The Centre in the Square (CITS) Washroom Replacement

The Centre in the Square is a popular performing arts venue in Kitchener with over 2,000 seats. Built around 1980, it hosts thousands of guests for live theatre and concerts. To update its facilities, the city selected GEN-PRO as the general contractor through a competitive public bidding process. Operating under a stipulated price agreement, our job was to strictly execute the plans provided by the client’s design team and modernize the washrooms across the entire building.

Project Description

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The Challenge

The main challenge of this project was working on 14 separate washrooms located on different floors of a public venue. Most of these spaces had not been updated in over 40 years. Because building codes and accessibility laws (AODA) have changed significantly since 1980, the design required changing the room’s layout. Our team had to manage plumbing and electrical updates across multiple levels while keeping the rest of the venue safe and clean.

Why This Project Was Essential

Public venues need accessible facilities to give visitors a great experience. Modernizing these washrooms was essential to bring the venue up to today’s accessibility standards. The venue ensured that all guests, including seniors and people with mobility needs, can enjoy events comfortably with redesigned room layouts, accessible stalls, and an upgraded plumbing system.Here’s how we transformed their existing facility into a modern, accessible space for venue guests:

Scope of Work

As the general contractor leading the physical work on site, GEN-PRO managed the complete renovation based on the provided plans:

Replace old tiles, counters, mirrors, and lighting in all 14 washrooms across the building.
Change the room layouts
Meet current Ontario building codes and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) standards.
Install modern, water-efficient toilets, sinks, and touchless faucets.
Update the underlying plumbing, ventilation, electrical wiring, etc. to support the new fixtures.
Leading plumbers, electricians, tile setters, and drywallers to finish the work to the exact specifications of the design team.

Conclusion

At GEN-PRO, we take pride in upgrading public facilities so they serve the community better. By winning this competitive contract, we provided the Centre in the Square with a reliable, budget-friendly construction solution. While we did not design the new layouts, our careful work on site ensured that all 14 washrooms were built to high standards and are ready for future audiences.