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J U N E 2 0 2 5 | 83 Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre P H OTO G R A P H Y BY J O N L AO/CO U RT E S Y T H E C I T Y O F P R I N C E A L B ERT LAKE COUNTRY CO-OP LEISURE CENTRE by ROBIN BRUNET T he City of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, badly needed to update their sport arena (the latest of which had been built in 1977) and indoor aquatic facility (built in 1973), and this inspired a new facil- ity that combines both, and more: the Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre. While inside this building's strik- ingly angular origami-style form are two NHL-sized rinks, an eight-lane competitive pool plus leisure and wave pool, and other aquatic elements, the Leisure Centre is part of a bigger development plan that obliged Group2 Architecture Interior Design and part- ner MJMA Architecture & Design to increase the scope of work. Jody Boulet, director of parks, recre- ation and culture for the City of Prince Albert, explains, "While the idea of a new recreation facility dates back to 2017, we knew it would eventually be augmented with new residential, com- mercial, and retail at the edge of the city." When Group2 and MJMA were awarded the Leisure Centre project in 2020, Group2 principal Troy Smith and MJMA partner Ted Watson quickly realized that creating a master plan for the two-phase recreation space within the larger commercial develop- ment was essential. "It would ensure a unification of design elements, especially considering the city had planned for a second-phase 4,500-seat venue arena to be developed beside the Leisure Centre," explains Smith. "So, we proposed a master plan, and the City agreed to it." Watson says, "We designed the Leisure Centre so it will connect to the venue arena as a natural extension of the Leisure Centre's public lobby such that the venue arena becomes the commu- nity's third ice pad, and both buildings will define a common central plaza for community events and celebrations. BBB Architects Toronto assumed design duties for the venue arena, whose plan- ning and exterior follows the master plan as well as the massing and materi- ality developed for the Leisure Centre." Group2 and MJMA's philosophy for the Leisure Centre's design was to embrace its location and physical sur- roundings. Watson explains, "Prince Albert is located within a unique Canadian ecotone of Aspen Parkland, transitioning between two biomes – the lush boreal forest to the north and the rolling Prairie Grasslands to the south. Many design elements of the Leisure Centre metaphorically reflect this relationship of mixing and inte- grating different communities and environments – all to create a fun family-oriented gathering space." The most obvious example is the building's custom-formed metal clad- ding of bold, vertical curved forms with dark panel at the base, remi- niscent of the texture and rhythm of aspen stands. "Also, the exterior landscapes feature the aspens and grasses of the Prairies on the arrival side but the boreal forest at the park space to the rear of the site," Smith says. "Colour was used to reflect the natural surroundings, such as earth tone spectator seats and yel- low in the arena, which represents the grasslands, and deep green and blue mosaic tiles and waterslides in the Aquatic Hall are inspired by the colours of places like Waskesiu Lake." Considering the design process took place during the height of the COVID lockdowns, the project team faced skyrocketing materials costs, and this prompted Smith and Watson's team to develop design options rather than simply downsizing the project. These options included an alternative to the custom-formed metal cladding, creating single-level ice rink spec- tator seating instead of second floor bleachers, and reducing the size of the aquatic component. But the City opted to keep these ele- ments intact. "This was our one chance to provide Prince Albert residents with

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