St. Mary’s Catholic/Fort Vermilion Public School
Situated in Fort Vermilion, we are currently constructing the addition and renovation of St. Mary’s Catholic School/ Fort Vermillion Public School. This project will see the addition of a modern, single-storey wing, encompassing six state-of-the-art classrooms, contemporary washrooms, and a top-notch mechanical penthouse. Spanning approximately 914m², this addition complements the planned interior renovations of the existing Fort Vermilion Public School, which cover an area of about 2,718m².
Once finished, the school will be able to hold up to 300 students from kindergarten to grade 12. To not interrupt student learning we developed a phased construction approach so that students could continue going to school while we worked on each section of the school. We look forward to fully finishing by August 2024.
Onchaminahos Elementary School
The Onchaminahos Elementary School in Saddle Lake, Alberta, exemplifies a commitment to sustainable design and an Indigenous culturally relevant and inclusive space, aiming to ‘live lightly upon the earth.’ This two-storey, 350-student facility seamlessly combines concrete and mass timber construction with innovative features.
Internally, the school features a gym, fully-equipped kitchen, interior slide, elders’ room, fireplace gathering area, and concrete bleachers forming a social stair. The social stair features a large mural crafted by local artist Wade Stamp that serves as a timeless reminder of the Saddle Lake community’s resilience pride, and commitment to fostering a welcoming and nurturing educational environment for the children.
Externally, phenolic panels and an SBS roof enhance durability and energy efficiency. Sustainable elements include mass timber, triple-pane windows, solar panels, high-end mechanical systems, and LED lighting. Large windows ensure ample natural light. The landscaping and playground offer climbing structures, slides, a sledding hill, outdoor teaching tables, a rock-encircled fire pit, and gravel walking paths.
JEN COL allocated over 44% of the project hours to Indigenous trades and local Indigenous community members, with two joining our apprenticeship program. JEN COL also invested over $900,000 into local materials and equipment from Indigenous trades and businesses in the area, demonstrating a comprehensive community engagement and partnership approach.
Q-Kids Childcare Centre
The Q-Kids Childcare Centre is a modern 442m² facility in Quesnel, British Columbia, designed to accommodate up to 57 children. It includes dedicated spaces for infants, toddlers (30 months to school-age), and after-school kids. The facility also features areas like a nap room, kitchen, laundry, staff room, and office.
Notably, the childcare facility boasts interior pitched roofs, unique lighting, and varied window layouts for an appealing and creative environment. Safety is a priority with secure perimeter fencing and well-designed playgrounds for outdoor playtime.
Sustainability was a key focus in the construction of this project, achieved through insulated concrete forming (ICFs) for energy efficiency, occupancy sensors for resource optimization, and the reuse of wood hoarding materials in the structure. This daycare centre combines modern amenities with eco-conscious principles to provide a nurturing and sustainable childcare environment.
Prairie Sky K-9 School
Prairie Sky School is a brand new two-storey K-9 school located in Calgary, Alberta. This modern K-9 educational facility spans 7,592m² and accommodates up to 900 students. The school offers a multitude of innovative learning spaces, including specialized classrooms, open-concept areas, and two gymnasiums. The hub of the school is a bustling central learning commons just off the school’s main entry alongside the drama room and band room.
Our commitment to sustainable construction practices was integral to this project. We successfully diverted over 75% of waste away from landfills during the construction process. Furthermore, the school was designed and built with LEED® Silver certification in mind, meeting rigorous standards for sustainable site development, energy efficiency, materials selection, indoor environmental quality, water conservation, and transportation requirements, aligning with the high-performing benchmarks set by LEED® sustainability builds.
Numerous shared spaces have been designed to enhance the educational experience for students. Flexible labs, breakout rooms and collaboration areas foster a dynamic learning environment. Additionally, the STEM wing of the school has dedicated spaces to subjects such as science, construction, art, computer labs, culinary arts, fashion design and maker spaces.
Some unique attributes of this project include wayfinding on floors and maps on stairwells, skyfolding doors, and molok bins for cleaner and safer waste management. We also installed 42 fan coil closets throughout the school instead of having them in the ceiling space to make for quieter classrooms and to provide easier access to the fans for maintenance. A large 3-panel aluminum door in the gym is also a key unique feature that allows quicker access to the gym for school assemblies.
Alexander K-12 School
Alexander School Kipohtakaw Education Centre includes a 1,600m2 renovation and 957m2 addition to the existing facility. The school’s new design provides a safe, enabling and nurturing environment for 379 students and 61 teachers/staff, regardless of individual challenges, to deliver quality education opportunities for all members of the school and the larger community.
