New recreation
center stands tall |
At just
over 62,000 square feet, the new Laramie Community Recreation Center,
located on a 24-acre site within the recently developed Turner Tract
in Colorado, features state-of-the-industry recreation and aquatic
areas. Built by hometown architect Bob McDonald and Ohlson Lavoie
Collaborative, he worked tirelessly with the city and the community
to design a recreation center that encompasses everyone's plans.
The aquatic
components include an outdoor leisure pool, slide and an indoor
aquatic park. The eight-lane, 25-yard competitive pool was originally
planned to be added well after the center opened, when additional
funds became available. However, the competitive swimmers in and
around Laramie just couldn't wait, and helped raise the funds to
have the pool built concurrently with the center.
The exterior design is inspired
by the windswept plains that are an integral part of southern Wyoming.
The glass windows reflect the dramatic colors of bright blue sky
and rich red rock the area is known for. Says McDonald, "I
knew from the start that this would be one of the most memorable
projects I'd ever work on, and I hope that everyone in Laramie is
as excited as I am about this center." The center opened to
charter members on Oct. 2 and to the general public on Oct. 4, with
the grand opening festivities taking place Oct. 23.
|
