Conceptual design of Vernon's proposed Active Living Centre. (submitted photo/City of Vernon)

By Pete McIntyre

Update

General contractor chosen for Active Living Centre

Jun 12, 2023 | 10:48 AM

A company that has been involved in dozens of recreational projects, has been hired to lead the building process for Vernon’s proposed Active Living Centre.

The City of Vernon announced on Monday, June 12 that Clark Builders, which has its head office in Edmonton, has been selected to provide general contractor services for the $121 million facility planned for Kin Race Track Park on 43rd Avenue.

The city said Clark Builders offers proven experience and familiarity with IPD [integrated project delivery] ideologies, methodologies, and mindset, with green construction experience.

“The Clark team will leverage experienced practitioners and net zero subject matter experts to deliver maximum value to the City of Vernon’s ALC project,” a city news release stated.

“The Clark Builders team also takes pride in being a leading contractor of recreation facilities having completed more than 50 recreational projects in the last 20 years equaling nearly 3,000,000 square feet.”

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Scott Benoit, director of project development with Clark Builders, said they are excited to be selected for the project.

“Clark Builders is a community builder focused on maximizing value to owners through lean delivery practices,” Benoit said.

“We join with the City of Vernon in the work ahead to design and construct a facility that will enhance the wellbeing of citizens, the public, and communities.”

A multi-category request for proposals (RFP) for consultant services for the ALC is in progress and closes on June 28 with civil, electrical, mechanical and structural partners expected to be awarded in early August. Procurement for the remaining IPD partners (major trades) will be released via RFP in the coming weeks.

The city’s IPD team, recreation services staff, and representatives from Group2 Architects, recently completed a facilities tour in the Lower Mainland to get ideas and inspiration for the design process, learn from other facility operators’ successes and hear about what other communities would change about their facilities if they could. A second tour of Alberta recreation facilities is being planned for the future and will include Clark Builders and other IPD partners.

Meantime, residents can keep up to date on the ALC through a new project website at www.vernonalc.ca

“Citizens are invited to visit the website to receive ongoing updates about the project, including details about when and how they can offer feedback on the design of the facility,” the city news release said.

“The website content will be expanded as more information becomes available. Public engagement on the design phase of the project is expected to take place between June and December of this year.”

Electors voted 60.9 per cent in favour of borrowing up to $121 million to develop the Active Living Centre in a referendum on Oct. 15, 2022.

The facility will include an aquatic centre, a double gymnasium with multiple sport courts, an 80-station fitness centre, a 150 metre synthetic walking/running track and multi-purpose activity and program spaces.

The city said an important aspect of integrated project delivery model is that merges all parties into a single shared multi-party contract. “It transforms the traditional design-bid-build, low bid, change order, adversarial relationship, into one that is team focused and value added, encouraging behaviors that lead to exceptional project performance and value. IPD merges the owner, architect, general contractor, and trade partners early on, to form a team that together conducts a validation phase. The validation phase is conducted over approximately four months and project partners together perform preliminary design, intensive cost estimating, and agree upon a target cost to owner for the project. This process delivers the kind of detailed and committed budget certainty early on that the City of Vernon requires for this high-profile project.” (City of Vernon)

You can learn more about the IPD process at www.vernonalc.ca.