Town of Whitecourt - Request for Proposal - Outdoor Classrooms and Forest Interpretive Centre Playground Replacement

The Town of Whitecourt, Alberta, is a dynamic community located approximately 180 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, serving a population of just under 10,000 residents, with an additional 2,500 residents in the surrounding area. The Town has secured grant funding to design and construct two outdoor classroom structures that will support expanded environmental education and community programming. Forestry is a primary industry in Whitecourt and is central to the community’s economic and cultural identity. The proposed outdoor classrooms will support educational programming related to forestry practices, sustainable forest management, and the integration of recreation within working forest landscapes. The facilities are intended to serve school groups, community organizations, and municipal programs while enhancing public understanding of the boreal forest environment. The outdoor classrooms will be constructed at two municipal sites: the Forest Interpretive Centre and Festival Park. Both locations currently host school field trips, community events, and the Town’s summer day camp programs. The Town is seeking proposals from qualified firms with experience in the design and construction of outdoor recreational or educational structures suitable for public use in northern climates. In addition to the outdoor classrooms, the Town is also seeking replacement of the playground equipment at the Forest Interpretive Centre (FIC). As a result of community growth and long-term planning, the Town of Whitecourt has a 20-year replacement plan for playgrounds, replacing one playground annually and supplementing other parks spaces on an as needed basis. Proponents may choose to submit a proposal for the Outdoor Classrooms, the Forest Interpretive Centre Playground replacement or both. If submitting a proposal for both the Outdoor Classroom and Playground replacement at the Forest Interpretive Centre, there is potential to continue a theme through both projects.