May 22, 2009

Waterloo, ON

Waterloo partnership seeks LEED Silver for West Side Family YMCA and District Library

Samantha Vartiamaki

RCD Research Reporter

The YMCA of Kitchener-Waterloo, City of Waterloo and Waterloo Public Library are partnering to build and own a new library and YMCA on Laurelwood Drive at Fischer-Hallman Road in Waterloo.

The Waterloo West Side Family YMCA and Library, a 65,000-square-foot, two-storey building, will cost approximately $17 million to build. The facility’s ownership and design teams will aim for LEED Silver certification.

The new facility will offer these features:

• Four-lane lap pool with swirl pool and recreation pool attached

• Gym

• Dance studio and fitness area

• Change rooms

• Public washrooms

• Community room

• Multi-purpose rooms

• Indoor track

• Common foyer

• Administration, reception and staff space

• Shared mechanical and electrical systems.

LEED aspects under consideration include energy-efficient cladding and fixtures and highly reflective membrane roofing. The block and steel-framed building will also include one level of underground parking and will use interior materials such as athletic, gymnasium, recreational and therapeutic surfaces, flooring and equipment.

The library is expected to include the following features:

• 100,000-item collection contained in library casework;

• Family literacy enhancement materials;

• Life-long learning materials;

• Teen areas;

• Computer technology centre;

• Designated reading area;

• Internet workstations and wireless access;

• Multi-purpose meeting room;

• Quiet study areas; and

• Collaborative work space.

Detailed designs were recently completed and the working drawings are expected to be complete late summer 2009 for tendering. The tender is expected to be issued in September 2009. Construction schedules will be determined once the tender has been issued.

The design team for this project includes the following firms:

• Teeple Architects Inc. (architecture, interior design, landscape plans);

• Garwood-Jones & Hanham Architects (associate architect);

• Halcrow-Yolles (structural engineering);

• Smith & Anderson Consulting Engineering (mechanical and electrical engineering);

• Enermodal Engineering (LEED accredited professional); and

• IBI Group (civil).

– RCD Digital Media

The information above was current at time of publication. To provide an update on this particular project, please send an email to eteamcanada@reedbusiness.com.

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