John Fry Sports Park Pavilion

John Fry Sports Park boasts several of the City of Edmonton’s premiere baseball diamonds, as well as providing outdoor park space for multiple other activities. As described by the City of Edmonton, “[the park] is a staffed, world-class, multi-use, ball facility that has hosted numerous World Class and Canadian Championship level events.”

The new John Fry Sports Park Pavilion was designed to provide a new multipurpose amenity building as well as site improvements and additional parking. In collaboration with the Marc Boutin Architectural Collaborative, Williams Engineering (WE) provided mechanical, electrical and civil engineering services for the design and construction administration of the new pavilion. The new building includes six team change rooms, complete with washrooms and showers, a change room and shower area for sports officials, new public washrooms and a small office area for parks operations and maintenance staff. A concession was also included in the building, which can be rented out by teams or tournament organizers, and the shape of the building creates a covered courtyard to act as a hub for spectators and event participants.

A unique feature of the building design includes the use of Kalwall, semi-translucent panels, in the construction of the change room walls. The walls are opaque for complete privacy but allow ample light to pass through for interior illumination. During the daytime hours, this makes for wonderfully day-lit change room interiors. After dark, the effect is reversed, and the interior lighting gives the building walls a soft glow and the appearance of a paper lantern within the park. The interior lighting was designed to use uplight as much as possible while factoring in the rugged use of the space. The public courtyard can be closed securely when not in use by a unique set of large, architecturally designed pivoting doors.

WE is proud to have provided the necessary engineering services to the City of Edmonton to ensure this civic structure provides a unique and fulfilling experience for the public.