001-48_126_RENEW_SEPT-OCT26_PT - Flipbook - Page 27
DEEP DIVE
The challenges of building in remote communities
by Jonathan Curley
ECREATION INFRASTRUCTURE in remote northern
regions demands a rare combination of
resilience, practical innovation, and community
determination. Across B.C., Alberta,
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the territories,
outdoor municipal pools, indoor aquatic centres,
and arenas are central to health, safety, and quality of life.
Yet the realities of building and operating these facilities in
remote settings are far more complex than in southern or
urban centres.
“Designing and constructing recreation facilities
in remote locations experience, in equal measure,
elevated importance and reduced risk tolerance. Remote
communities have smaller populations that rely heavily
on the few available recreational assets and reduced
access to capital which cannot withstand projects that
balloon costs,” explains Glen Stokes, Partner Architect,
Carscadden Stokes McDonald Architects Inc.
The recently completed Bella Coola (B.C.) Centennial
Pool project, delivered by Chandos Construction with
a multidisciplinary team of architects and engineers,
o昀昀ers a concrete example of what can work. More than
a seasonal recreation facility, the Bella Coola pool shows
how remote communities can replace aging infrastructure
with amenities that are a昀昀ordable to operate, built for
local conditions, and deeply rooted in community life.
CHANDOS CONSTRUCTION
R
Northern reality
Recreation infrastructure in northern and remote
communities must contend with distance, climate, aging
facilities, and limited local capacity. These pressures
increase cost and risk at every stage, so projects must
prioritize durability, simplicity, and long-term value from
the outset. The Bella Coola pool illustrates how design
and delivery choices can turn those constraints into a
manageable, long-lived asset.
Remote locations mean higher construction and operating costs. Materials often travel long distances by barge,
winter road, or air, and specialized aquatic contractors
are rarely local, so mobilization alone can absorb a major
share of the budget. Short construction seasons further
compress already tight schedules, while harsh weather
demands robust 昀椀ltration, durable 昀椀nishes, and e昀케cient
heating that can handle extreme conditions and a brief
operating window.
In Bella Coola’s coastal valley, Chandos Construction coordinated material deliveries and contractor travel around
narrow seasonal and weather windows. A prefabricated
stainless-steel basin helped streamline installation, reduce
weather risk, and lower lifecycle costs. High-e昀케ciency
heating, optimized circulation, and intuitive mechanical
systems designed by AME Group help cut energy use in a
region where utilities are limited and power often relies on
costly diesel or propane generation. Together, these choices
keep day-to-day operations manageable for a small local
team and help control long-term operating costs.
Replacing aging infrastructure
Many northern pools built in the 1960s to 1980s are past
their lifespan, with structural issues, outdated systems,
high energy use, and poor accessibility. Bella Coola faced
this reality with its former outdoor pool, which had
served generations but was no longer sustainable.
Working with Carscadden Stokes McDonald Architects, Chandos delivered a modern, e昀케cient, and accessible replacement designed for long-term reliability. Durable, low-maintenance materials such as stainless steel,
combined with energy-e昀케cient systems, reduce both
maintenance demands and reliance on specialized trades.
For a remote community where every delivery, repair,
and service call is costly, those reductions are critical to
keeping the facility open and a昀昀ordable.
Jonathan Curley is Technical Solutions Manager at
Chandos Construction, with over 15 years of experience
delivering more than 50 commercial projects across North
America, specializing in recreational facilities.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 – RENEW CANADA 27
