When the 2010 Olympic Speed Skating Championships take place in Richmond, B.C.’s Olympic Oval, one of the stars is likely to be the facility’s innovative wood ceiling. 

Not since BC Place opened in 1983 has the roof of a sports venue attracted so much attention. The 17 laminated-wood arches supporting the structure were manufactured by Penticton, B.C.-based Structurlam.

Now Structurlam has been awarded the contract to supply custom-arched glulam timbers for a second Olympic venue: Phase 2 of Surrey’s $10.5 million Games Preparation Centre for training Olympic volunteers. After the games, the facility will become a recreation centre for Surrey residents.

Structurlam is one of the few remaining North American glulam plants able to manufacture arches. Apart from their stunning appearance, Structurlam’s prefinished products are ideal for a project being fast-tracked for September completion. “A typical Structurlam construction package is a fully formed ‘Erector Set’ delivered with finished wood, drilled holes and all connecting hardware,” says Structurlam president Bill Downing. “When the material arrives, there is no cutting or fitting to be done on-site.”

Structurlam engineered wood beams feature prominently in other recent high-profile projects, including the dramatic glass and wood façade designed by Frank Gehry for the renovation of the Art Gallery of Ontario, the new Cypress Mountain Day Lodge in West Vancouver, the just-opened Nelsen Lodge at Revelstoke Mountain Resort and the stunning Brentwood Skytrain Station in Burnaby, B.C. In North Carolina, Structurlam trusses will be a key architectural element in the Raleigh-Durham airport terminal addition, the largest glulam heavy timber truss project in the United States.

Founded in 1962, Structurlam employs 100 workers and is Canada’s leading supplier of heavy timber packages (glulam, parallam and solid timber). “In 2000 we were the first North American heavy timber company to invest in European technology such as three-dimensional modelling software and robotic machinery,” says Bill Downing. “This allows us to create complex custom designs, including curved and shaped members.”