Environmental Focus Continues with Civic Centre Construction

There is plenty of buzz about the progress at the construction site of the Central Nova Scotia Civic Centre.  It is interesting, as you drive through Colchester County, how many new viewpoints there are of the new Centre as steel is erected and phase one of roofing continues.  The finished product is sure to be a show piece and one that the community will be very proud of.  Over the coming months we will see the makings of the building and get a good sense of its finished appearance.   But, we still have some work to do for the September, 2012 opening so it is best that we focus on the task at hand; construction and raising funds towards the Ignite the Spirit Campaign.

The construction focus to date has been on the erection of steel, which has clearly been an eye catching portion and one that I am pleased to say is progressing as planned.  Work is now shifting to what will be the inside of the building in the event arena where, if you drive by, you can see the beginnings of the steel structure for the 2600 seats. Curtain wall will begin next week and we will see the work force grow from a crew of approximately 60 workers to upwards of 200.   Behind the scenes, work has begun on the design of the score clock for the arena.  This clock will be a center ice clock that will have the capability to be raised out of view for concerts and events.  It is important to remember that the event arena will be more than just a place to skate; it will have the functionality to host large concerts and events providing new opportunities for our Region. 

 From steel we move to concrete block but not just your typical concrete block but rather one that has gained much excitement and momentum for the project and local supplier, Casey Concrete.  If driving by the site on McClures’ Mills Rd you will notice that masons are now on site installing concrete block but, the uniqueness of this particular block is that it contains recycled glass – window glass to be exact.  By recycling the window glass rather than sending it off to the landfill which is where it would traditionally end up, Casey Concrete has diverted 3000 tons of waste glass from the landfill to be used in their new concrete block.   The Central Nova Scotia Civic Centre is the first facility to use Casey Concrete’s new block and because of the block’s environmental advantages the project will benefit by achieving LEED ® (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) points towards its SILVER Designation goal.  Project staff is thrilled with the win-win benefits of including this new, local and environmentally friendly element in the facility.  When it is all said and done, a total of 180,000 blocks will be used in the new Centre creating what is sure to be a long lasting legacy of environmental sustainability for Central Nova Scotia.

Concrete block goes up on the arena side of the facility, facing McClure’s Mills Rd

Volunteers with the Ignite the Spirit Campaign continue to work towards achieving its $5 million campaign goal.  The campaign team is edging closer to yet another milestone, the $4 million mark but some work is still left to do so why wait, make a donation.  There are many ways to give all of which are outlined on our website www.ignitethespirit.ca or by calling the campaign office at 902.893.9706.  It will take the commitment of the entire community to help achieve our goal, so please consider a donation – big or small, every bit counts.  Stay tuned for the next community fundraising initiative of the Ignite the Spirit Campaign, it is sure to gain a lot of excitement and interest, more details to follow over the coming weeks.

If you have any questions, or comments that you would like to share, we can be reached through our website www.ignitethespirit.ca by email at ignitethespirit@colchester.ca or phone at 902.893.9706.  We appreciate hearing from you and are very thankful to everyone who takes the time to send along their comments and questions.