Building Operators & Engineers Group (BOEG) kicks off 2026 with an exclusive tour of the arena’s engineering systems and operations.
by Maya Wisher
At their first get-together of 2026, members of BOMA’s Building Operators & Engineers Group (BOEG) were treated to a hot breakfast and an extensive tour of Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre.
The downtown arena, owned by BOMA member True North Sports & Entertainment, is home to the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets and the AHL’s Manitoba Moose and has also hosted thousands of concerts and special events since its inception 20+ years ago.
“We average 150 events a year,” says Doug Neubauer, TNSE’s Director of Engineering & Ice Operations. Despite the constant turnaround to accommodate everything from special events and concerts to an annual monster truck rally, Winnipeg’s ice surface is consistently ranked a top-5 playing surface per the annual NHL Players’ Association poll.
For 30 power engineers and building operations staff, Neubauer and Senior Engineer & Ice Technician Jared Sinninghe generously served as tour guides. After breakfast in the Alumni Lounge, the group got an up-close look at the building’s ice plant room, boiler room, main electrical vault, operations control room, upper press box, and, of course, the arena bowl with that renowned ice surface.
The tour really reinforced how power engineers have to stay sharp and know their systems inside and out.
Rob Masi,
Chair of Mechanical Trades Group, RRC Polytech
One surprising tidbit? NHL ice is generally no thicker than a steak at The Keg.
“The ice only ranges from 1 ¼ inches to 1 ½ inches,” says Neubauer, who has 16 years of icemaking and operations experience with TNSE, including six at the Hockey for All Centre. “Ice that’s too thick will just put more electrical demand on the ice plant/utility.”
Rob Masi, Chair of the Mechanical Trades group at RRC Polytech, was a first-time BOEG event attendee and was impressed with what he saw.
“What I took away from the tour was that it really reinforced how power engineers have to stay sharp and know their systems inside and out,” said Masi. “I was telling the team (at RRC) just how complex that setup is, especially with all the different demands from concerts, major events, and NHL games. It was fascinating to see how everything
is managed.”
Frontier School Division’s Brian Barker agreed. “Knowing how the heating and cooling worked for the building was very interesting,” said Barker, the division’s Maintenance Supervisor since 2013. “And finding out that the ice rink could be made into Olympic size—I never knew that.”
Indeed, the promise of getting some behind-the-scenes ‘intel’ is a motivator for BOEG breakfast regulars and a key selling point to prospective member companies.
Reaching out to New Building Sectors
Since its introduction in 2014, the BOEG initiative has been an indispensable part of BOMA Manitoba’s membership offering. The initiative was set up to provide learning and networking opportunities for building engineers, operations staff, and trades professionals, and the breakfasts are both well attended and well received.
“Our members seem to really enjoy the O&E offering,” says Tom Thiessen, BOMA Executive Director. “Building engineers are usually focused and ‘locked in’ on their own buildings, their routines, and daily maintenance tasks. So, I think they appreciate that the monthly breakfasts provide an opportunity to connect with their industry peers in a pretty relaxed setting. And our presenters make sure that everyone’s brought up to speed on new building technology and best practices.”
Thiessen also points out that the group has provided BOMA an opportunity to expand its membership by engaging professionals in different building sectors.
Our presenters are always subject matter experts in their respective fields.
Tom Thiessen,
Executive Director, BOMA Manitoba
“Traditionally, owners and property managers in the office, retail, institutional, and light industrial building sectors made up the bulk of BOMA’s principal membership in Manitoba,” says Thiessen, “along with government buildings, large corporate facilities, and a handful of others. With the BOEG offering, we’re seeing school divisions sign up for membership, as well as smaller facilities and multi-residential firms.”
Thiessen notes that the General Council of Winnipeg Community Centres (GCWCC), which represents 63 community centres in Winnipeg, is also a member. At the Canada Life Centre tour, it was emphasized that most of TNSE’s icemakers—Neubauer and Sinninghe included—started their careers at local community centre rinks.
To keep attendance—and membership—strong, Thiessen says he’s constantly on the lookout for relevant industry topics, potential building tours, and industry trends.
“Our presenters are always subject matter experts in their respective fields, and that includes everything from HVAC systems, fire protection, security, landscaping, energy efficiency, building envelope, you name it. So, another benefit of BOEG is that you can build a network of reputable suppliers and vendors, all of whom have BOMA connections.”
BOEG is a great way to connect with others in similar roles, to see how their buildings —and the industry—are changing and to try keeping up with current trends.
Russ Franks, Building Engineer,
Towers Realty Group
For Frontier School Division’s Barker, the breakfasts serve as both relationship-building and learning opportunities. “Since being a member, I’ve built relationships with supplier members and used their products that have helped with our schools,” says Barker. “And when we get building tours, I take the whole experience in. I always find it intriguing to find out about new building practices. Whether it is an old building that’s updated/
renovated or a new build.”
Plans for Upcoming Sessions
Thiessen says that BOMA will be undertaking another membership-wide survey in 2026; among other topics, members will be asked for input regarding future BOEG topics, sessions, and building tours. Thankfully, current BOEG members already offer opinions on that regularly.
Russ Franks, Building Engineer for Towers Realty Group, suggests that future tours could include “a government building or facility to see how the standards are different for their types of building, and the work that’s being done. And possibly a production or manufacturing firm like Boeing, New Flyer, or Mac Don Industries, and some locations that use different energy sources.”
Franks and his Towers Realty colleagues are regular attendees for the BOEG breakfasts and for the annual ‘Lunch and a Ballgame’ offering held each May (or early June) at Blue Cross Park since 2022. The operators’ group has also had a chance to tour the ballpark in addition to other buildings over the years, including Richardson International Airport, U of M physical plant, Fort Garry Brewery, Manitoba Hydro Place, HSC, and RRC Polytech.
“I think BOEG is a great way to connect with others in similar roles,” says Franks, “to see how their buildings—and the industry—are changing and to try keeping up with current trends.”
