Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1408886
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 | 59 Women and Families Centre Expansion – Union Gospel Mission R EN D ER I N G CO U RT E SY N S DA A RC H I T EC T S the building exterior included brick masonry, coloured panel, and glaz- ing in aluminum frames. "Although undeniably modern in expression, the building form and materials allude to and reflect elements of the histori- cal architecture of the Downtown Eastside," says Dust. Princess Avenue has a three-metre wide interpretive children's walk with a mural, benches, decorative paving and boulevard trees. When asked to cite the most chal- lenging aspects of the design process, Dust replies, "We worked within the existing zoning, as UGM did not want to rezone the site. Fitting their program with the height restriction into seven floors was challenging. It was also cru- cial that we meet BC Housing's Step Code 3 energy efficiency standards." With Darwin Construction pro- viding preconstruction management services, ground broke on the stip- ulated sum project in May of 2019. Rudy Loewen, principal at Palcor Management, notes that site con- straints posed a challenge for his colleagues and Darwin Construction work crews. "The parkade took up the full site, and we had to deal with bus lines as well as high voltage lines less than six feet from one face of the building," he says. "Cranes became the primary way to move materials, up and over the lines. Also, just-in-time materials deliveries were necessary, even for the formworks." Loewen credits NSDA for provid- ing help throughout construction, and Dust remarks, "We appreciate the contribution UGM makes to our community and that inspires us to do whatever we can to make the con- struction process go smoother. Rick Aubin, our senior technologist, and I spend a lot of time on site working col- laboratively with Darwin's team: Rod Gabel, Meghan Foran, Reg Morel and Gross. We were also fortunate to work with Sheila McLaughlin, senior devel- opment manager at Terra Housing, as her expertise was invaluable." One of the most uplifting aspects of the project was that it stoked phil- anthropic sentiment: M&L Painting Ltd., which handles everything from commercial to industrial and special projects, donated its services to the new facility. "We're painting the inte- rior: walls, doors, frames, steel work, and so forth," says M&L owner Mark DuMerton. "We're also providing epoxy coatings in specific areas, since we're a full service coatings and fire- proofing company." DuMerton says that donating his resources was "a no brainer. I first became a Union Gospel Mission vol- unteer in the 1990s, and we love what they do: they're making a difference in the Downtown Eastside, and this new facility in particular will be a tremen- dous asset for women and mothers in the community." The UGM Women and Families Centre is scheduled to open in October, and Tchoumi says thanks to the architects and builders work- ing at the top of their game, all of Union Gospel Mission's criteria for a new facility have been fulfilled. "This will be an invaluable asset to our organization," she says. "It's really a remarkable centre, and better still it feels like home." A 9:05 AM