The Sir Winston Churchill Aquatic Centre was built in the 1960s and has been serving Calgary’s northwest as a family recreation centre for decades. As a result, the facility was in need of modernization in order to bring the pool and swimming area up to modern standards. Completed in the summer of 2020, GEC’s interior rehabilitation and revitalization of the Sir Winston Churchill Aquatic Centre ensures that families can now have a safe, accessible and refreshed swimming aquatic and aerobic experience.

GEC’s scope of work included the retrofit of the pool basins to meet current codes and anti-entrapment legislation. Through workshops with the City of Calgary early in the design process several other scopes were identified to meet barrier-free design guidelines, to improve the efficiency and energy performance of the mechanical and electrical systems, and to improve the user’s experience through interior upgrades and reconfiguration. This included the addition of an elevator into the design to allow for universal access to the second floor, reconfigured studio and fitness spaces to create a visual connection to the natatorium, and renovated administration and change room spaces in order to improve functionality.