Summary of Project Options
The ORD Aquatic Center Renovation Project options are presented below. After a community survey the ORD chose to pursue option 6. Please find all options below.
Option 1: Demolition of roof, exterior walls and other building components, retain/refinish pilasters and beams, enclosure over the remaining structure, remove existing mechanical equipment & components and replace with new to provide required ventilation for temporary enclosure, modify existing electrical system HVAC requirements, provide and modify required lighting, insulate and weatherproof newly exposed walls, repair and replace pool equipment & components, and associated fees and project costs. Estimated Project Cost: $3,895,000.00 to $4,250,000.00 Negatives: The pool spaces require negative air pressure to prevent overly humid air from infiltrating into adjacent areas of the building. This prohibits the use of an air-inflated dome structure, which requires positive air pressure to support the dome. Tensioned fabric structures are available but will require high levels of customization to fit the existing beam and pilaster structures. Both inflated and fabric structures are very inefficient at retaining heat, leading to high energy costs for use during cool seasons. Set-up/take-down and storage will require ongoing maintenance costs and a place to store the dome during warm seasons. Positives: Use of pool spaces throughout all seasons. Recommendations: If a year-round use is the priority of ORD, it will be beneficial for set-up/tear-down and more cost effective to remove the beams and pilasters as well to allow for a standardized fabric structure. Option 2: Demolition of roof, exterior walls and other building components, retain/refinish pilasters and beams, enclosure within the remaining structure, remove existing mechanical equipment & components and replace with new to provide required ventilation for temporary enclosure, modify existing electrical system HVAC requirements, provide and modify required lighting, insulate and weatherproof newly exposed walls, repair and replace pool equipment & components, and associated fees and project costs. Estimated Project Cost: $3,872,000.00 to $4,227,000.00 Negatives: In addition to the challenges associated with Option 1, the current width of the pool deck at the east side of the space is already at the code required minimum width. An inflated dome within the remaining structure will infringe on the minimum width of the pool deck and should not be considered. Positives: Use of pool spaces throughout all seasons.
Recommendations: If a year-round use is the priority of ORD, it will be beneficial for set-up/tear-down and more cost effective to remove the beams and pilasters as well to allow for a standardized fabric structure. Since the proximity of the remaining structure would already be at the minimum clearance the pool deck requires, attempting to place a temporary enclosure within the remaining structure would be problematic to maintain the required clearances.
Option 3: Renovation of roof and clearstory skylights, removal of portions of exterior walls, skirting system for openings, and other building components, retain/refinish pilasters and beams, remove existing mechanical equipment & components and replace with new to provide required ventilation for temporary enclosure, modify existing electrical system HVAC requirements, provide and modify requiredlighting, insulate and weatherproof newly exposed walls, repair and replace pool equipment & components, and associated fees and project costs.
Estimated Project Cost: $3,695,000.00 to $4,050,000.00
Negatives: Large portions of the existing walls must remain to preserve the existing roof structure. Energy costs for use of the pools during the cool seasons will be lower than for a fabric structure but still high. Set-up/take-down and storage of the building skirting system will require ongoing maintenance costs and a place to store it during warm seasons. The weight of this system will require additional equipment and manpower to maneuver.
Positives: Use of pool spaces throughout all seasons.
Recommendations: Most of the existing walls would need to remain unless additional building structure was introduced to address the components removed. This may not accomplish the feel/aesthetic of the District’s priority to develop an outdoor space to the satisfaction of the other options explored.
Option 4: Demolition of roof, exterior walls and other building components, retain/refinish pilasters and beams, remove and modify existing mechanical and electrical systems, insulate newly exposed walls, repair and replace pool equipment & components, and associated fees and project costs.
Estimated Project Cost: $2,576,000.00 to $2,931,000.00
Negatives: The pool spaces would be only operable during seasons of warm weather.
Positives: Reduces energy costs and set-up/take-down expenses and overhead required to conduct pool operations during the cold seasons.
Recommendations: The priority of ORD is to use the limited funding available to resume use of the facility. This project represents the lowest cost required to resume operations.
Option 5: Demolition of roof, exterior walls and other building components, retain/refinish pilasters and beams, remove and modify existing mechanical and electrical systems, insulate newly exposed walls, repair and replace pool equipment & components, add family restrooms, open building up between splash pad & pool, and associated fees and project costs.
Estimated Project Cost: $2,740,000.00 to $3,095,000.00
Negatives: Reduction of the existing men’s locker room. The pool spaces would be only operable during seasons of warm weather.
Positives: Provides additional family restrooms for increased ADA access and family accommodation. Allows direct sight lines and physical access between pool area and splash pad. Reduces energy costs and set-up/take-down expenses and overhead required to conduct pool operations during the cold seasons.
Recommendations: The priority of ORD is to use the limited funding available to resume use of the facility. This project represents the minimum requirements to resume operations and obtaining some of the District’s goals of connectivity and adapting to current facility uses.
Option 6: Demolition of roof, exterior walls, existing beams and pilasters, and other building components, remove and modify existing mechanical and electrical systems, insulate newly exposed walls, repair and replace pool equipment & components, add family restrooms, open building up between splash pad & pool, and associated fees and project costs.
Estimated Project Cost: $2,722,000.00 to $3,077,000.00
Negatives: Reduction of the existing men’s locker room. The pool spaces would be only operable during seasons of warm weather.
Positives: Provides additional family restrooms for increased ADA access and family accommodation. Allows direct sight lines and physical access between pool area and splash pad. Reduces energy costs and set-up/take-down expenses and overhead required to conduct pool operations during the cold seasons. Allows for future standard pool enclosure system instead of custom.
Recommendations: The priority of ORD is to use the limited funding available to resume use of the facility. This project represents the minimum requirements to resume operations and obtaining some of the District’s goals of connectivity and adapting to current facility uses. Removing existing beams and pilasters would allow for use of a manufacturer’s standard pool enclosure system if future planning and funding allows.
If you have any questions about the estimates, project scopes, or recommendations, please contact me via phone at 208-888-1768 or by email at cvondemkamp@designwestid.com. As before, I would be happy to present and discuss the different approaches listed above in more depth should the Ontario Recreation District so desire, either in person or phone/video conference.
Sincerely, Chris Vondemkamp, Project Architect Design West Architects
