Design of new town hall, emergency services building nearly complete

From a reed design on the front windows to a red-and-beige sandstone faÇade to an entrance pavilion that will showcase local artwork, Sackville's new emergency services and town hall facility will feature one-of-a-kind qualities the town is known for.

The design phase of the building is nearing completion and construction tenders are expected to go out next month, says Andrew Amos, the senior engineering consultant on the project,

Amos provided an update on the design work of the building during a public meeting at the civic centre last Tuesday, giving local residents a rundown of the floor plan and various elements of the $12-million facility.

"One of the key features of the building is the shared common spaces," he said.

Amos explained there will be a number of rooms throughout the building - including board rooms, washrooms, service areas, and a main-floor gym - that will be used by all of the occupants.

The new facility, expected to be completed by late fall 2011, will merge RCMP officers, firefighters and municipal employees all under one roof.

And although there will be a number of shared spaces, the floor plan splits the building into three main components - much of the upper level will be used by town staff and council (while a portion will also be used by the fire department for office and storage space); the lower main-floor level will be used for fire and RCMP services, although there will also be a shared entry lobby that will be populated with artwork and public notices and an elevator to access the upstairs. The entire building will be handicapped-accessible.

The RCMP portion of the building (on the left-hand side as you enter from Main Street) will feature three interview rooms, three jail cells, a monitor room, an exhibit area, storage space, a kitchen, operational rooms, and a shared meeting room.

The fire station, on the right side, will include drive-thru bays for the fire trucks with ample space for the vehicles. As well, the lower level of the fire station will feature a decon room with a shower and washer/dryer, a washroom, storage and workshop area, gear racks, a multi-purpose room, kitchen and bar area.

Sackville Fire Chief Craig Bowser said he's pleased with the features of the new building and is anticipating the day the fire department can move in to a safer and more efficient space.

"We're really looking forward to getting into the new building," said Bowser following last week's meeting.

He said members of the fire department have been satisfied so far with the cooperation they've had from the consultants (Catalyst Consulting) and designers (Architecture 2000) involved in the project.

"They've certainly been open to suggestions and they've also been sharing their ideas as well."

The town hall area will feature a main lobby, office and board room space, kitchen and storage areas, as well as a new state-of-the-art council chambers. The council chambers, which can also double as a board room or EMO training area, will feature a general seating area for the public, several LCD monitors, a press table, as well as the council/staff seating space.

The building's front and north faÇades will feature a mixture of red and buff locally-mined sandstone, with curtain-wall glazing and punched windows adorning the facility. More economical materials (concrete block and corrugated metal siding) will be used at the rear of the building.

Amos said the curtain-wall windows above the main entrance pavilion will feature an "art decorative" that will simulate the reeds that commonly exist in the local environment, such as the waterfowl park and the marshlands.

The reed design will be a series of half-inch curved stainless steel rods and was an idea that was brought to the table by the design team, said Amos.

"It's architecturally pleasing as well as being symbolic, something to represent the area," he said. "And it will help break up the straight lines of the building."

The reed patterns will be repeated in the wall tiles and on the flooring inside the building.

Another exterior feature of the building will be the 'green roof' above the town hall portion of the building that will include a deck, walkway, small bridge, benches and low-maintenance vegetation.

"It's a nice amenity area we're creating here," he said.

The rainwater collected from the green roof as well as the remaining roof areas will be used to grow the plantings, as well as to fill up the fire trucks.

The new building will, most importantly, be incredibly energy efficient, said Amos, and his team is working to ensure the facility receives a LEED silver designation - a move that will see the town save considerably on its utility bills as well as be able to apply for up to $400,000 in federal funding.

The designers and consultants, in consultation with the local building committee, have evaluated various alternatives to heat and cool the building and determined the most economical way to do so was through a geothermal system. Other options considered included natural gas with electric cooling, oil with electric cooling, and all-electric. Although the geothermal system will require "more upfront costs, it will pay off in the long term," said Amos.

"Our utility bills will be about one-third of what they are now on a per square foot basis."

The building will also feature in-slab heating, daylight sensing dimming fixtures, occupancy sensors, solar pre-heat of domestic water, air distribution system, computer control system, and hydration stations.

The indoor environmental air quality is also being factored in, in an effort to create a positive work environment for the users of the building, said Amos.