Gerry Wright Operations and Maintenance Facility

Supporting TransEd Civil Joint Venture’s vision for the Edmonton Valley Line LRT, Arcadis IBI Group provided concept visioning, design development, project management and construction phase services support for the Gerry Wright Operations and Maintenance Facility. As the architect for the building, we designed a space that accommodates the storage and repair of light rail transit train cars. The facility is an integral part of the transit system’s network that offers a functional, sustainable space for repairs.

The building’s design consists of three distinct zones that serve critical functions for the facility. The Maintenance Zone is characterized by a grouping of five tracks that are exclusively used for heavy-duty maintenance repairs. The Central Zone on the other hand, is dedicated to office space and a lunchroom that is located above the facility’s mechanical and electrical plant. Finally, the Storage Zone is characterized by a grouping of six tracks and features design elements that enhance vehicle storage and light maintenance work.

Sustainability and functionality were two of the design’s main goals. The height of the building created an opportunity to collect and harness waste heat that acts as an additional energy source. We also designed and manufactured custom rubber gaskets for each catenary cable to retain the building envelope’s integrity and eliminate heat loss.

A colour designation system easily identified each working zone with its purpose, improving the facility’s functionality. We located staff and visitor parking within a loop of the train tracks required for maintenance, lowering the facility’s footprint. Finally, we purposefully designed the facility’s surrounding landscape to guide visitors into the building and feature its surrounding scenery.

Ultimately, our LEED Silver certified design created a space optimized to support the services required to keep the Edmonton Valley Line LRT running with minimal disruption.