President’s Comments: Construction on the Expansion Project Starts

The long awaited wish of the residents of the Lindenwoods area for an addition of a gymnasium to the community centre is finally on its way to be realized. Thomas Design Builders Ltd. has been awarded the construction contract.. The work on the project started in earnest on November 1, 2010. Since then the contractor has moved a trailer on the site to be used as a site office. The construction site has been fenced and site preparation work is in progress. By mid November there will be visible signs of construction in the form of piling, grade beams and structural steel will be up by the time the next issue of Linden Words reaches you.

 

The Expansion Project will add approximately 9,700 sq. ft. of new construction to the existing 4,100 sq. ft. for a total of 13,800 sq.ft. of heated space. The addition consists of a gymnasium with Men and Women’s washrooms, a kitchen, an office, storage rooms and a mechanical room, all situated between the gymnasium and the multi-purpose room of the existing building. All of these will be accessible from the existing building internally from the multi-purpose room and externally through a new corridor. The latter will provide an exterior interface integrating the existing building and the new addition in an esthetically pleasing way. The gymnasium will have a hardwood floor and the entire addition will meet the Green Globe energy efficiency standard.

 

The purpose of the expansion project is to address the indoor sports and recreation programming needs of the residents. The expansion, although represents only three fold increase in heated space but the enhancement in programming capability will be many folds more. With the addition of a gymnasium, indoor sports being played elsewhere at this time will be scheduled locally. In addition new indoor sports and recreation programs can be instituted for children, youth, adults and seniors alike. Large size and the enhanced associated programming capacity of the gymnasium will allow accommodation of broader community social, cultural and recreational needs. Preschool children development and educational programs will also become feasible during the day when the gymnasium is not being used for sports. Similarly availability of additional programming space opens up the opportunity for new programs representing the emerging interests of the young and old alike. 

 

The plans for the Expansion Project have progressed relatively fast since April, 2009 when the Linden Woods Community Centre Board first decided to pursue the expansion plans with a view to lobby the City of Winnipeg for the project. Luckily for the Board, the announcement, in May 2009, of a capital grant program by the government of Canada, under Recreation Infrastructure Canada Program, acted as a catalyst in expediting the expansion plans. The funding for the expansion came from three levels of Government and the Linden Woods Community Centre and was announced in January 2010. Total funds approved are $2.75 million. 

 

The Expansion Project is being managed by the City of Winnipeg in consultation with the Building Committee of the Linden Woods Community Centre. 

 

A lot of people have worked very hard to make this project possible. Sincere thank you to the members of the Board of Directors of the Linden Woods Community Centre and the Building Committee. Thank you also to many officials of the three levels of governments, elected representatives and the community at large for their support, assistance and guidance through out this process. Finally good luck to Thomas Design Builders Ltd., they have their work cut out for them as they strive to complete the project by March 31, 2011 as required under the terms of the Contribution Agreement with the Government of Canada.

 

As always if you would like to volunteer or have any comments or suggestions about this or any other matter related to the community center, please contact me at 489-1780

 

Nazir Ahmad

LWCC President