We are now less than one year away from the 2015 Pan and Parapan Am Games, which will hit the Greater Toronto Area next Summer. As the clock ticks down to the western hemisphere's premiere sporting spectacle, work continues on completing many of the venues that will play host to the games next year, including the Atos Markham Pan Am / Parapan Am Centre, located in Markham's nascent and growing Downtown.

Construction of the Pan Am facility in Downtown Markham, image by Jack Landau

Designed by B+H Architects, the large two-storey facility on Enterprise Drive just east of Kennedy Road is now topped off and fully sealed off from the elements by the building's precast concrete and glass envelope. The building's north facade facing Enterprise Drive features a colourful palette of vertical fins, which are now being installed above the ground floor.

Construction of the Pan Am facility in Downtown Markham, image by Jack Landau

The completed facility will contain a triple gymnasium with approximately 3,345 square-metres (36,000 square-feet) for training, competition and community use, as well as a 10-lane, 50-metre Olympic-sized swimming pool. The venue will feature 12.5-metre-high clear ceilings in the Centre’s field room, designed to meet international height requirements badminton, volleyball and other sports.

Construction of the Pan Am facility in Downtown Markham, image by Jimmy Wu

The facility will also feature several all-purpose rooms as well as meeting areas and a two-level fitness centre for community use. The 2.4-hectare property sits adjacent to the Unionville GO Station and the sports-focused Bill Crothers Secondary School. The Pan Am Centre's proximity to the GO Station will be crucial in moving attendees of the 2015 Games, while the site's proximity to Bill Crothers Secondary School will ensure that the building will remain integral to the community for years after the games conclude.

Construction of the Pan Am facility in Downtown Markham, image by Jimmy Wu

Additional information and renderings can be found in the project's dataBase file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment using the space provided at the bottom of this page.

Related Companies:  B+H Architects