Ball-Rankin Construction Inc. will begin preliminary site work on the Spectator Facility on Wednesday, Dec. 5.

Work will include curb removal, stripping topsoil, minor excavation and installing a silt fence.

Full construction is expected to begin in January.

Ball-Rankin Construction Inc. was awarded the contract to design and build the new spectator facility by City Council in October through a process lead by a team of City staff and councillors and project manager CBRE Limited.

The new downtown multi-purpose facility will be built at 55 McGuire St., currently known as the lower level parking lot.

The facility, with a total project budget of $50 million, will be able to host a range of entertainment event offerings, including Junior ‘A’ hockey.

The facility is scheduled to be completed in September 2014.