Ontario Consulting Engineering Awards

AccoladesVolume 14 2019

WILLIS CHIPMAN AWARD WINNER:

John G. Cooke & Associates Ltd. Government Conference Centre Rehabilitation

Volume 14 2019 3

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Volume 14 2019 5

6 Willis Chipman award

awards of Excellence 8 Award of Excellence 1-50 Employees

10 Award of Excellence 51-100 Employees

12 Award of Excellence 101-350 Employees

14 Award of Excellence 351+ Employees

ceo.on.ca

Contents Volume 14 2019

All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any

means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the Consulting

Engineers of Ontario.

Articles and information in this magazine represent the opinions of the writers and the information that, to the best of our knowledge, was

accurate at the time of writing.

Published by:

www.mediaedgepublishing.com

Sales Executives Brenda Ezinicki, Ashley Huston

Editor Steve Pecar

Association Editor Shelley Bahorie

Contributing Writer Steve Pecar

Publisher Michael Bell

Branch Manager Nancie Privé

Design Specialist Steve Pecar

President Kevin Brown

Senior Vice President Robert Thompson

@ConsultingEngON linkedin.com/company/consulting-engineers-of-ontario

20

12

26

awards of Merit

16 Building Engineering & Science

18 Environment

20 Project Management

22 Studies & Research

24 Transit

26 Transportation Structural

28 award Finalists

33 award nominees

38 professional services Directory

Accolades is printed on 10% post-consumer FSC certified paper using soya based inks. When necessary to mail an issue in an enclosure, we use an environmentally-friendly, 100% oxo-degradable poly-wrap.

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6 ACCOLADES

John G. Cooke & Associates Ltd.Willis Chipman Award

T he Government Conference Centre Re-habilitation project in Ottawa has been an ambitious program in the nation’s capitol, one that has brought an historic building

back to life.

The federal government building will serve as the temporary home of Canada’s Senate and eventu-ally become a multipurpose facility, but impor-tantly it has seen one of Ottawa’s most majestic buildings restored to be appreciated by future generations.

When it was constructed in 1912 it was Union Station, Ottawa’s central railway station located near Parliament Hill and the Chateau Laurier

returneD tO GLOry

As Canada’s

Senate finds

a new home

in the nation’s

capitol

Landmark buiLding

Volume 14 2019 7

Government Conference Centre Rehabilitation John G. Cooke & Associates Ltd.

Hotel. When the railway ceased operat-ing in 1966 the building sat vacant until a renovation in the late 1970s turned it into the Government Conference Cen-tre, which it has remained. This rehabil-itation project started in 2014 through the work of consulting engineers John G. Cooke and Associates Ltd.

Public Service and Procurement Canada called for a complete repur-posing of the building as it required more useable floor space to accommo-date the Senate. A seismic upgrade of the existing heritage building was also required, along with constructing a new east addition. Existing floor plates needed upgrading based on new user requirements. Heritage areas of the building, which included the General Waiting Room and Concourse area, had to be maintained in their original integrity and worked into the design upgrade and the entire new floor plates were designed within the constraints of the existing building structure. Excavation and underpinning was also needed to increase usable floor space, particularly within the Ticketing Block area. The seismic upgrade solution for the existing building was only feasible by using the existing masonry walls as shear walls as well as new concrete reinforced shear walls.

Creative solutions were needed to upgrade the existing building elements into a seismic system to meet the requirements of the National Building Code of Canada.

Masonry conservation was essential for the seismic upgrade, as well as for long-term building maintenance and revi-sions to the existing structural framing to accommodate mechanical require-ments. As well, a new multi-level floor structure had to be created for the new Senate space. On the east elevation, a five storey stair elevator tower with full basement and a new loading dock were tied into the existing building.

“There was a lot of work to be done and we had to change directions a few times when problems were encountered, so a lot of creative solutions were neces-sary,” says Lisa Nicol, Project Manager for John G. Cooke & Associates, adding that the work schedule was also very tight. She says often the design work was ongoing and had to be followed quickly behind demolitions and other work that was being carried out. That was tricky, she says, as the urgency of changing the details as work was exposed was always present. “And by the time they were ex-

posed the contractors were there, waiting to build something. So there was a lot of pressure for quick turnarounds.”

As a firm that deals with a lot of heri-tage restoration and structural work, the project was a good one for John G. Cooke & Associates, says Nicol, as the building fit into that category.

“It allowed us to use everything that we know and put it into one project,” she says. “It was also a good experience for the younger engineers to be involved with the different types of building ma-terials and construction designs. It also showed them how you have to adapt to changing circumstances.”

With the job complete, it has returned the Government Conference Centre back over to the public as it is once again a working and useable space, while maintaining the heritage aspects that fit in so well with the streetscape and history of Ottawa.

