for its historical significance and ongoing contribution to the world of speed skating. Located in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, this distinguished facility is a symbol of athletic excellence and Olympic heritage, attracting athletes and visitors from around the globe.
Originally constructed for the 1932 Winter Olympics and later revitalized for the 1980 Winter Olympics, the Olympic Speed Skating Oval has witnessed some of the most memorable moments in speed skating history. The oval features a meticulously maintained ice surface that meets international competition standards, making it a premier training and competition venue for speed skaters of all levels. The facility also includes modern amenities such as advanced training areas, spacious locker rooms, and cutting-edge timing and scoring systems, ensuring a world-class experience for athletes and spectators alike.
"ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE BUT NOT UNTIL YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN ACHIEVE IT."
Shani Davis – Famous Speed Skater
Scope of Work
The Olympic Center, located in Lake Placid village, New York, has a historical background from hosting two world Olympics, including the Miracle on Ice in 1980, and many other competitions and celebrity events. A comprehensive study was completed in 2019 outlining recommended improvements for the facility. B32 Engineering Group, Inc. was hired to address one of the key areas for improvements, the ice system. The ice system improvements include the replacement of the existing common refrigeration system that serves three indoor ice rinks and one outdoor speedskating oval and the replacement of the speed skating oval floor system. These improvements are part of the Lake Placid Olympic Center Regional Modernization Project.
The refrigeration system replacement includes a new 1375 ton industrial grade, indirect refrigeration system that will serve all four ice skating surfaces plus a outdoor pleasure rink. The size restriction and location of the existing refrigeration room, access to the refrigeration room, and proximity to the neighboring high school and village, limited the type of refrigerant that could be used in this system. A new, blended synthetic refrigerant recommended by the NHL called R-513, was selected for this project.
B32 used cutting edge modeling technology to assure maximum usage of the existing refrigeration room and limit conflicts with other systems. B32 also researched and recommended a new padding system for the speedskating oval.
This project is faced with all the challenges of a typical ice rink renovation project but on a much larger scale. The design for this project will be complete in November 2020 and will be under construction in 2021.