The Richmond Olympic Oval sits on the bank of the Fraser River, a sleek building designed by Cannon Design that hosted speed skating during the 2010 Winter Olympics. Its most unusual feature is the roof: 4,000 cubic metres of wood from beetle-killed lodgepole pines, which gave architects a striking material and the forests a use for trees that would otherwise have been waste.
After the Olympics, the Oval was converted into a community sports and recreation centre. The speed skating oval itself is now a hockey rink in winter and event space in other seasons. The facility has climbing walls, courts, fitness equipment, and the Altus Performance training centre. The riverfront location means good views and easy access to the cycling paths along the Fraser.