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Heavy rains damage Edmonton’s Rogers Place, hub city plans to continue

Jul 16, 2020 | 7:13 PM

EDMONTON — The group that owns the Edmonton Oilers says damage to its arena from heavy rainfall won’t affect plans to use Rogers Place as an NHL hub when the season re-opens.

Oilers Entertainment Group Tim Shipton says the storm caused water leaks in one of the entrance hallways and smaller leaks elsewhere.

Shipton says the damage is being assessed.

He says the ownership group is confident the damage won’t affect preparations for Rogers Place to be one of the NHL’s hub cities for the re-opening of NHL hockey.  

Video posted to Twitter appears to show water streaming from large gaps in the ceiling tiles of Ford Hall and the floor completely awash.

Edmonton was hit Thursday with a major thunderstorm that brought hail as well as heavy rains.

The arena has been open since 2016.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2020.

The Canadian Press