8 ACCOLADES

Award of Excellence 1-50 Employees

T ackling any project for the Ministry of Transportation is a major undertaking, but when the project is part of a high capacity thoroughfare that commuters and businesses rely upon daily, the impact can be enormous.

The goal of the Highway 407 East Extension Phase 2A project was to relieve gridlock and provide a safe passage for both goods and commuters through the eastern Greater Toronto Area and beyond.

Several studies carried out by the Ministry in consultation with the Region of Durham and its constituents and surrounding municipalities

aIa Engineers LLC Highway 407 East Extension Phase 2A

EasTErn gTa finDs reLief

aLOng a rOuTEThat slices

through gridlock

Volume 14 2019 9

Award of Excellence 1-50 Employees

resulted in a need to provide sustain-able transportation choices that were safe, reliable, and efficient for the Region of Durham.

AIA Engineers LLC had already been involved in initials phases of the project and continued to be lead engineers on Phase 2A and were well familiar with the importance of the work and the impact it would have. Along with MTO the work was also being carried out on behalf of Infrastructure Ontario and Blackbird Constructors 407 General Partnership.

The project called for the extension of Highway 407 east for seven kilometres from Harmony Rd. to Highway 418, a highway to highway direct connector to Taunton Rd. in Oshawa and Clar-ington.

The work consisted of the design of a four-lane divided expressway with two interchanges, seven crossing roads with underpasses/overpasses, 17 bridges (including multi-span bridges), two large structure size concrete culverts, eight water crossings with some of which were multi-span structures over environmentally sensitive streams and wildlife corridors and difficult soils and foundation conditions. The drainage facilities included ditches, storm sewers and pipes and storm water manage-ment facilities including swales and detention ponds.

The project included engineering services and deliverables for all specialty areas including roadway

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design, bridge and culvert design, structure foundations, watercourses and stream channels, drainage and storm water management design, environmental mitigation, staging and traffic management, electrical, illumina-tion, traffic signals, Intelligent Trans-portation Systems (ITS) design, road safety audits and the related activities.

When the road was open to the public in early 2018, the importance of the project wasn’t lost on AIA, says Project Manager Naveen Kaushik.

“That project really helped the local communities by opening up traffic flow and helping these areas grow,” says Kaushik. “There is more access to the various municipalities than there was before especially for planned commun-

ities. This was something that was really lacking in the area. So now the reality is people have better access to the entire GTA, travel times have been reduced, and it will allow the spread of population eastward.”

The project wasn’t without its chal-lenges and Kaushik says a lot of work went into handling environmental issues including working around species native to the area that could have been at risk and guaranteeing the non-disturbance of their habitat. As well, he says a lot of trees were spared due to slight readjustments to road alignment. All this was done with the proper technical innovation that still kept those involved on target for completion dates.

“That is all part of the process, antici-pating that issues will arise, but being prepared to deal with them in way that benefits everyone, including wildlife and nature,” he says. “There are so many different considerations, but that is our job to handle all of these considerations and to find solutions that work.

Kaushik says the Highway 407 projects have been beneficial for AIA as it has raised the company’s profile throughout the province. He says it has created more opportunities with the MTO as well as with Metrolinx and other project owners.

10 ACCOLADES

S chu l i ch ex p a n s i o n

a sustainabLe a n d

PracticaL sOLuTiOn

Award of Excellence 51-100 Employees

To meet

the needs

of vibrant

programming

Blackwell Schulich School of Business Expansion

s ince moving the Schulich School of Business into the Seymour Schulich Building in 2003, York University’s MBA

program has attracted international acclaim for preparing future leaders for the environmental, social, and ethical complexities of modern-day busi-ness. The existing Seymour Schulich Building was distinguished for being the most extensively used academic space on York University’s Keele campus in Toronto, open practically all of the time.

This growth and development led York University to respond with an expan-sion of The Schulich School of Busi-ness; constructing a new 67,000 square-foot academic wing directly adjacent to the Seymour Schulich Building.

Designed by Baird Sampson Neuert Ar-chitects and structurally engineered by Blackwell, this major expansion of York University’s Schulich School of Busi-ness is intended to offer an exemplary learning and research environment for

Volume 14 2019 11

Award of Excellence 51-100 Employees

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the school’s graduate programs and highlight the school’s commitment to sustainability.

According to Blackwell, the prominent objectives of the project were three-fold: integrate seamlessly with existing built environment, create a learning and re-search environment focused on graduate business education and interconnectiv-ity with international campuses and collaborators, and serve as a paragon of York University’s commitment to sustainability.

To achieve the goal of integration with the existing Seymour Schulich Building the expansion followed a unique build-ing form and configuration. Curved concrete, asymmetrical geometry, and large open interior spans were featured throughout the building. Driven by the architectural design, the project present-ed unique challenges which required innovative and technical solutions.

