NESA Construction Updates

Northgate Lions Recreation Centre Close

The collapse of the roof at the Northgate Lions Seniors Recreation Centre on January 25, 2011 has forced the closure of the facility for an undetermined period of time.

Although our Northgate building remains closed, we have been able to find several facilities in the neighborhood in which to hold our classes.

Please do not visit the Northgate site. It is now closed for construction and the contractor will not allow access. For further details, read the following updates.

If you have any questions, please call us at 780-496-6969 or drop by our temporary office at the Glengarry Community Services Building (13315 - 89 St).

Thank you for your patience and support!

The NESA Board of Directors

Please note that the centre is a construction site under the control of LORAC Construction Ltd. and there is no access.

Building progress updates will be posted on the bulletin boards at our main program sites - Clareview, Londonderry, and McClure, in the newsletters and on our website. You can also get information by calling the main office at 780-496-6969.

Update October 2011

Construction is moving along. Although the facade of the building looks the same, much is happening inside:

• Electrical and plumbing lines that were affected by the roof collapse have been re-routed and now utilities for the building are up and running.
• The Auditorium is boarded off from the rest of the building. Scaffolding runs around the perimeter and is covered with heavy tarps so work can continue even into winter.
• Auditorium, stage, and Mezzanine trusses have been removed. The trusses over the Carpentry Shop will be removed and replaced at a later date.
• The damaged north wall is removed and will shortly be rebuilt.
• Construction of offices has commenced.
• Main floor washrooms -- concrete has been broken out to realign plumbing. The new washrooms will be more senior/disabled friendly.
• A new elevator has been approved and planned in. It will be located in the main lobby and will include the option of opening onto stage level from a rear door.
• All building plans are drawn and approved.

Updated photos are posted at Clareview Recreation Centre, at the Glengarry office and in the media vault on the web.

Centre Update - Sept 2011

In the last while we have heard comments from members that it doesn't look like much is happening with the building. Rest assured there is much happening and, in the next month it'll really get moving Here's where things are at:

• History for those who missed it...the building collapsed on January 25th. On February 4th, a sprinkler system standpipe froze and broke in the night. Standpipes are under high pressure, like a fire hydrant. The pipe was located in the far east end of the building and in short order the entire main floor was flooded. Although the main floor was pumped out within a few days, humidity remained very high and subsequently caused mould.
• The entire main floor required a clean-up of both mould and asbestos (any building of this age has asbestos in walls, flooring and pipe insulation). The process of remediating mould and asbestos is long and arduous, but must be complete before workers go in to re-construct and so we can assure you that the centre is "clean when we re-occupy.
• The entire main floor has been gutted. The gym roof that collapsed, and the rest of the fittings and furnishings in the gym are removed. There are still portions of the roof over the Mezzanine and the Carpentry shop yet to be removed. This will be a tricky process of peeling back a small portion at a time and immediately replacing the roof so those areas stay dry.
• Interior spaces around the gym are supported with a forest of posts, and the outside north wall is supported with a huge "prop". This keeps everything secure and workers safe.
• The top portion of the still-standing gym wall is being carefully removed and replaced.
• All contents of the main floor were removed--porous items that had been wet were disposed of; the reminder were boxed and stored. Over the summer all the contents were assessed and sorted--some disposed of, some cleaned and kept, and paper items copied, scanned or shredded. Noting porous will re-enter the building. Only items that had hard surfaces and could be properly cleaned will return.
• Over the summer, the Building Committee (comprised of Board members, Lions Club, City Staff, architect) have been busily planning for some badly needed upgrades to the Centre. While insurance will rebuild what was, we would like to make "what was" better yet. This will include:
  • Renovations to the main floor washrooms to meet current accessibility codes.
  • Widening of the doorway from the lobby to the back (Fitness) hall.
  • Upgrading fire doors to "mag-locks"--doors that automatically close in the event of a fire.
  • Roughing in of a new elevator.
  • Renovations to some of the second floor classrooms to make them more multi-purpose. Some will receive counters, sinks and coat racks, others will be re-purposed and cleaned-up with new flooring and ceilings.
  • Lobby will be enlarged for better traffic flow.
  • Offices and board room will be re-configured for greater efficiency.
  • Mezzanine doorway will be moved and the ramp elongated to meet current accessibility codes.
  • Stage will have proper storage.
  • Kitchen will be spruced up and modernized where possible; 220 wiring will be available to accommodate use of steam tables.
  • A proper, secure bar area will be created.
• As any of you who've experienced a flood or fire will know, the tear down and clean-up takes much longer than the rebuilding. We expect that major construction inside the building will commence in September. We hope that the Centre will re-open summer of 2012.

Northgate Lions Seniors Center Update - July 2011

Construction is really moving along now. The majority of construction work is happening to the main floor and auditorium. With the exception of the Mezzanine, the second floor classrooms are all in good shape and their contents clean and secure.

The auditorium has been carefully cleaned up and debris removed so that only a shell remains. Engineers have assessed which walls and roof areas require full replacement or reconstruction, and adjacent walls and ceilings have been shored up or stabilized. On the main floor, areas that were damaged by mould have been cleaned out and gutted in preparation for reconstruction. There are a number of upgrades that will make the centre more functional--they include re-routing of halls and offices, badly-needed washroom upgrades, some kitchen renovations, expansion of the lobby and re-alignment of some classrooms. While the Centre may have a similar layout when complete, it will also be cleaner, brighter and spiffier.