Community Centre third floor addition
April 23, 2008
Space added to Community Centre to accommodate future growth
Cost efficiencies by building now
County Council has approved a third floor addition to a portion of the Community Centre now under construction in Centre in the Park in Sherwood Park to build in capacity for growth in municipal space requirements.
To be constructed above the planned Family and Community Services office space, this new floor will provide an additional 16,000 square feet to address future growth. This third floor will be finished on the exterior, with interior walls and partitions completed at a later date when occupation is required. Any space not immediately needed by Strathcona County may be leased to the private sector or other organizations until it is needed for municipal purposes.
The decision was prompted by faster-than-expected growth in the County's space requirements, combined with the cost efficiencies of building now. The cost investment of the addition in today's construction market is $6.65 million; building in the future would potentially cost two to three times more, depending on when construction occurred and inflation.
The decision to add extra capacity while the main structure is being built is similar to what Capital Health is doing in building the new Strathcona County hospital, where a shell for additional beds will be constructed to accommodate future growth.
"From the start of the Community Centre project, we always recognized there would be a need to expand at some point," says Mayor Cathy Olesen. "We believe it is best to take advantage of the current market conditions and build in for anticipated space requirements now to serve our growing community."
The cost of the addition is being funded by grants from the Alberta Municipal Infrastructure Program.
The Community Centre will house the new Strathcona County Library on two floors, flexible indoor space for the use of community organizations, and additional space for municipal services. Construction is scheduled to be complete in late 2010.
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Contact: Mayor Cathy Olesen, 780-464-8000
Last updated: Friday, June 04, 2010
Page ID: 3666