Coquitlam hires contractor for Burke Mountain centre
The City of Coquitlam has chosen EllisDon Construction Ltd. to manage the construction of the Burke Mountain community centre, an 80,000-square-foot facility expected to be completed by 2029 to serve the area's growing population. This project is significant as it aims to provide essential recreational and community services to a neighborhood anticipated to have 50,000 residents. The employee-owned construction company, based in Mississauga, Ontario, will oversee all aspects of the project, including hiring subcontractors and managing schedules and suppliers.
The new centre is set to feature a variety of amenities. These include a six-lane swimming pool, a leisure pool, a whirlpool, a sauna, and a steam room. The facility will also house a double gymnasium, a fitness centre with a weight room, flexible multi-purpose rooms, and a new branch of the Coquitlam Public Library. The design incorporates large windows to provide views of the natural surroundings and aims for high standards in energy efficiency and accessibility. An adjoining park, Burke Village Park, is being developed concurrently and will feature a splash pad and open spaces for community events.
Funding for the community centre and park will primarily come from development cost charges, with some debt financing planned to be repaid by future development. The project has seen its timeline and budget adjusted, with an earlier completion date of 2026 being pushed back. The projected cost to run the facility is estimated at $8 million annually.
EllisDon, founded in 1951, has a history of major projects, including the construction of the world's first retractable roof stadium, the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre), which was completed in 1989. The company has also been involved in numerous public-private partnerships, such as the William Osler Health Centre in Brampton. In 2019, the company was involved in an incident at the West Calgary Ring Road project where it was fined $100,000 for disturbing the nests of migratory tree swallows without a permit. The company pleaded guilty, and the fine was directed to the Environmental Damages Fund. As part of the sentence, EllisDon was also required to create educational materials for its staff regarding migratory birds.