Fountain Park Recreation Centre Major Lifecycle Work
Warranty Closure
Fountain Park Recreation Centre is temporarily closed for warranty repairs (Summer 2024). The facility will re-open early September 2024.
During the closure, all warranty deficiencies are being addressed including localized tile defects that requires full drainage of the pool basins and prolonged curing times, as well as electrical adjustments and painting touch-ups.
This warranty work will ensure that we can all enjoy Fountain Park Recreation Centre for years to come.
The Project
Fountain Park Recreation Centre (FPRC) recently underwent major lifecycle upgrades as part of an extended shutdown of the entire facility from May 2022 to July 2023.
The facility, which was built in 1978 and turned 45 years old in 2023, required major necessary lifecycle repairs and replacement work to address building operating systems that had reached the end of their lifespan.
Background
Lifecycle work was initially intended to take place in two phases with phase one in 2022 and phase two in 2024. This was done to minimize impacts to users as much as possible. Phase two was planned as a seven-to-eight-month closure in 2024 to complete the remaining lifecycle work.
An engineering assessment on FPRC occurred in 2019, evaluating the facility’s structural integrity and mechanical, electrical, and cosmetic components. The report concluded that the structural integrity of the building was sound, and identified the initial mechanical, HVAC, and electrical systems that required replacement.
The investment into the refurbishment injects renewed life into the facility and extends its lifespan for another 20 years; at a cost that is a fraction compared to a decommission and new facility build.
An extended closure of Fountain Park Recreation Centre was announced in late summer 2022, as a significant structural issue was identified on the underside of the concrete slab which serves as the main support slab between the leisure and competition pools. Concrete cracking, deterioration and rebar corrosion were identified by engineers, in a previously inaccessible area beneath the pool deck, and required immediate remediation for the facility to safely operate.
Following the completion of the concrete slab replacement, additional lifecycle work initially planned for a second facility closure in 2024 commenced immediately. This work focused on aesthetic improvements including tile replacement, interior painting, building envelope improvements and accessibility upgrades.
Combining the concrete slab repair and the 2024 lifecycle work resulted in cost savings of approximately half a million dollars and nine weeks less of overall impact to the facility than if it were broken into two separate closures.
Project Timeline
May 2022 to July 2023
Fountain Park Major Lifecycle Upgrades – July 2023 Fly Thru
This video captures the final stages of the Fountain Park Recreation Centre Major Lifecycle Project completed to the middle of July 2023. Work focused on the completion of exterior work including sidewalk, parking lot and landscape work as well as the finishing stages of interior site cleanup, preparation and recommissioning for reopening on July 31, 2023.
Video length - 2:41
Fountain Park Major Lifecycle Upgrades – Full Construction Time Lapse
This video showcases the complete construction time lapse for the Fountain Park Recreation Centre Major Lifecycle Project from May 2022 to July 2023 by showing pre construction and final construction videos simultaneously.
Video length - 2:41
Construction Fly Thru - Construction Progess - March 2023
This video captures the project work completed to the end of March 2023 at Fountain Park Recreation Centre. Work has been focused on the tiling replacement, painting of the interior walls, structural slab repair, changeroom and front lobby refurbishments as well as the start of sidewalk, parking lot and landscape work.
Video length - 02:42
Construction Fly Thru - Construction Progess - November 2022
This video captures the project work completed to the end of November 2022 at Fountain Park Recreation Centre. Work has been focused on the new LED lighting installation, painting of the interior ceiling, existing tile demolition, structural slab repair and replacement, replacement of the HVAC system, mechanical and electrical operating systems upgrades and the demolition of the existing change rooms.
Video length - 02:41
Pre-Construction Video
Project FAQ
Why didn't this happen during the 2020 COVID-19 shutdown?
It was not possible to undertake this work during the recent unscheduled mandatory closures.
The preparation for major infrastructure work takes years to plan, including an approved budget and up to eight months for equipment and materials to arrive. The planning for this project started two years ago and the annual budget approval for this project came in late 2021.
An engineering assessment on FPRC occurred in 2019, evaluating the facility’s structural integrity, mechanical, electrical, and cosmetic components. The report concluded that the structural integrity of the building was sound, and identified the mechanical, HVAC, and electrical systems that required replacement.
During this construction, a significant structural issue was identified on the underside of the concrete slab which serves as the main support slab between the leisure and competition pools. Concrete cracking, deterioration and rebar corrosion were identified by engineers, in a previously inaccessible area beneath the pool deck, and required immediate remediation for the facility to safely operate.
Following the completion of the concrete slab replacement, additional lifecycle work initially planned for a second facility closure in 2024 will commence immediately and is anticipated to be complete by summer 2023.
Combining the concrete slab repair and the 2024 lifecycle work will result in cost savings of approximately half a million dollars and nine weeks less of overall impact to the facility than if it were broken into two separate closures.
This will also help mitigate risks associated with procurement in the global supply chain, higher cost certainty against future year’s price escalation and limit the impacts of any future closures on employees and our community.
We understand this closure is disheartening and appreciate patrons’ patience as we manage facility closures. This work will ensure that we can all enjoy Fountain Park Recreation Centre for years to come as this is essential lifecycle work.
What are the impacts if this work isn’t done?
The work is imperative to ongoing facility operations as the primary Air Handling System has a lifespan of 40 years and is due for replacement.
How much will this cost? How is it funded or budgeted for?
The cost of the lifecycle repairs is approximately $16,200,000 with funding from approved municipal RMR capital budgets.
Was there any indication there were safety concerns with the concrete before the closure?
There were no signs of safety concerns beforehand. They were exposed during the planned remediation work as the compromised area was not accessible during initial assessments and was only fully visible and able to be explored more thoroughly once the HVAC unit was removed.
The City is committed to the safety of our employees and facility patrons and always do regular inspections, however, this type of issue can only be discovered by the type of work we’re doing now as we look deeper into the systems and the structural components.
Will the extended closure increase the cost of the project?
Repairs at Fountain Park Recreation Center, including the concrete slab, will involve an incremental cost increase but any additional funds required will be reallocated from within the existing funding in the previously approved RMR Funding and Lifecycle Replacement Capital Charter.
Interactive Map
Check out the City’s interactive Construction Projects Map that outlines the construction projects planned for this year!
Last edited: September 13, 2024