One down, 351 piles to go as pile driving began for the new Spectator Facility today.

Bermingham Foundation Solutions will be driving 352 steel piles into the ground over the next two-and-a-half-months at the location of the new downtown facility.

After pile driving is complete, construction of the Spectator Facility will shift to installing beam foundations and underground plumbing and backfilling foundations.

Ball-Rankin Construction Inc. was awarded the contract to design and build the new Spectator Facility by City Council in October 2012 through a process lead by a team of City staff, councillors and project manager CBRE Limited.

SMG will be operating the facility.

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 OHL hockey.

The facility is scheduled to be completed in September 2014.