STAFF WRITER
– The GTA Construction Report Special Feature
Brouwer Construction is nearing substantial completion on the new two-storey Royal Rose Place in Welland. The 96-bed long-term health care home, adjacent to an existing medical centre, has been designed both to meet existing demand and future growth.
Brouwer owner Al Brouwer says the building has been designed to accommodate a third storey, as well as a single-storey connecting link which will facilitate the addition of a future new building which could occupy a landscaped area on the site. “The site plan has been designed for this future expansion and the design team has done a good job of co-ordinating services for a future expansion.”
He says the City of Welland was pleased to have the site – previously a Canadian Tire – utilized again, adding that the work of removing the previous parking lot, site servicing and building up the land created some challenges. “We also poured the foundation in the coldest winter in recent history.”
He says other challenges included neighbours adjacent on both sides which necessitated the use of a larger crane to reach the site’s rear.
Brouwer says the masonry, precast and structural steel were fairly typical.
What was also typical, but more complicated, were the mechanical and electrical requirements. A long-term care home is required to meet ministry standards and include items like a full scale kitchen, serveries, nurses call system and security systems. The interior composition is dense, requiring significant co-ordination of all essential services.
He says the work requires close co-ordination of all of the trades with experience in similar projects. The majority of the trades were from the area and most, he says, have previously worked with Brouwer.
A new partnership on this project however was the client and the architect — Jarlette Health Services out of Penetanguishene, and Ted Handy and Associates Inc. Architects from Barrie.
“They were both great to work with. Jarlette has experience in the field so they knew what they wanted and needed and the architect did a great job of delivering,” Brouwer said.
