St. Albert rec centre retrofit aims to cut utility bill by $98,000 per year

The City of St. Albert, Alberta, is upgrading a 44-year-old community facility that serves up to 200 people per day. The energy-efficiency retrofits at the Fountain Park Recreation Centre will reduce energy consumption by 30%, greenhouse gas emissions by 42% and annual utility costs by more than $98,000. 

The $10.5 million project, made possible by a $3.75 million loan and a $1.25 million grant from the Community Buildings Retrofit Initiative, adopted best practices in energy efficiency and supported the city's efforts to pursue green certification for all new and retrofit projects.

This major building upgrade brought together local workers and suppliers to install energy-saving boilers, better lighting, a more efficient heating and cooling system, new windows, and a single efficient unit that replaces two existing air handling units. The revamped facility is also much more accessible, with new guard/handrails throughout the building, better visual and tactile indicators, a renovated wheelchair ramp and a new portable aquatic chair lift. 

For a city with a population of just 65,589, it was a major undertaking to update the systems in a building that has served the community for decades. That made the project a model for future CBR upgrades that aim for higher building standards while making active lifestyles more accessible for all residents.

Photo courtesy of the City of St. Albert