Paul Sadler Swimland

Providing children in the Riverbend area with a brand new swimming pool and learning facilities.

Paul Sadler Swimland was launched in Edmonton, Alberta in 2012 after more than a decade of success in Australia. Owner Jason Arnold relocated to Canada in 2010 and immediately recognized the opportunity for Swimland to expand its horizons. Since then, Swimland has become a leader in providing aquatic education to kids everywhere, becoming a major part of the community and helping to provide swimming lessons for people of all ages. Swimland offers a wide variety of programs that range from teaching the basics of swimming all the way to swimming 3 kilometres and earning a Swimland Diploma. Today, Swimland teaches more than 35,000 children every week in 19 locations.

In order to instruct as many young swimmers as possible, Paul Sadler Swimland required a brand new pool, reception area, lobby, boardroom, and administrative offices.  Arrow Engineering recognized how important Swimland was to the local community, and couldn’t wait to take on a project that would help new swimmers along in their learning journey while getting the most out of their swimming experience.

This project required both Arrow’s Mechanical and Electrical engineering teams to complete the scope of work. Our teams began with a design-build project delivery method. Using this method meant that we offered design and consultation services for the renovation of an adjacent vacant space and the development of a second pool as well as a reception area, staff rooms and offices. Throughout this project, we also converted three existing racquetball courts into base building retail space, the addition of bathrooms, shower rooms, a change room, and a janitor closet. We’re proud to say that this project was completed on time and to all client specifications in their 10,000 SF space.

Arrow Engineering designed a number of systems with the intention of minimizing interruptions to customers, staff, and existing facility systems during this project. Minimizing interruptions ensured that lessons and activities could continue in the interim. The electrical engineering team designed lighting, power, and pool equipment connections, and also made modifications to the communication and fire alarm systems. While the mechanical engineering team provided design and consultation work, they also helped Swimland’s owner obtain Alberta Health Services (AHS) approvals and permits.

Arrow has an excellent reputation in the delivery of large-scale recreation centres, particularly those led by our Mechanical group.

When the town of Conklin, AB, identified the need for a new Rec Centre, Arrow’s Mechanical team was contracted by Architecture |Tkalcic Bengert to assist with the comprehensive Mechanical design.

The Conklin Rec Centre is intended to have a wide variety of facility services, including a gymnasium, banquet hall, a fitness room, special purpose meeting rooms, a commercial kitchen, single ice arena, child play areas, multiple administration offices, sports fields and emergency services parking spread throughout approximately 85,000 SF.

Currently, this design is targeted to meet the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo’s sustainable requirements, and all systems are being designed with sustainability in mind.

Located at off of the bustling intersection of Stony Plain Road and 170th Street, Mayfield Centre houses the Mayfield World Health Club. Comprised of approximately 27,071 SF, spread across two storeys, Mayfield World Health includes standard, open-concept fitness space with cardio and weight machines, as well as a child care centre, a Booster Juice location, administration spaces, fitness studios, and a women’s only workout area. Locker rooms in this club include showers, steam rooms and washrooms; design for laundry service was also required.

Arrow’s Mechanical team worked to design systems throughout this location. Specific consideration was given to the hot yoga studio, which was required to be high heat / high humidity. Our team designed radiant hearing panels, ensuring that the room could heat to the appropriate temperature, while designing systems which would disburse humidity when the room was out of use.

Arrow Engineering provided Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Services for the three new LA Fitness Facilities in Newcastle, Sunwapta and South Edmonton; each facility measures approximately 45,000 SF (4,200 SM). Intended to deliver fitness options for a variety of clients and preferences, LA Fitness designs incorporate large, open concept spaces with room for fitness equipment typical to traditional gym settings, in addition to basketball courts, racquetball / squash courts, a lap pool and spa / sauna facilities, and various aerobics spaces and weight rooms including circuit, cycling and cardio training equipment rooms. Additionally, each facility includes staff and administrative office spaces, a “Kids Klub” daycare space and a juice bar.

LA Fitness is a chain based out of California; given the prototypical nature of original designs, our team was faced with the challenge of creating a Canadian version of American prototypes, and worked collaboratively with the Architect, Owner and LA Fitness’ previous, California-based engineer in order to accomplish a high-quality Canadian version of the original designs. In addition to various changes in codes, design standards and requirements, Arrow’s Mechanical team was required to redesign with the cold Northern climate environment in mind, differing from the original design, intended for a much warmer, West Coast climate.

Significant collaboration and coordination were required with the pool designer, who, like the original engineer, was based out of the States. Arrow’s Mechanical team worked to coordinate their pool design into the overall design of each facility. Additionally, in two locations, our team was required to coordinate with the developer with regards to water pressure, and service connection points.

