OTCC targets LEED Silver with accessibility, sustainability

Photo by Tom Arban Photography.

RJC (structural engineering), Crossey Engineering (mechanical and electrical), MTE (civil) and DEI Consulting Engineers (aquatics) contributed to the newly opened Oakville Trafalgar Community Centre (OTCC), designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects.

The consulting engineering firms and the architecture firm were all part of a collaborative integrated project delivery (IPD) model, providing input for the design of the facility in Oakville, Ont. With a focus on accessibility and sustainability, OTCC is targeting LEED Silver certification.

“The centre is an excellent example of a successful partnership between the owner and the design/build team that the IPD agreement type delivers,” says David Dow, principal in charge for Diamond Schmitt. “It has resulted in an outstanding high-quality facility, providing good value for the taxpayer.”

The 53,000-sf facility features rooftop solar panels and a geothermal field for energy-efficient heating and cooling, a 25-m lap pool (reportedly the first complete Natare pool system in Canada, with steel walls and a sand filter system), warm water pool, universal change rooms, double gymnasium, fitness centre, walking track, meeting rooms and a café. It was designed to the town’s universal design standards, ensuring ample space for mobility devices, ramps into the pools and high-contrast material finishes.

The facility was built in a new park that also features an accessible playground, pavilion, splash pad and landscaped gardens.