JEN COL is A True Indigenous Construction Partner… learn more.
Quesnel Junior School
The Quesnel Junior School is a two-storey, 6,331m² modern junior high school located in Quesnel, British Columbia. The school has the presence of wood throughout the interior and exterior of the school, creating a warm and inviting environment. The aluminum cladding establishes a modern yet familiar look.
The learning environment includes modern classrooms, learning studios, science labs, a learning stair, a large gym with a 20-foot video screen, soccer and baseball fields, and a smudge room. Overhead garage doors and operable walls between the studios enhance collaborative learning opportunities.
The school includes a broad range of creative elective spaces for the students to learn hands-on skills, including spaces like a woodshop, stagecraft studio, drama theatre, two concrete amphitheatres, robotics lab, home economics, and music room.
The school is designed with sustainability in mind, with insulated 14-inch walls to provide energy efficiency. The school also features a 100kW PV solar panel array, alongside various heat pumps and energy-efficient equipment to minimize energy consumption.
The facility also incorporates a new neighbourhood learning centre that will provide child care and other local community programming.
Outside, the school’s landscaping incorporates local plants from the Quesnel region, creating a beautiful and thoughtful outdoor learning space.
Fort McMurray 468 Community Building
Amidst the breathtaking surroundings of Gregoire Lake, we are currently constructing the build of the Fort McMurray 468 First Nation’s new Community Building. This dynamic project is currently taking shape and is set to become the heart and soul of the Fort McMurray 486 First Nation community.
Rather than merely serving as a gathering place, the Community Building is destined to be a vibrant hub where community members connect, learn, celebrate, and heal. This multifaceted facility is designed to fulfill a wide range of roles, from hosting cultural events and educational programs to nurturing leadership and empowerment.
Within its walls, an array of amenities awaits, including a gymnasium, an artisan shop cafe, an indoor playground, a fitness center, change rooms, an elders’ room, a community gathering space, a spacious balcony with breathtaking views, board rooms, and office spaces.
Anticipated to open its doors in early spring 2025, the Fort McMurray Community Centre is poised to be the vibrant epicenter of the local community, fostering connections and enriching lives in numerous ways.
Dale Fisher Arena Expansion
The Dale Fisher Arena in Devon is undergoing a significant expansion project that will add a full second sheet of ice, new dressing rooms, and a unified, energy-efficient plant. In addition, a second parking lot will be added to the west of the arena.
The arena twinning project will not only increase the facility’s size, but also significantly contribute to the community’s growth and development, creating a wide range of exciting opportunities.
According to Jeff Craddock, Mayor of Devon, “This arena expansion means so much to our community as it will double our capacity to host large-scale tournaments and provide economic benefits with more families drawn to Devon to play in the new arena.”
During the hockey season, the original ice rink will remain open to the public while we work on expanding the area. We are committed to bringing the twin arena project to life by spring of 2024.
Sullivan Stone Condominiums
The Sullivan Stone ski hill condominium underwent a full envelope reconstruction to address exterior molding, water damage, and rotting issues. JEN COL completed a comprehensive building envelope replacement project for all four condo buildings, ensuring long-lasting integrity.
Despite all 21 condos being fully occupied during the entire project, we prioritized safety and maintained effective communication with residents and condo board members throughout. To minimize disruption, we implemented various measures, including reducing the time balconies were inaccessible, providing bi-weekly updates for the Strata to share with residents, and exclusively working during regular working hours. These efforts paid off, as we received no complaints from residents or the condo board throughout the entire reconstruction process.
The newly reconstructed exteriors of all four ski-in condominiums were expertly constructed to withstand the test of time. Our commitment to safety, quality, and efficiency ensures that Sullivan Stone condominiums will continue to be a premier choice for residents seeking ski-in access at the Kimberley Alpine Resort.
Folkstone Place Affordable Seniors Housing
Folkstone Place is Stony Plain’s first affordable housing facility for seniors and emerging seniors. The 5,591m², 4-storey wood structure, Folkstone Place is an affordable housing apartment with 63 separate living spaces – 41 single units and 22 two-bedroom units – plus a 43-car underground parkade. As it is a senior and emerging senior facility, particular focus was taken in terms of design and build for accessibility. All units and common areas were designed and built for convenient, usable and enjoyable support of “aging-in-place.” The plan also provides spaces for programming, community functions, meetings, private events and a public-use area with access to an outdoor deck for residents and the community.