Arrow’s Mechanical team has a strong track record in the delivery of community recreation centres. Working alongside the team from Architecture Tkalcic Bengert, Arrow’s Mechanical team worked to design a new two-storey, multi-use recreational centre for the community of Valleyview, AB. A large, highly-functional pool area is made up of ‘competitive space’, a hot tub, a ‘splash area’, change rooms, a pool viewing corridor, steam rooms, and ‘party rooms’. An adjoining, multi-use field house provides space for three basketball courts or one indoor soccer field and can easily accommodate large private events, with easy access to a full commercial-grade kitchen. The second floor of the recreation centre field house contains a running track above the field house and a large fitness area, overlooking the basketball courts / soccer field; fitness-studio spaces, complete with studios, change rooms and washrooms. are also included within the second floor. Shared space within the facility is comprised of reception desks, a concession area complete with a small kitchen, a two-storey atrium in the entrance of the building, and small tenant lease space.

Arrow’s Mechanical team worked to design heating, ventilation and air conditioning for the field house, the pool area and administration areas, as well as plumbing throughout (with the exception of the pool mechanical systems). Our team also designed the fire protection systems for the building. Though this building was not required to meet specific LEED® standards, our Mechanical team have designed the mechanical equipment and systems with sustainability and energy efficiency in mind.

With increasing demand for entertainment space in West Edmonton, the owner group elected to renovate and expand existing casino space located at West Edmonton Mall. Starlight Casino is set to open in 2017, and will almost double the size of existing space, at approximately 106,300 SF of gaming, restaurant and entertainment space. Given the unique requirements of casino design, Arrow’s Mechanical and Electrical teams were required to work with a large assortment of specialized consultants throughout design and construction; these included AGLC, a specialty lighting consultant, security consultant, an AV consultant, and Gateway Casino’s internal IT group. The specific requirements of each of these groups required that our teams remain nimble and highly adaptable throughout the design process, considering the unique requirements of each group. The budget for this project proved its own unique set of challenges for our team, who were required to undertake extreme cost savings exercises for this project, forcing creative solutions throughout design in order to adhere to the extremely stringent budget. The expansion component of this project required the takeover of various CRU’s and Big Box Stores within the mall; our teams were required to incorporate and tie in existing systems into overall design in order to keep costs as economical as possible.

AGLC determines the number of gaming machines and their locations, so cabling locations are pre-determined and Arrow’s Electrical team were required to work the design of electrical feed around these locations, which sit on a raised floor base. Specialized server equipment was serviced by our team, with design inclusions for cooling, power, backup power and the design of backup generators to be located on the roof of the mall. Numerous high-security areas are spread throughout the casino, which required significant coordination with a specialized security consultant. Given the extremely high occupancy density and equipment loads, we designed high cooling systems and supplementary ventilation required in additional to conventional cooling systems. Mechanical systems were required to work in harmony with and tie into existing systems in expanded and existing space; considerations for these designs were made with the stringent budget in mind. Design of an enclosed ‘patio’ attached to the exterior of the casino required efficient, cost effective Mechanical design, and significant coordination with West Edmonton Mall.

The Spitz Stadium project demonstrates the capabilities of our Mechanical team in the delivery of sports and recreation centres. Originally constructed in 1975, the Spitz Stadium hosts baseball games and concerts for the community of Lethbridge with capacity for 3,000 spectators. Given its status as a busy hub for baseball and entertainment enthusiasts in Lethbridge and the surrounding areas, it was important that renovations be completed with longevity and efficiency in mind. The Arrow team worked to design revisions to plumbing, ventilation and fire protection systems in existing washrooms, multi-purpose space, first aid space, officials rooms, the press room, ‘luxury rooms’, and concession space. Additionally, a new Pro Shop building, which will be used as a ticket station and retail space, was added to the site and built independent of the Stadium, which is used as a ticket station and retail space.

Given the seasonal nature of the Spitz Stadium, the Arrow team was required to design with winterization in mind, as systems need be durable enough to withstand cold winter temperatures in order to be fully operational in time for the busy spring and summer.

Three rooms in the Century Casino were set to be renovated in coordination with Emcee Construction & Management and Jennifer Jordan Interior Design. Arrow was brought in to engineer the changes to their two poker rooms, one of which was a high-limit room that involved top-quality finishings, as well as overseeing the demolition of an existing food and beverage area within the casino.

The outdated rooms were set to be modernized and updated to world-class standards. Arrow was responsible for ensuring the casino could remain in operation while renovations were completed. In order to maintain a fully operational casino, work was carefully completed using a phased approach. Throughout the process, Arrow’s electrical department coordinated with the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission to ensure that all elements of lighting and cabling were done within regulation.

As part of the project management of this renovation, Arrow supervised and recommended changes to meet the high standards of the design while staying on budget. Though the project was faced with numerous change orders, many of which resulted in increased costs, Arrow worked to find creative solutions to make sure budgets and timelines were maintained as closely as possible.

As the project continued, Arrow utilized the experience they gained during the initial phase to streamline the process and improve client communications, allowing for a faster and easier build process.

“Part of the renovation was a relocation of a number of VLT’s. This required the electrical team to take a close look at the existing electrical work to determine how it to best utilize the existing structure without reworking the entire space.”
– Kevin Mattai, Lead Electrical Engineer