Press Releases

St. Catharines, Ontario: What happens when a block-and-wood washroom in a public park looks woefully outdated next to the modern additions around it, including a new $20 million aquatic center? It’s replaced by a durable, visually-appealing custom precast concrete washroom. Situated in the heart of St. Catharines, Ontario, Lester B. Pearson Park is a community focal point. With a revitalization project breathing new life into the 27-acre park, visitor numbers spiked and the local Recreation Department wanted to continue the rehabilitation by replacing dated restroom facilities with a modern new structure. Looking to neighboring communities, city officials noticed that several municipalities had replaced old block-and-wood washrooms with precast buildings, so the city approached Hy-Grade Precast Concrete requesting a signature design.

Hy-Grade’s team worked with the city on several concepts and landed on a challenging but dynamic design that included an unconventional footprint with a pitched roof featuring compound joints. Using 3-D modeling, the precaster ensured the compound angles at the roof joints would precisely match. Hy-Grade, and Easi-Set licensed producer, also worked closely with the plumber and electrician to pre-form openings and penetrations for the fixtures, eliminating the need to drill core holes onsite.

Each panel of the Easi-Set Building has four different finishes and includes fine details around openings. After curing, all panels received a stain finish to match the city’s desired color scheme. Hy-Grade also designed and supplied custom columns and a steel structure to support the large roof overhang. Installers completed assembly of the seven exterior wall panels, eight interior partitions and four roof slabs in just five days. Hy-Grade’s innovative design and precision production emphasizes the amazing versatility of precast concrete in a building that will serve the community for many years to come.