Taking sports renovations to new heights – literally!

Renovating the 30-year-old Tom Gola Arena was, by no means, a small feat. The aim was to create a comfortable and durable space for spectators and sportspersons alike whilst also maintaining the building’s integrity and character. However, the basketball arena, located on the 3^rd floor of La Salle’s campus building, held both structural and logistical obstacles for the build team, including:

• Strict load restrictions on the arena floor required careful consideration of weight during the design process. Traditional, heavy materials, like reinforced concrete, were simply not feasible without exploring extensive reinforcement.
• High-traffic durability was essential. The renovated structure needed to handle heavy footfall whilst being comfortable and visually appealing.
• Maximising seating capacity required efficient space management, especially as the arena would double as a multi-use venue.
• With the Explorers’ basketball season approaching, the project had a tight deadline, which demanded careful scheduling among contractors and material suppliers to complete the renovation on time.

A huge victory for the Explorers!

Suffice it to say, the John Glaser renovation project completed as planned, allowing the La Salle Explorers to kick off basketball season in style. Marking the grand reopening of the venue, the team went on to secure an incredible win against The Eagles who lost 65-52!