Building exterior with glass walls and signage that reads Penticton Community Centre

Penticton Community Centre

SECTOR

Sports + Recreation

Year

2011

Location

Penticton

Awards

LEED Silver Certified

Highlights

  • Mechanical Heat Recovery
  • Rebuilt and Enlarged Lap Pool
  • A Matrix Approach to determine the best pool filtration resulted in chlorine gas, regenerative media filters and ultraviolet reactors.

Project Details

The facility hosts a 10-lane, 25-meter square lap pool, a warmer pool, a lazy river, shallow lanes for younger novice swimmers, a bubble pit, a tot and parent slide, and several spray features such as a water column and water orchard components. Additional fitness space and multi-purpose rooms were incorporated into the design.

As AME standard practice, a matrix approach was employed to determine the best pool filtration and treatment configuration for the facility. Coupling our experience with end-user feedback, familiarity and budget, as well as system availability, the approach provides a path for all participants in the decision process to reach consensus on the appropriate design direction. For this facility, this process resulted in chlorine gas, regenerative media filters and ultraviolet reactors.

The facility’s filtration system uses regenerative filters and perlite filter media. This installation was the first of its kind in BC, and incorporated automated backwash functionality. The unique operation and function of this type of filter results in the highest water quality currently achievable amongst pool filtration systems, while at the same time consuming less water, which results in lower operating costs. The design reduces the concentration of chloramines in the pool water using ultraviolet light (UV). In addition to performing as a secondary disinfectant, UV light reacts with and destroys chloramines still dissolved in the pool water. The facility’s central system makes use of modular water to water heat pumps for heat recovery. The system has the ability to reject heat to an open loop ground water system that allows heat to be rejected from the building without using the fluid cooler.