Saskatoon Public School Division + Saskatchewan Polytechnic
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
The renovation of the Saskatoon Trades and Skills Centre at Mount Royal Collegiate was a complex project that highlighted the integration of both high school and post-secondary programs. One of the most significant new spaces in this facility was the introduction of a 62 space childcare centre run by Saskatchewan Polytechnic. This state-of-the-art facility is much more than just another childcare centre – it is also home to a first class teaching facility for Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s ELCC program. Working closely with both the operators and the teaching staff in the ELCC program, the design team created a plan that reflected not only the functional programming needs but also incorporated best practice philosophies for child centred design. Because of the teaching component, the centre included observation rooms to allow for visual and audio access into the spaces. These rooms were designed with specific attention to the sight lines to maximize the visual component of the “observation”. A key component to the centre was the outdoor learning space. A natural play space was created through the use a rubber path that looped around the play yard, large rocks, sand pits, water areas and natural plantings. This space resembles as close to a natural play environment as one can create in an enclosed play space.
