Dene Tha’ Women’s Shelter

Currently under construction, the Dene Tha’ Women’s Shelter is being built as a vital sanctuary for Indigenous women and children, offering a secure and supportive space for those in need. Covering 815m², this shelter is designed to offer more than just accommodation; it will provide a nurturing environment for healing and empowerment.

The shelter will feature a range of facilities to support its residents, including a multi-purpose room for activities, a spacious dining area, a kitchen and pantry, and a cozy lounge. It will also include a dedicated childcare room, office spaces, and a laundry room. The shelter will have 10 private rooms, each with an ensuite bathroom, ensuring privacy and comfort for all who stay.

Set to open in the summer of 2025, the Dene Tha’ Women’s Shelter will be an important resource for Indigenous women in the community, providing a safe and nurturing environment where they can find support and build brighter futures.

Vermilion Valley Seniors Lodge

Located in Vermilion, Alberta, the Vermilion Valley Seniors Lodge has 84 rooms and provides level 3 care for supportive living. The existing lodge had been built in the early 1960’s and needed structural upgrades to meet the needs of the tenants as well as needed more space to accommodate growing seniors population.

JEN COL worked on this project in two phases: Phase 1 consisted of demolishing an existing wing and constructing a new core building which included 16 private suites, a commercial kitchen and common areas, dining room, laundry facilities and administrative offices. Phase 2 comprised the demolition of two other existing wings and new construction of a single wing with 36 private suites.

JEN COL participated in an in-depth pre-construction and budgeting process prior to the final approval of the project. During this process, we provided constructability and value engineering expertise to assist the project team in aligning the project with the approved project budget and expectations of the finished product.

To maintain schedule and budget this project was tendered in two packages which allowed for early mechanical and electrical disconnects and demolition of wing C. Overall, taking a phased tender package approach contributed to a one-month savings in project schedule.

The completed Vermilion Valley Seniors Lodge can now accommodate many more residents and has additional comfort and modern amenities. Residents now enjoy modern suites, upgraded common areas, and convenient facilities. The new administrative offices ensure efficient management, further enhancing the living experience.

Bonnyville Centralized High School

This was a phased project consisting of a complete renovation of the existing 6,168m², two-storey Bonnyville Centralized High School building, addition of a new gym, storage room and change rooms, common area, student flex space, health and beauty salon, CTS lab and a new servery. The addition was 1,200m². Site work consisted of all new hardscape, parking lot, completely new building envelope, new curtain walls and fresh new landscaping.

This project was designed and constructed to achieve LEED^® Silver certification. Sustainable features include solar panels, low flush toilets and sinks, advanced control system to maximize energy savings, improved exterior wall insulation assemblies and storm water retention. To help achieve certification, 72% of waste was diverted from the landfill, an indoor air quality plan was carefully monitored, site containment and wash off areas were in place, all excess fill was removed to prevent erosion and strict site cleaning measures and guidelines were kept.

The Bonnyville Centralized High School project demonstrates JEN COL’s ability to complete projects ahead of schedule while ensuring the safety of students, staff and visitors throughout construction in the occupied and operational school. The school was originally a four-phase project. By identifying an opportunity to shorten the schedule by rephasing the project, work was combined into two phases which allowed the project to be completed five months ahead of schedule. Construction was completed while the school was fully occupied and operational.

École Le Ruisseau K-12

The École Le Ruisseau K-12 School was built to replace an existing school in the town of Brooks, Alberta. The foundation of the building is constructed using cast-in-place concrete and the school structure is comprised of concrete block bearing walls and structural steel.

There are twelve classrooms in total, six of which have folding panel partitions. The school has a stage/drama theatre on one side of the gym, a spacious food classroom and a large flex space that can be divided into two separate spaces using a skyfold or vertical rising partition. The gymnasium has block walls that are almost 10 meters high and it is equipped to facilitate basketball, volleyball and badminton. A gym divider is also available to separate the gym space into two spaces if necessary. École Le Ruisseau school also has a maker space room and two ECS classrooms. The administrative area spaces include reception, offices, and a lounge.

This project is certified LEED^® Gold and has been designed to accommodate future expansion. Some of the green features of this project include solar roof panels, shielded exterior lighting fixtures, electrical vehicle charging stations, water-conserving fixtures, high energy efficiency electrical and mechanical systems, as well as low-emiting painting, flooring materials, ceiling and insulation materials. We diverted 78.1% of waste from the landfill during this project through multiple sustainable methods.

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 labour hours to Indigenous trades and local Indigenous community members, with two joining our apprenticeship program. JEN COL also invested over $900,00 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.