Set in a landscape of rolling glacial drumlins at Millbrook’s northern periphery, the Cavan Monaghan Community Centre is adjacent to the Town Hall, forming a civic suite that overlooks an intimate playground on a gentle incline.
The new community hub includes an arena and ample spaces for social gathering and recreation. Its program is organized around an NHL-size ice rink with six team change rooms, referees’ rooms, and one flex change room. A lofty, transparent social heart spans the building from east to west, visually connecting the arena to the fitness studio and community hall. Both of these spaces face north to overlook the playground through full-height glazing. A running track has continuous perimeter views to the rolling, glacial landscape. Diversity of spectator experience includes rinkside spectator seating, an upper-level standing room and viewing deck, and warm viewing at the lobby level.
Throughout the new facility, interiors are finished in black, white and the township’s signature green, with touches of wood to soften the modern aesthetic and create warm, inviting moments for gathering and socialization.
The community center is Illuminated by daylight in all principal spaces. A translucent insulated clerestory makes it possible to use the rink without artificial lighting. Additional sustainability strategies include the use of translucent wall systems instead of glass for improved R-value, a high-albedo roof ready for a future PV array, and heat recovery from the ice-pad chiller that can then be used in radiant flooring in the spectator areas and change rooms, for preheating domestic water, and for snow-melting sidewalks at the building entrance.
University of Connecticut Student Recreation Center
