Amundsen Park Plaza

The Town of Claresholm wanted a gathering space in Amundsen Park for performances and community events. The site held an old swimming pool that had been buried about 17 years earlier. Premiere took out the old concrete pads and the top of the buried pool walls, then graded, compacted and poured a new concrete plaza.

The plaza has a slot drain tied into the existing storm sewer, a curved three-step edge along most of its perimeter and a ramp for wheelchair access. We also cored into the neighbouring building and ran conduit to three junction boxes for future power and audio. A separate contractor built the pavilion canopy on the pad.

There were surprises. Everyone assumed the old pool walls were concrete, but they turned out to be heavy steel. Crews dug out both sides and cut the steel out with torches and saws. The Town wanted the finished concrete to be one even colour, so all of it came from a single supplier. We built a custom forming system so the curved steps could be poured in one piece with no joints.

The concrete went in over six pours, and an independent testing firm checked the compaction and every pour. By working the schedule together with the canopy contractor, Premiere finished at the end of September 2022, about two months ahead of the Town’s grant deadline.

Building components

• Demolition of old pads and buried steel pool walls
• Compacted crushed gravel base
• Slot drain with four drain boxes to the existing storm manhole
• Curved three-riser concrete step edge, poured without joints
• Accessible concrete ramp
• Conduit to three junction boxes for future electrical and audio
• Light broom finish, saw cut, washed and sealed