WIC Gets Nod to Build Learning and Development Centre
Architectural rendering of the new Learning and Development Centre at UHNBC – image courtesy Northern Health
Prince George, B.C. – Western Industrial Contractors, (WIC) has been selected to build the new $9.86 million dollar Learning and Development Centre at the University Hospital of Northern B.C.
WIC is expected to be on site by the end of the year and the project is expected to be completed by early 2015.
The Centre will be 1,365 square metres, and will include a library, seminar rooms a clinical simulation centre, video conferencing suites and collaboration areas.
The new facility has been on the Northern Medical program wish list since 2002, and is not only considered important to the educational component, it is also viewed as an important piece of the recruitment and retention puzzle.
The original education centre at the hospital had been housed in a portable on the spot where the new Cancer Centre now sits.
The new centre will be built parallel to Jubilee Lodge, just outside the hospital's main entrance, and is expected to eat up one row in the existing parking lot.
More parking will be made available in the Nechako Treatment Centre location on the Alward Street side of the hospital.
Comments
Should build a parkade for public parking
I thought the hospital was already part of a “Learning and Development Centre” Most of us know it as the University.
Nice clean looking building. Too bad the RCMP building could not have taken a hint from that.
Selection of Architects and client understanding and recognition of what is overkill in public buildings that spend tax money is so important!!
I am, however, not sure of the master plan for the entire hospital/health clinic master plan. Are we sure we want to fill the site with many more of these one and two story buildings when we started off with 5 or so storey buildings?
I suppose we can stay with low buildings, build multi-storey parkades rather than the other way around and have long walking distances from building to building rather than elevator rides.
I often get the feeling that the entire city is a “learning and development centre” and not a very successful one at that these days. ;-)
“I thought the hospital was already part of a “Learning and Development Centre” Most of us know it as the University.”
The main campus of UNBC is rather distant from the hospital. The new centre will provide space right next to the hospital.
“Nice clean looking building. Too bad the RCMP building could not have taken a hint from that”
Agreed! It reminds me of the Duchess Park design in a way. I think buildings like those will look good 2 years from now, 10 years from now and even 40 years from now.
I feel a bit spoiled living in this area of the continent where there are so many beautiful older buildings. Whether it’s Ottawa, Montreal, some of the smaller communities around here or even cities in the New England area, it seems like the buildings which most inspire are “simple” in design, but “complex” in detail. Often they don’t look like much until you really start looking at them and then the little details start popping out all over the place. I don’t know how many times I didn’t even notice something until I was 5 or 10 feet away from the building looking at it. You would never see these features from afar.
Obviously these buildings I speak of are from a different era and they just don’t make them like that anymore. That said, I think we could learn a lesson from that type of design. I think sometimes the more we try to make an impressive “wow” impact with a building, the worse it looks. Kinda like a one hit wonder on the radio. It may taste great for a week, but it won’t stand the test of time.
Imagine if the downtown of PG had a similar “theme” for flagship buildings and designs were mandated to fit within specified parameters, like they do in most larger cities. Instead of a hodgepodge of stuff just thrown up willy nilly, you’d start to get some synergy, some inspiration and some spinoff from creating spaces that are just naturally attractive.
Anyway, that’s some random thoughts from someone who is completely clueless when it comes to architecture and just appreciates looking at nice stuff!
Posted by: billposer on December 3 2013 3:06 PM
“I thought the hospital was already part of a “Learning and Development Centre” Most of us know it as the University.”
The main campus of UNBC is rather distant from the hospital. The new centre will provide space right next to the hospital.
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And why is that an issue? Why is a 5 minute drive an issue here?
“The main campus of UNBC is rather distant from the hospital. The new centre will provide space right next to the hospital.”
The UNBC medical program has had space in the hospital for years for clinical “classrooms” and visitation rooms, etc.
Those are in the old building, very nicely done, if I may add.
What I find strange is that we’re building a new learning centre & northern health leases office space all over the city, yet there is a whole floor of one of the three towers at the hospital that is completely vacant.
the very fancy 5th floor of hospital is for UNBC’s medial program.
I agree nice clean building. Looks Australian concept or something like that.
I think parking is a huge issue at the hospital and think a parkade makes sense. That and get rid of the pay parking for the hospital and just pay for the parking out of general taxation.
That and get rid of the pay parking for the hospital and just pay for the parking out of general taxation.
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No. If you use it, you should pay for it.
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