Northern Sports Centre Deal Signed

Wednesday, April 26, 2006 10:00 AM

Its a done deal.

UNBC has signed the official agreement with the consortium of companies to start construction of the Northern Sports Centre.

Here are some of the highlights:

-no cost over runs, the contract guarantees the price will not go over $30.75 million dollars.
-promised to open in September 2007
-Increased scope from original concept
-Assurance all playing surfaces will meet provincial and national standards for competitions.

The Centre will be built on the corner of University Way and the entrance to UNBC. The facility will include a 3 court gym with seating for 2000, two indoor fields, an elevated 280 metre indoor track, fitness centre, two squash courts,ten offices for coaches, a seminar room and physiotherapy and strength training facilities.

The deal signed today involves Giffels Design and Construction, NORR Ltd., Chernoff Thmpson Architects and Western Industrial Contractors of Prince George.

Site preparation is expected to get underway within weeks.

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Posted on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 10:00 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: owl on April 26 2006 1:32 PM

This is waht it will look like .... approximately ... give or take a few minor changes along the way ....

At least the air is cleaner "up there" as people expand their lungs.

http://www.unbc.ca/about/campus/nsc.html

Posted by: WhatImThinking on April 26 2006 9:50 PM

This is great news but I'll believe it when I see it.

No cost over-runs, not likely!!! As a former UNBC student I know what that phrase meant. Wherever there was supposed to be a water fountain there ended up being a pepsi machine to make up the cost over-runs.

Don't short change the project provide a legacy for the city!

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on April 27 2006 7:46 AM

It always amazes me now much money gets wasted on the parts of the building that have nothing to do with sports. The "stylish" decore of the useless entrance consumes an unacceptable amount of money that could be used to extend the building by 25%. Architect have little regard for utility costs or construction costs. Lots of examples of that mentality around this town. The $22 million dollar jail that cost $58 million, and a public library that has astronomical utility costs that comes with floating a concrete struture and cladding it with glass.
The building should have been a metal clad box, like a super store, and then we would really have something we could service and maintain. These buildings that reek of wasted dollars, like the "Rack of Ribs" arts center, are really starting to bug me.

Posted by: owl on April 27 2006 9:25 PM

Speaking of architects, I took a closer look at the floor plan and noticed that there are stairs to go to the second floor, which presumably will have change rooms, since there are none on the first floor. There are no elevators. Buildings of that size need elevators by building code.

Some may think that these are athletes, why would they need elevators? Wheelchair athletics? Special Olympics?

I would hope it will all come out in the wash, but the preliminary drawings are quite preliminary.

BTW, for those who do not know it, the library was built on stilts so that future buildings, such as the civic centre, art gallery, etc would do the same and it would end up with buildings above the 200 year flood plain rather than below it. There is provision to install a second intermediary parking floor, that is why it is so high off the ground.

But you know this city. Sticking to decisions is sometimes very difficult.

Posted by: owl on April 27 2006 9:29 PM

Oh, one more thing about architects. Did anyone notice the new building going up at UNBC and the shape of the middle roof? Rather than a shape like this ^, it is a shape like this V.

Great snow catcher in the winter. Luckily we hardly ever get any.