Cor Van Raay YMCA at the ATB Centre in Lethbridge Alberta

Location
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

Client/operator
The City of Lethbridge

Architects
Diamond Schmitt Architects
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
www.dsai.ca

BR2 Architects (Construction Administration)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Design team members
Jarle Lovlin, Joseph Troppmann
Joseph Yau, Emily Baxter, Persis Lam

Author
Jarle Lovlin, Partner,
Diamond Schmitt Architects

Photos
Tom Arban Photography Inc,
Ed White
 
Official opening
July 2019

Construction costs
CAD 110 million
EUR 75.1 million

Given the scale of many of the elements – the field house and the aquatics areas are each over 4,750 m² in area – it was necessary that each of these rooms feels connected with the rest of the facility and provides opportunities to experience the planned adjacencies. A language of ­vertical planar elements developed, where the large rooms are not completely blocked from the adjacent ones, but connected, with large glazed areas set between the vertical containing planes. The field house is contained by a number of masonry-clad piers or “wallumns” that create connection with both the adjacent Galleria as well as the fitness and multi-purpose rooms.

Once entering the facility, the active user is immediately greeted by the reception area to the left, where one checks in and proceeds to one of the five change rooms. All change areas are completely barrier-free. The focus upon entering the building is to provide a wayfind­ing sense that is inherent in the architecture. A hierarchy of placement of the main program elements off the circulation spine, large areas of transparency, and a clear system of coloured wayfinding reinforce this.

The 4,750 m² aquatics area houses a breadth of water-inspired activity. There is a six-lane training pool, a curvilinear leisure pool with a zero-grade entry, an active-water wave pool, a current river for floating and letting the day go by, two outrageous water slides, one being accented with rings of kaleidoscopic LED lighting, an array of water features for young tots, from rings, to spray jets, to slides, a dedicated teaching pool for early instruction, and a therapy whirlpool able to accommodate up to 40 people.

The pool tanks were constructed principally of stainless steel, with the leisure pool having a padded liner. A single-rider wave rider is placed at the southeast corner of the room for audience and surfer participation. Other features include a one-metre-high diving platform, a climbing wall, and three steam rooms.

A photo-chromatic glass system eliminates the need for blinds within the facility as well as provides continuous control of the glare as required by changing daily conditions. A number of outdoor sensors track the height, location and intensity of the incoming light and the glass adjusts its opacity to transmit enough light to see within the space but control the glare at the pool surface.

The aquatics area is surrounded by a colourful pattern of wall panels, which not only provides visual interest but also acts as acoustic sound absorption within a busy and noisy space. Additional ceiling-hung panels provide a similar function suspended from the Douglas fir solid-­wood deck. A public viewing gallery flanks the east side of the aquatics hall, accessible from the main lobby for visitors and parents.

The field house has six full-size gymnasia, divisible into a number of configurations by rolling curtains and able to accommodate the full range of court sports from basketball to handball. Encircling the entire field house is a 250-metre, four-lane running track, able to accommodate users from all ages and abilities. At the west side of the field house, a strength-training area and cross-fit studio at the upper level open onto the track. At the court level, day change areas provide lockers and room to change for drop-in users.
The fitness room is located at the second level, between the field house and the aquatics facility. As providing connection was a consistent theme in the design process, the fitness room overlooks the aquatics area along the entire south side. The facilities contained within include a wealth of strength and aerobic training equipment, studios with sprung floors for aerobics, dedicated cycle-fit and yoga studios, a cross-fit studio, and offices for analysis, training support and health guidance. Olympic weight-training equipment and a tire-flipping area flank the north side of the track for the heavy lifters.

Children’s amenities include a licensed daycare, child minding, youth room and indoor playground.

Complementing the activity-based programs at the ATB Centre, the north wing of the building houses both a physiotherapy clinic and a number of multi-purpose rooms. The physiotherapy clinic operates independently from the YMCA, but has access for its users to the equipment and training facilities, providing direct health and wellness support to the community.