April 26, 2006

UNBC has signed the official design/build agreement with a consortium of companies on behalf of the City of Prince George and Northern Sport Centre Limited, clearing the way for construction to begin at the UNBC campus. The deal was reached with Giffels Design and Construction, NORR Ltd., Chernoff Thompson Architects, and Western Industrial Contractors of Prince George.

Working out details of the facility ahead of construction brings a number of advantages to the project:

• Guaranteed maximum price of $30.75 million, including design and build, procurement and project management costs
• Guaranteed opening date by September, 2007
• Increase in scope from the original concept of the facility
• Assurance of high performance specifications for all playing surfaces to ensure that the facility will be able to host provincial and national competitions.

The Northern Sport Centre will include a three-court gymnasium with seating for 2000, two indoor fields, an elevated 280-metre indoor track, an expanded fitness centre, two squash courts, ten offices for coaches, a seminar room for coaching clinics, physiotherapy and strength training facilities, and connection to the trail network on Cranbrook Hill.

“This agreement represents the culmination of months of negotiation and discussion about what the Northern Sport Centre will be,” says Cliff Dezell, the Chair of Northern Sport Centre Limited, the corporation set up by the City and UNBC to oversee the project. “Given the escalating construction costs we’ve seen at other projects around the province, the guarantees we’ve achieved for the NSC are significant. The signing of this agreement opens the door for our Operations Subcommittee to begin meeting with community and sport groups on their projected usage of the facility.”

“We’ve been chasing the dream of a full-scale sports facility at UNBC since 1995. Today, as a result of hard work and strong partnerships, that dream is one step closer to being realized,” said Dr. Charles Jago, President of Northern Sport Centre Limited and of UNBC.

“The City of Prince George is proud to be a partner in the Northern Sport Centre as it will benefit the whole community by creating new opportunities for local athletes as well as attracting top-calibre athletes and students from around the world,” said Mayor Colin Kinsley. 

Click here for detailed floor plans and conceptual designs. 

Contact:    

Cliff Dezell, Chair, Northern Sport Centre Ltd. – 250.564.8530