Red Crow Community College

With a strong commitment to meeting the cultural, educational and training needs of the Blackfoot community, Red Crow Community College (RCCC) has delivered an exceptional educational experience to Indigenous and non-Indigenous students for over 30 years.  Through the thoughtful expansion of new academic and continued learning programs, RCCC’s goal of employment for Indigenous youth enhances communities by inspiring inclusion and elevating the quality of life, expanding employment opportunities across Southern Alberta. After Red Crow Community College’s main campus was destroyed in a fire in 2015, along with many cultural relics and documents, the College has been operating out of an existing educational facility in Stand Off, Alberta.

Understanding the need for a new state-of-the-art facility with the ability to empower students to pursue their education infused with Indigenous culture, Williams Engineering (WE) was honoured to partner with Kasian Architecture on this unique opportunity as mechanical, electrical and sustainability consultants. This new facility includes new classrooms and workshops, learning commons, cultural gathering space, student academic and counselling spaces and a new central space intended for Elders. Overcoming the challenge of creating an inclusive space, WE provided innovative designs for the plumbing, heating and cooling, ventilation, lighting, communications and fire alarm systems for the building. To support the College’s goal of long-term sustainability, WE also provided Climate Lens Assessments for the site, including a Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Assessment and a Climate Change Resilience Assessment to aid in informed decision-making during the planning and design stages of the project.

This new facility creates an inclusive space for each member of the community to discover and pursue new inspirations, build life-long connections and practice resiliency. The functional design of the school has dedicated learning and gathering spaces, supporting the preservation of the Blackfoot identity.  This new campus creates an environment to share language and teachings with future generations while delivering the highest standard of education rooted in a strong culture.