DESIGN INTENT
Outdoor rinks follow a familiar formula: boards, ice, and little else. The Flames Rotary Sport Zones, a partnership between Parks Foundation Calgary, the Calgary Flames, and the Rotary Club, asked whether that formula was good enough for the communities receiving them. NAK Design Strategies was engaged as prime consultant to answer that question with something better.
Across two Calgary park sites, NAK designed multi-season recreational facilities that shift between ice rinks in winter and painted multi-sport courts in summer. The defining move was replacing standard rink boards with designed concrete bench walls, transforming a utilitarian boundary into a place for spectators, neighbours, and passersby to gather. Bold court graphics and wrapped shipping containers give each site a distinct visual identity, reinforcing their role as active neighbourhood destinations rather than seasonal infrastructure.
Currently under construction, the Sport Zones are expected to open in fall 2026.
