Grey Metal building exterior with wood detail

Iqaluit Aquatic Centre

SECTOR

Recreation

Year

2016

Location

Iqaluit

Awards

N/A

Highlights

  • The facility features a variable speed pumping on filtration system to reduce pump energy requirements.
  • Granular chemical treatment suitable was used for remote operation.
  • UV disinfectant for trichloramine removal and reduction in chemical disinfectant use.
  • With its colourful exterior façade and distinctive curved roof, the Iqaluit Aquatic Centre is a landmark within the city.
  • The re-use and recycling of materials, the remediation of contaminated land used for the project, and a connection to Iqaluit’s waste-heat based district energy system, greatly reduces the Aquatic Centre’s energy footprint and helps to reduce future environmental and economic costs.

Project Details

The new, $40.5 million Iqaluit Aquatic Centre features a six-lane, 25-metre lap pool, a leisure/wading pool, two saunas, a whirlpool, multi-purpose room, elders’ room, public fitness centre and fitness studio, plus food and beverage areas. Located in a remote arctic community where the long, cold and dark months magnify the need for vibrant indoor recreational opportunities, the new Centre offers a range of activities for families and people of all ages.

Due to the intense cold climate, pools in Northern Canada necessitate elaborate cooling systems to prevent thousands of liters of heated water from melting the permafrost beneath. In the case of Iqaluit, this resulted in a facility supported by a pile foundation that allows air to circulate beneath the building and reduces its impact on the permafrost, while the pool tanks are situated above grade and within the structure of the building, thus avoiding the potential permafrost problem and sandwiching the community areas between the ground and the pool. Surrounded by an energy-efficient envelope, the design for Iqaluit’s new aquatic centre incorporates state-of-the-art pool water treatment, humidification control, and HVAC systems designed for a northern environment.