In June 2013, Alberta experienced one of the worst floods in its history. Located alongside the Elbow River, the Talisman Recreation Centre experienced the full impact of the devastation. At the peak of the flood, the facility’s 3,700 square metre basement was engulfed with more than two metres of water, damaging the building’s mechanical and electrical equipment. Having proven our capabilities to the City of Calgary in the past, Bird was contracted by the municipality to complete the repairs in the most efficient way to reopen the facility as quickly as possible.

Through round-table discussions, Bird recommended the new ducting be placed above the Olympic-size pool. The challenge was that the system had to be installed over 35 metres high in the air. Bird contracted rope specialists to suspend and connect the duct work, while employing our stringent safe work procedures. A series of ropes and pulleys were used to hoist the aluminum ducts and installation experts to facilitate the installation.

Bird completed the building restoration in phases to allow unaffected areas to remain operational. Incorporating the new mechanical and electrical systems into a 30-year-old facility necessitated creative solutions by the team to integrate new technology and work through any issues on the fly — often working after hours to not impact daily operations of the centre.