Gatineau, Quebec – MAPEI Inc. and the Gatineau Olympiques welcomed various stakeholders at a casual evening event and tour of the newly completed 220,000-square-foot (20 439-m²) Centre Slush Puppie complex, featuring a 4,000-seat hockey arena and three complementary community ice rinks, on October 21st, 2021.
MAPEI Business Development Manager for Eastern Canada Justin Lafontaine was on hand, saying the event was an opportunity to show the other stakeholders MAPEI’s deep appreciation for their work in making a success of what is, “by far MAPEI’s largest Industrial Flooring systems deployment yet in Canada.”
“It is great to have you all here, the people who helped make this possible. We had some challenges, but with the experience that everyone brought to the table, it was a grand success. From all of us at MAPEI, thank you!” Lafontaine said to the assembled crowd in the amphitheatre’s open-area corner lounge, where guests enjoyed hors d’oevres and cocktails.
Guests included representatives from JPL Construction, the general contractor; as well as contractor Beaudoin Canada, MAPEI Product Line Managers Pierre Courchesne (Concrete Restoration Systems), and Shane Edwards (Cementitious and Resin Flooring Systems) and other stakeholders.
“This project was a staple for Eastern Canada and has opened the doors for our industrial flooring line,” Edwards remarked. “It was great to celebrate with the MAPEI team and to also share this with architects, engineers and contractors.”
Guests were taken on a guided tour of the main amphitheatre, used as the official home of the Gatineau Olympiques ice hockey team of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and led down to the lush, modern amenitites and locker room. There, Olympiques Coach and General Manager Louis Robitaille spoke about the team’s excitement about their new Centre Slush Puppie home – a replacement for the Robert Guertin arena. A video presentation took viewers step-by-step through MAPEI’s involvement in construction of the new-build project, providing the industrial flooring solutions used throughout the facility, as well as products and expertise from other lines, such as Concrete Restoration Systems and Tile & Stone Installation Systems.
Olympiques President Norm MacMillan was also on hand to address the guests, giving a nod to MAPEI’s commitment to construction of the Centre Slush Puppie, and its ongoing sponsorship of the team. “This is really beautiful,” he said, “and the Olympiques team is very grateful for the investment made here, since it allows our players to take advantage of the new training facilities, as well as providing a great atmosphere to support their academic studies. We thank you.”
About the QMJHL and the Gatineau Olympiques
The QMJHL (sometimes referred to as "the Q") is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Its mission is to develop hockey by supporting its elite players between the ages of 16 and 21, both academically and athletically within a safe and enriching environment in order to prepare them for their adult life. The Olympiques have represented the city of Gatineau in the QMJHL since 1973, when it was still known as Hull. Since 1986, they have won seven President Cup league championships - more than any other club - each time earning a berth in the prestigious CHL championship Memorial Cup Tournament. They reached the final four times, winning the Memorial Cup once, in 2008. For more information, visit www.olympiquesdegatineau.ca and www.theqmjhl.ca.
About MAPEI
Founded in 1937 in Milan, MAPEI is now one of the world’s leading manufacturers of chemical products for the building industry and has contributed to the construction of some of the most important architectural and infrastructure works worldwide. With 89 subsidiaries operating in 57 countries and 81 manufacturing plants in 36 nations, MAPEI Group employs more than 10,600 staff worldwide. In 2020, MAPEI had a consolidated turnover of $2.8 billion Euros. The foundation for the success of the company is specialization, internationalization, research & development, and sustainability.
Headquartered in Deerfield Beach (Florida), MAPEI North America consists of the subsidiaries MAPEI Corporation (for the USA), MAPEI Inc. (for Canada) and MAPEI Caribe (for Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands), whose 18 facilities collectively have a workforce of more than 1,600 employees. MAPEI facilities have been certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards. An environmentally conscious manufacturer that reinvests 5% of its revenue into R&D, MAPEI offers training for architects, contractors, installers and distributors through the MAPEI Technical Institute. For more about MAPEI, visit www.mapei.com or call 1-800-42-MAPEI (1-800-426-2734).
