The community of Gillam came together to celebrate a special milestone this fall – the reopening of the newly renovated Nelson River Aquatic Centre (NRAC).

The grand opening was held on October 18. Activities to mark the day included a ribbon cutting presentation, public swim, games, food and family fun. LM-ESP was pleased to take part in the ceremony and be involved in this important community project, led by the Town of Gillam and Manitoba Hydro.

“It marks the culmination of months of hard work, strategic planning, and cross-functional collaboration,” shared Manitoba Hydro. “With the pool being closed since 2018, this milestone reaffirms our commitment to continuous improvement and sets the stage for future growth.”

LM-ESP works on a wide array of civic and recreational projects, with a growing focus on revitalizing and upgrading aquatic environments. With swimming being a life skill, a great form of exercise and an activity for people of all ages to enjoy, these spaces add great value to the communities they serve, which is certainly the case for Nelson River Aquatic Centre.

“The reopening of the NRAC has provided our community with a valuable source of additional recreational opportunities,” shared the Town of Gillam. “For many residents, this will be a space to connect with friends and family members in a fun and leisurely way. For others, it will provide the pathway to develop important swim skills, for safety knowledge, employment advancements and more.”

From Manitoba Hydro’s perspective, the facility also has a retention benefit.

“We have many young families that look to work for Hydro and having this amenity can be the difference between someone moving here to work and live with their family,” shared Manitoba Hydro. “This has a greater impact as once they are here and working, most employees become part of the community and help with other programs their kids are in. The short answer is that this small piece helps create a community.

LM-ESP worked with Tower Engineering and Crosier Kilgour to assess and identify the strategic upgrades required to help bring this facility back online for inspired community use. Key priorities included enhancing user experiences, operational performance and ease of maintenance on-site.

An emphasis was placed on addressing year-round climate control and comfort within the facility. By upgrading the building envelope in select areas, including vapour barriers and insulation, the facility is now more resilient against both interior and exterior environmental conditions.

Another key priority was refreshing the pool environment. Updated lighting, replacing the pool liner, redoing pool markings and signage, replacing the slide, and adding a new platform were some of the improvements in the natatorium. Additionally, maintenance spaces and systems were carefully addressed to support improved access and enhance functionality.

“The choice to move the hot water tank and install a door has had a big impact on safety and proper maintenance,” shared Manitoba Hydro. “Further, this was only possible because of design and equipment changes in this room.  All these changes provide more space and promote a better and safer way to maintain this building.”

LM-ESP has been performing work in the community of Gillam for several years and the reopening of this recreational destination marks one of several influential projects our team has recently completed in the region.  It is fantastic to see the space reopen with significant, impactful updates for people to once again swim, play, develop their skills and connect with their neighbours.

“This reopening marks an important moment of celebration and renewal for Gillam,” shared the Town of Gillam. “This space will help to foster amazing potential for people to gather, learn and grow.”