The Activital, the sports center of the municipality of Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, having reached the end of its useful life—and with the costs of renovation and bringing it up to code deemed prohibitive—the City of Saint-Augustin took advantage of a subsidy program to acquire a new state-of-the-art facility. Beyond meeting the recreational and athletic needs of the population, this new complex will also become one of the main tools for fostering overall municipal development.
The multifunctional sports complex includes two NHL-sized ice rinks, each with seating capacities of 571 and 283 spectators respectively, 11 locker rooms, a 10-lane semi-Olympic pool with 1- and 3-meter diving boards, as well as an adjacent recreational pool. The building also features a fitness room, two multipurpose rooms, and a café. Outdoor amenities include parking lots, vehicle and pedestrian access routes, and landscaping. This turnkey project was carried out in collaboration with the general contractor (Pomerleau), with a strong emphasis on environmental responsibility.
We implemented various strategies and worked closely with the engineers responsible for electromechanical systems to meet the client’s sustainable development objectives.
Challenges / Solutions
To avoid costly excavation work, the pool level was set at the same elevation as the large public hall, 3 meters above ground level. Excavated material was reused to create large planted berms, thereby avoiding the expense of transporting thousands of cubic meters of soil. As a result, the construction of several hundred square meters of exterior cladding was avoided, while the thermal performance of the building envelope—particularly around the main ice rink—was improved. The extensive use of prefabricated insulated panels in the City’s colors also generated significant savings in both costs and scheduling.