Saanich Commonwealth Place - Dryland Expansion

Built for the 1994 Commonwealth Games held in Victoria, BC, this top ranked facilities popularity required a major expansion of its dryland areas to meet an ever increasing demand. The decision was made to build a two-storey addition on the north side with windows looking both outside and overlooking the existing pool to provide lots of natural light. Meanwhile, the 2,600 square-foot space that once housed the weight room has become a multi-purpose room for Tai Chi, yoga, and martial arts.

As a result, the expansion has created a 7,500 square-foot work out space on the upper floor and a teen centre on the main floor. The weight room has three times its previous space which allows for new and specialized equipment including 10 treadmills, 10 bikes, 5 elliptical trainers, 4 step machines, and 5 rowers. A kinesis wall, the second one in all of Canada, allows 360° ground-based movement with resistance that is ideal for all types of strength training and rehabilitation and is fully wheelchair accessible. This expanded facility now caters to elite athletes as well as those "regular" folk who enjoy working out.

The Upside Teen Centre features a home theatre, a recording studio, foosball, ping pong, pool table, giant chess/checkers board, and a pair of gaming bikes, essentially stationary cycles hooked to video game consoles. The teen centre can be booked for private parties that can spill out into the adjacent parking stalls through roll-up glazed garage doors.
The renovations helped Commonwealth Place to maintain their leading edge among South Vancouver Island recreation centres.