When students living in Harpswell Apartments arrived at the end of August, the large green field outside their back doors surprised them. Since many students assumed the construction of the new Watson Ice Arena would begin over the summer, a freshly cut Pickard Field instilled hope that the project would be delayed long enough for the new residents to enjoy the largest back yard Bowdoin has to offer, however temporarily.
Residents enjoyed the field—but only for a week. Construction began in early September, and, according to Capital Projects Manager John Simoneau, is on schedule.
"Construction has started off very quickly, and there have been no problems or obstructions," Simoneau said. "We started the first week in September because that is when we had all of the permits and contracts in place. We really didn't have any specific delays in the project."
The arena is named for Director of Athletics Emeritus Sid Watson, who retired in 1998 and passed away in 2004 at age 71. Watson coached the men's ice hockey team from 1959 to 1983, compiling a 326-210-11 record for a .604 winning percentage. Watson also guided the team to four Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) championships in the 1970s.
Watson Ice Arena, which will replace Dayton Arena as the home of Bowdoin's ice hockey teams, will be constructed a few yards east of Howard Ryan Field and Farley Field House. The space between the new arena and Harpswell Apartments will be used for a parking lot.
The men's soccer and men's lacrosse teams will play their 2007-2008 home games on the women's soccer field, which is behind Farley Field House, while their new field is under construction.
Director of Athletics Jeff Ward said that the construction managers worked hard to minimize problems for Bowdoin's teams, noting that the teams have felt "little consequence or impact of the construction."
"In the long run, all teams will end up with a better situation," Ward said. "It's hard to see that in the midst of construction."
Ward noted that the construction has been inevitable. Dayton, built in 1956, has been deemed beyond repair. After Watson's opening, set for the 2008-2009 ice hockey season, Dayton will be demolished to make room for a parking lot.
"If we didn't build it, I don't think we could play ice hockey much longer," Ward said.
He also expressed satisfaction with plans for the new arena.
"They did a great job of capturing the atmosphere we want, but with more modern amenities," he said, mentioning reasonably sized locker rooms, better handicap accessibility, and a more eco-friendly energy plan.
Watson will have a seating capacity of 1,900, similar to Dayton's, which should be just enough to hold the crowd at the men's annual home game against Colby. Last year, Dayton saw a standing crowd of 2,501 at Bowdoin's 5-2 victory over the Mules.
But Harpswell residents have been less receptive about the project.
"I expected the construction when we lotteried into Harpswell, but I did not expect that it would be as extensive as it is," said David Weller '08, who lives in Harpswell 6. "At the lottery itself, I asked the Res Life staff a number of pointed questions about the construction, and either they were misinformed or chose not to inform us of all of the details."
"The first week before the construction was bliss," said Weller, "and now we have the lovely sounds of earthmovers, chainsaws, and other construction equipment to wake us in the morning."