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Frequently
Asked Questions |
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Lacombe
Regional Centennial Centre is a fabulous new facility that many
residents may have questions about. A great amount of study and
consideration has been completed over the last several years to
determine what type of facility would best meet the needs of Lacombe and
area. These are some commonly asked questions and answers.
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1. |
How
much bigger is the new facility going to be compared to the old one? |
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footprint of the new building will be triple the square
footage of the existing facility. The old Lacombe Memorial Centre was 12,000
square feet in size. When the Lacombe Regional Centennial Centre is complete (including the main hall, lobby,
meeting/multiuse room and library) the total ground floor space will be
35,000 square feet. The second floor adds an additional 12,800 square feet.
The main hall will accommodate 25% more people for banquet-style
seating.
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| The main hall will accommodate 30% more people
in "row seating" than the old hall did. |
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| Seating capacity will more than double if all meeting rooms and
the main hall are being used.
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New
LRCC |
Old
LMC |
| Community
Centre Main Hall
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500 people
(banquet seating) |
375 |
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650
people (row seating)
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500
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| Multi-Use
Meeting Room
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200
people (banquet seating) |
None |
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250
people (row seating) |
None |
| Multi-Purpose
Room (upstairs)* |
70
people |
None |
| Service
Club Room (upstairs)*
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190
people |
None |
| FCSS
Office (upstairs)* |
30
people in new offices
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None |
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Note: Additional meeting rooms provide increased seating capacity |
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2. |
Will
there be an elevator to the second floor? |
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Yes.
An elevator will provide access to the second floor, and also provide food service
capability on the second floor.
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3. |
Is
the facility wheelchair accessible?
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Yes.
The main entrance is wheelchair accessible and will provide a covered
drop-off area directly in front of the main entrance. The second floor will be wheelchair accessible
via an elevator. The
elevator will be accessible either from the main lobby or a second
entrance on the north side that leads directly to the elevator.
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4. |
Will
the food preparation area be bigger?
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Yes.
The new kitchen will be larger, and the
layout will enable caterers to serve three or four
banquet areas simultaneously.
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5. |
Is
this a new building or a renovation of the old one?
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A
combination of both. The
Lacombe Memorial Centre will be renovated as the existing building is
structurally sound. The
new sections of the building include the addition of a
meeting/multipurpose room, lobby/ancillary space, fireside lounge and
library on the main floor. A
second floor over the library will include a multipurpose room, meeting
room and the new FCSS offices. |
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6. |
When
was the old Lacombe Memorial Centre closed?
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The
facility was not accepting bookings after February 1, 2006. Construction
is
already
well under way. |
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7. |
What is the completion date?
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The
goal is to complete and open the new facility by the spring of 2007. |
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8. |
How
much will it cost?
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Construction
costs will total $7 million.
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9. |
Where
will the money come from to build it?
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The money to build it will come from a
variety of sources including:
| Town
of Lacombe |
| Lacombe County |
| Provincial
Centennial
Legacies Grant |
| Other
government grants |
| Sale of
land (Parkland Place Building) |
| Library
Reserve Fund |
| Building
On Our Story fundraising
campaign |
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10. |
What
is the fundraising campaign goal?
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The
fundraising goal is $1.5 million, or approximately 22% of
the total project cost. |
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11. |
Will
there be more parking spaces?
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Yes. The present plan allows for 144 spaces, which is
slightly more than what currently exists. A covered drop-off area at the
main entrance will make it easier for
people to access the building.
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12. |
Will
the green areas around the existing facility be removed?
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Lest We Forget Park
is being carefully preserved and will remain an integral part of the LRCC project.
The Fireside Lounge will feature large windows facing the park with a view
of the cenotaph.
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13. |
Why
will the Library and FCSS office share the
same facility as the Community Centre?
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The
library is in urgent need of additional space, and would have to find a
new home in order to meet the increasing needs of our growing community.
The LRCC project seemed
like the perfect opportunity to develop a new, greatly expanded public library.
When completed, the new library will continue to serve the
community in a convenient and easily accessible downtown location.
Family
& Community Support Services programs have been expanding in recent
years, and that organization is also in urgent need of
additional office space. A
central downtown location provides an accessible location for the
organization's clientele.
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14. |
How
much bigger will the new library be?
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The
library will double in size. The new space will provide space for more
books, additional computer stations, programs for children and youth, reading areas, increased workspace for staff and a bright,
airy, open
environment for users.
Based
on Lacombe's current population of 10,850, the recommended size for a
library collection is 40,000 volumes.
Our library
presently has 28,560 books and no room for more. Doubling
the current square footage would enable the library collection to expand
its collection to meet
this standard, plus accommodate future growth.
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15. |
When
will fundraising begin?
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Public
fundraising began in the spring of 2006.
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