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he Edge Sports Center at Bedford, Massachusetts is a privately financed athletic facility. The building was conceived and designed by Brian DeVellis and Scott Fusco in order to support the local community and surrounding towns, as well as to serve as a home for two large and successful youth hockey organizations. The facility is a 67,000- square-foot indoor athletic center consisting of an NHL-size hockey rink with a seating capacity of 310 and an indoor turf field facility measuring 225 feet by 130 feet. The turf field, which is not boarded, can be configured into one large field space or broken down into various configurations of two or three field spaces. The building also houses a 4,500- square-foot strength and conditioning center that is located on a mezzanine space overlooking the fields. The facility is comprised of two buildings of approximately 30,500 square feet each, which are connected by a lobby area of 6,000 square feet that contains a viewing area for the turf fields. The lobby also features all of the common amenities and services such as food and beverage, rest rooms, waiting area with a large-screen HDTV and wireless internet access, as well as the reception and office areas. The facility is located on a five-acre site with a 13-foot-slope, which allows for a multi-level floor plan. Parking is distributed in the front and rear of the building, and there are entrances at both the front and back of the lobby. The lobby is situated at the middle level, with the rink sitting three feet above and the turf fields located ten feet below. There are elevated spectator viewing areas in the lobby and along a mezzanine space in the turf building, as well as at field level. The active-use components are supported by a convenience store, which enables players and patrons to enjoy food and drink during games and practices, as well as by a pro shop that sells essential products such as laces, tape, protective equipment, team apparel and skate sharpening services. The store is a self- service space that has food items ranging from snack foods to health foods and meals. Due to the high level of support in the local community, the duration of the project from design to the first day of skating was only 15 months. The Town of Bedford had previously identified recreational facilities and fields as critical needs to the residents, which made a privately funded athletic complex an attractive project. After investigating several potential sites, a suitable location was identified and a long-term land lease was signed in November of 2006. Meetings with town officials, including the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and the Conservation Commission, took place in January, February and March of 2007, with final Bedford, mass. The Edge Sports Center at Bedford featured rink 12 R INK MAGAZ INE march/april 2008 by SCOTT FUSCO The 67,000-square-foot facility is comprised of two 30,500-square-foot buildings which are connected by a lobby. An area that prioritized the construction of a recreation facility went from shovels to skating in only 15 months. T THE EDGE SPORTS CENTER

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