Leave it better: fitting in with nature; a recreation facility is built with a small footprint and a big impact.

Project:

The Firstenburg Community Center, Vancouver, Wash.

Problem:

According to Vicki Vanneman, director of the center, the City of Vancouver annexed a portion of adjoining Clark County in 1997, effectively doubling Vancouver's size. After annexation, the newly-acquired east side of the city lacked park and recreation facilities, leaving residents with amenities like a swimming pool that was a 20-minute drive to the other side of Vancouver.

Solution:

The first order of business was to build more parks on the east side of the city. "The second effort was to begin planning a recreation facility out on the east side so that public recreation services could be provided," Vanneman says. But the steering committee, composed of citizens and representatives of many interested businesses and organizations, had specific goals concerning environmental impacts. "They wanted the building to fit in with the community at large and with the environment--the green infrastructure that was already in place," she says. "The architects [Portland's Opsis Architecture] were very supportive of that and were real believers in sustainable design."

Design:

Aspects of the building that are considered "sustainable" include its location among existing woodlands and its energy-efficient construction, which will save the park district more than 30 percent in utility costs during the life of the building. Many of the building materials are creatively nature-conscious, such as benches made from wood reclaimed from the few trees the center displaced, or the flooring made from flaxseed oil. In addition, the toilets re-use pool water while the urinals use none at all. The facility has been constructed to attain a pending Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) certification, which is a benchmark status granted by the U.S. Green Building Council for whole-building sustainability.

Partnerships and Costs:

The City of Vancouver approved the use of Real Estate Excise Tax dollars for capital expenses for the center in 2002, covering most of the funding for the $21.1 million building. Private donations provided a $165,000 climbing wall with general contributions marked by brick courtyard pavers. The building's name was created after a $3 million contribution. Fitness company Nautilus donated $250,000 of equipment.

Timeline:

A citizen steering committee initiated the idea in 1998 and the plan for the building was completed a year later. The design process spanned all of 2003, and by June of 2004 the construction contract was awarded, which started the ball rolling toward the new facility that opened the last week of February.

Community impact:

Beyond the importance of serving a growing community in need of a vital recreation facility, Vanneman says the economic benefits will quickly appear. "There is a little premium on the capital, but the benefits down the road are anticipated to be significant," she says.