Old Ottawa South Community Centre
The Old Ottawa South Community Centre Renovation and Expansion was completed in 2010 for the City of Ottawa Parks and Recreation department, and the Ottawa South Community Association. The existing heritage building was originally constructed as a firehall, but since the 1970s has been used as a community centre. The scope of work for the renovation included the gutting and reorganization of the existing interior spaces, improvement of barrier-free access, and the upgrading of mechanical and electrical systems. The expansion provides the community with a new multipurpose room for a wide range of programs.
The addition respects the heritage qualities of the existing building while accommodating the new requirements of a larger hall and new program spaces. A high level of community consultation was engaged throughout the design phase. This project is a strong example of collaboration between the consultant team and the user groups.
Sustainable features
The community centre addition and renovation includes many sustainable design features including high energy performance building envelope, regionally sourced materials with recycled content, and materials with low-VOC content. CSV was challenged to increase thermal performance in the existing building envelope while avoiding damage to the heritage masonry. Existing woodwork, masonry, windows, and doors were retained, refurbished, and reused wherever possible.