'I never saw anything like this': Superdome collapse was caused by 20-metre-long rip

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It took less than half a minute for the Superdome at Nepean’s Ben Franklin Park to collapse Monday after the structure sustained a tear more than 20 metres long, says the facility’s manager.

Darin McCorriston, president of Ben Franklin Park Superdome, said the air-supported indoor arena collapsed after it was hit by a sudden gust of wind Monday afternoon.

At the time, there were about 20 golfers inside the dome, which is located at the corner of Greenbank and Hunt Club roads. All were able to escape safely, said McCorriston. The facility is equipped with multiple exits in case of an emergency, he added.

The tear could not have been caused by flying debris, he said.

“I have been doing this for 30 years, and I never saw anything like this.”

A crew from Edmonton is flying to Ottawa to assess the damage and McCorriston hopes dome can be re-inflated Friday evening. Those with bookings at the Superdome are asked to call 613-829-3663 and staff are working with the city to alternative venues for its clients.

The climate-controlled Superdome is used for everything from soccer games to a golf driving range. The space inside is 94 metres by 56 metres, the same size as a regulation FIFA soccer field. It can be divided into three smaller fields used for practises and other activities such as ultimate frisbee, rugby, lacrosse, football and children’s camps.

The dome, which is covered with an acrylic-polyester membrane, was built as a public-private partnership to meet the demand for indoor space for sports and is one of a growing number of climate-controlled structures in the city. It opened in 2007. Ottawa’s share of the project was about $2 million, with most of the money going toward site preparation and infrastructure services such as concrete footings for the dome and the parking lot.

ottawa-ont-12-13-07-the-new-superdome-at-ben-franklin.jpeg

The exterior of the Superdome when it opened in 2007.


The dome is heated by gas and the ribbed panels on the inside of the structure are insulated to help keep the air warm.

A structure of this kind has a life expectancy of about 30 years. Damage is most often caused by vandals. Last December, for example, a dome that shelters golfers in Whitehall, Ohio, was damaged after someone cut a five- or six-metre slit into it. The damage was estimated at $80,000 U.S. In 2014, vandals cut more than two dozen holes in an inflatable dome in Bedford, N.S.

When the Ben Franklin Superdome was inflated for the first time, the process took 90 minutes using a pressurized air system. The structure was designed and manufactured by Guelph’s Yeadon Fabric Structure Ltd., which has built other domes in Ottawa and around the world. Reached by phone Tuesday, Yeadon president Steve Flanagan declined to answer questions about air-supported structures.

The Superdome was controversial in the Knoxdale area, with some residents dubbing it “the slug” because of its beige, rounded shape. Community groups preferred beige over white, which is most common for domes, but many felt white would be too bright on sunny days.







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