Don Wheaton YMCA

When the Edmonton YMCA was in the building phase of their cornerstone downtown Don Wheaton YMCA facility, the parkade of the facility was to be open to public parking months before the grand opening of the facility. Unfortunately, the initial sign company chosen for the new build had been unsuccessful in providing proper wayfinding for the new parkade.

Having completed numerous parkade wayfinding systems in downtown Edmonton and the surrounding area, Pinpoint was contacted by the construction site superintendent to consult on wayfinding for the new parkade, which would be open to the public before completing the facility above ground. The timing was crucial.

A wayfinding campaign ideally takes shape at the groundbreaking phase of a construction project in its entirety. Unfortunately, starting with the parkade was less than ideal. With parkade wayfinding being behind schedule, the challenge presented was to phase in the parkade wayfinding with the expedited construction schedule while creating new facility wayfinding where the necessary cues and environmental information must be organic as the facility takes shape.

The YMCA brand was taken into careful consideration. As their flagship health facility, this was an opportunity to establish a new wayfinding design that could be carried over into existing facilities throughout the region.

Having met the tight timeline for the parkade opening day and simultaneously complete design and wayfinding for the rest of the build, Pinpoint was commissioned to carry over the new wayfinding systems for all other YMCAs in the northern Alberta region.

Today, all northern Alberta YMCA facilities have a cohesive and well-branded wayfinding system that carries their brand and messaging to their members.