Engineers and inspectors on Salt Spring Island have uncovered wood rot and steel corrosion in the Rainbow Recreation Centre building’s exterior “envelope,” and parks staff warned the island’s elected officials that significant repairs must begin in the next five years — or face a risk of costly structural problems at the popular pool.
A building’s envelope is essentially the outer shell of a structure, explained Stantec architectural designer and project manager Michelangelo Pico, who told the island’s Local Community Commission (LCC) Thursday, June 5 they could think of it as the barrier that keeps the indoor and outdoor environments separated — things like exterior walls, windows and doors, he said.
Some damage to an exterior wall was discovered in 2022 while installing ducting as part of the centre’s electrical upgrades that year; thermographic scans at the time indicated some air leakage, and Pico said the problems didn’t seem to be limited to just that wall.
“Based on our assessment, we believe that this might not be just a localized issue but a systemic issue within the building envelope,” said Pico, who showed commissioners a series of architectural drawings indicating where moisture was being trapped within the stucco wall cavities. That moisture is leading to plywood sheathing rot, he said, which over time may lead to rot of the wood structure.
In addition to replacing ruined insulation — and eliminating stucco walls throughout, in favour of metal cladding — there will some repair needed at the rusted steel overhang decks on the exterior; Pico said that like stemmed from the hot, moist and chlorinated air from the pool finding its way out there.
“The materials we’re proposing are not particularly expensive, because we understand that cost is a concern,” said Pico. “I’m pretty positive we will have to proceed with the full replacement.”
The project’s cost could top $1.3 million, according to a staff report, an estimate inclusive of a 30 per cent contingency and an $85,000 allowance for any needed materials from the U.S. that may be subject to tariffs.
“This is a 17 year-old building,” mused LCC member Brian Webster. “It sounds pretty clear there were some things done in construction that contributed to a much earlier failure than should have been the case.”
Pico noted that while they had indeed found a vapour barrier installed on the wrong side of the wall, the design had also intended to allow moisture to escape freely from engineered gaps near the base of the walls.
“But at some point in time — we don’t know if during construction or maybe as a maintenance operation — someone sealed the bottom of the stucco,” said Pico. “So any water getting behind it was basically trapped.”
Senior manager Dan Ovington reported the pool’s capital reserve balance was not sufficient to cover the renewal project, meaning electors would have to approve borrowing to complete the repairs, ideally with a referendum in the fall.
Parks staff would plan to have work done during the regular pool shutdown next April, he said, to minimize disruption for pool users — an estimated 65,000 in 2024, according to a staff report.