Construction Schedule Accelerated with Precast Concrete 

The Ponoka Community Learning Centre is a 12,300 sq ft building located at the north end of 50 Street in Ponoka, Alberta. The 3-storey building includes Ponoka’s Town Hall, the Ponoka Jubilee Library and a post-secondary educational learning centre.

Eagle Builders LP, based in Blackfalds, Alberta, produced a total of 260 hollowcore planks and 230 precast concrete panels (insulated load bearing precast panels) for the project. In addition to producing the precast concrete components, Eagle Builders LP was the main contractor responsible for overseeing the construction of the Community Learning Centre building. “The fact that Eagle specializes in precast concrete buildings gives Council greater confidence in the company’s ability and understanding of how to best incorporate Tenant Improvements in a precast concrete building with minimal issues or unexpected contingency costs,” says Mayor Rick Bonnett.

The architect opted to use formliners to create a stunning façade for the exterior of the building. The contrast between the light and dark colours used for the exterior create a slick and modern look and makes the Ponoka Community Learning Centre stand out in the landscape.

The erection of the precast concrete elements only took five weeks. The construction of the learning centre began in February 2018 and was completed by the end of August 2018.

By producing the components, off-site in a controlled environment, the owner was able to save time on the construction schedule. The speed of construction was one of the key highlights of the project with the construction taking only 6 months from breaking ground to occupancy.

The beauty of building with precast concrete is that you can achieve a structure that integrates resilience, safety, energy efficiency, accelerated construction and of course aesthetic appeal along with the Lowest Total Cost of Ownership.