Ottawa River Runnners’ PumphouseAugust 19, 2016

A Barry J. Hobin & Associates Architects team, including Barry Hobin, Doug Brooks, Hugo Latreille, and led by Rheal Labelle, is working with Douglas Corkery, the President of the Ottawa River Runners (ORR) on the development of a new Storage Pavilion and Clubhouse for their Pumphouse Race and Training Facility – training home of the National CanoeKayak Canada team, including Olympians Michael Tayler (2012, 2016) and Cameron Smedley (2016). Douglas Corkery’s tremendous efforts in leading the discussions with the National Capital Commission (NCC) and the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) as well as in obtaining an Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant to help fund the construction of this facility has been a major achievement and key conributor in the materialization of this project.

The Hobin connection to ORR began with Doug’s son James who was once a competitive whitewater slalom paddler (training and competing with Tayler at the Pumphouse) and Coach. The firm’s work with the group began as a means to provide expertise that would help the Ottawa River Runners negotiate with local authorities (City of Ottawa, NCC) to allow a more suitable clubhouse and storage

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facility to be built at the site and has evolved to include complete architectural design and project support.

One of the best whitewater courses in Canada, the Pumphouse attracts competitors and spectators from around the world and will be the site of the 2017 National Championships. Located near downtown Ottawa at the North end of Lebreon Flats, The Pumphouse is distinctive in its urban positioning which makes it easy to access and means that athletes can train full time while attending school and/or working nearby.

Operating at the Pumphouse site since the mid 1980s, the ORR facility provides a class 2 whitewater site, as well as a moving water beginners area below where the outflow meets the Ottawa River at Victoria Island. Site upgrades, including removal of contaminated soil (a legacy of its industrial past), stabilization of earthen banks and landscaping to blend into the LeBreton Flats renewal, were completed between 2004 to 2008.

ORR has been using large metal shipping-type containers as both storage and change rooms for nearly 20 years. These temporary facilities do not include bathroom amenities (though porta potties are onsite nearby), offer no protection from the elements and provide little to no privacy for changing. In advance of the 2017 National Championships, the Hobin team has designed an almost 3,000 sq. ft. facility that will not only provide proper and comfortable shelter and storage, but will integrate with the landscape in an environmentally friendly way, and will be movable, should the need arise.

The location of the new building was carefully studied and will ultimately minimize impact on the site while maximizing views and vistas from both the new building and surrounding areas. The building and landscape are fused together to insert an iconic form that will represent the ORR organization for years to come into the existing setting.

Careful consideration was given to the landscaping of the area by landscape architect Gerry Laroque (NOVATECH Engineers) who chose to enhance the existing hardy and native plant species already on site today by incorporating them into the overall landscape plan. The plan also includes an extensive land-scape buffer surrounding the building’s wood and metal clad perimeter in order to make the building a part of this landscape experience with a seamless inte-gration.

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The appropriate NCC and City of Ottawa approvals have been obtained and construction is expected to be complete in time for the 2017 National Cham-pionships. While the eyes of the country are on our men and women competing in Rio at the 2016 Olympics, the Hobin team is looking to the future to do what we can to ensure that our whitewater athletes have the facility and support they need to remain competitive at the highest levels.

Detailed renderings

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This article was originally published on the Barry J. Hobin & Associates Architects Inc. blog at: http://www.hobinarc.com/blog/?p=546

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