“If you’ve seen the old building,” says Tim Garrett, “it’s like day and night.”
by Scott Messenger
Manager of Alberta Motor Association properties, Garrett doesn’t show a hint of nostalgia for the squat, log cabin-like structure that was the AMA’s north Edmonton home since 1957. Really, it’s an unfair comparison. The new Kingsway Centre, opened August 2009 to serve member’s automotive, insurance, finance and travel needs, is strikingly modern, and as efficient as it is attractive. Geothermal units cover the majority of heating and cooling needs, light sensors limit power use, low-flush plumbing saves water and transfer systems pull heat from those south-facing windows to the cooler north side (which features a facade of Rundle rock from Canmore). For the crew responsible for repair and maintenance of AMA’s 18 locations across Alberta, the new building is a blessing. “It’ll give me some time to focus on the other ones we have to keep up with,” says Garrett.
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