Use of reinforced and post-tensioned concrete played an important role in achieving the architectural vision, as it allowed for the creation of exposed structural members with unique faceted geometries, including the atrium featured stairs and the bridge lounge structure.

Post-tensioned concrete transfer beams were used for long spans over the atrium space; supporting both the steel penthouse structure above and the 27.2 metre high solar chimney wall struc-ture. Custom faceted concrete columns were used for the east canopy structure, and architecturally exposed concrete was used throughout the building to match the architectural language of the existing Seymour Schulich Building.

Blackwell’s Cory Zurell, Principal for the project, says the firm’s involvement reaches back to 2010 which allowed for an intensive role.

“The project went through a lot of itera-tions so there was a lot of adapting and changes that had to be dealt with,” says Zurell. “As with many academic build-ings, there are many different things go-ing on, a lot of different programs, so it gave us an opportunity to do a little of everything and we ended up coming up with several novel solutions that made it work out quite well.”

Through a highly collaborative and holistic building approach, the project was also successful in delivering a sus-tainable building that will improve the

quality of life for the students and staff on campus for years to come.

The building’s orientation, geometry, and facade design maximize thermal energy performance and daylighting ef-fectiveness. At the centre of the build-ing’s energy conservation system is the solar chimney. The vertical glazed extension use sunlight to warm a large interior well of air. All the systems involved allow for both heating and cooling while minimizing energy.

Along with the building’s advanced HVAC systems, extensive green roofs were installed, and a wide range of vegetation was planted to go above and beyond meeting the City of Toronto’s rigorous green roof standards.

12 ACCOLADES

Award of Excellence 101-350 Employees

parsons Fountain Street/Grand River Bridge Superstructure Replacement

The Region of Waterloo knew it had to do something about the Fountain Street/Grand River Bridge in Cambridge.

Opened in 1957, the original 150 metre long bridge provided only one lane of motorized traffic in each direction. Over the years the bridge became inadequate for the large and growing number of pedestrians and cyclists. It provided no lighting and the traffic railings did not meet current code requirements for crash, or bicycle safety, and the bridge was experiencing accelerated deteriora-tion. It was time for a change.

By 2010, it was decided to demolish the existing superstructure and abutments

As the bridge

on River Street

provides a

link for people

and cars

and replace them. In the meantime, Parsons had completed interim repairs addressing the rapidly accelerating deterioration.

For all those involved, the value of the Fountain Street Bridge cannot be under-estimated. It spans the Grand River, serves as a key community connector for Highway 401, Conestoga College, the Village of Blair, the Preston area of Cambridge, and provides access to new recreational areas.

“The old bridge had served its purpose,” says John Stephenson, Senior Project Manager for the Region of Waterloo. “When it was built in 1957, the area didn’t face the traffic like it

reGiOn Of WaterLOO Finds a nEW paTh

Volume 14 2019 13

Award of Excellence 101-350 Employees

does today and particularly there wasn’t a lot of room for pedestrians. So one of the opportunities we had was to come up with a somewhat wider superstruc-ture, reuse the existing peers, and really build something that would provide some connectivity for the community.”

Stephenson says the connectivity was a key factor as the Fountain Street/Grand River Bridge provided the oppor-tunity of bringing several of the area trails together, which included linking students to nearby colleges and make it a friendlier environment for everyone but particularly for pedestrians in general and cyclists.

“That led us to a design where, even though we’re demolishing the bridge, and couldn’t run cars through it while it was being rebuilt, we managed to find ways to allow pedestrians and cyclists to use the bridge throughout the project,” says Stephenson. “And that was greatly appreciated by the public.”

According to Sonia Ahluwalia, Project Manager for Parsons, communicating with the public was a valuable component to the project as residents were kept informed every step of the way.

Before the work commenced, Parsons performed a detailed visual inspection, underwater inspection, bridge deck slab void investigation, bridge deck condi-tion survey, geotechnical investigation, and structural evaluation of the existing bridge. Staff reviewed the heritage value of the bridge and worked closely with the Region of Waterloo to accomplish and exceed all its objectives and to provide solutions that met the commun-ity’s needs.

Under Parsons guidance, the Fountain Street/Grand River Bridge Super-structure Replacement project led to the replacement of the deteriorating existing bridge, created a new structure with a long service life and low main-tenance costs, modified the existing in-water piers and new abutments, and achieved a finished design that comple-ment the local heritage area. It also created a safe and functional structure for pedestrians and cyclists as well as cars, preserved the bridge’s river valley view, allowed connections to the

extensive trail networks, enhanced the environment for wildlife, and raised the superstructure to make it less suscept-ible to flooding.

Parsons made use of its internal resources, experience, and expertise to complete a significant and varied scope of work on this multi-disciplinary, multi-year, multi-stage project. As well,

the firm successfully provided exper-tise in a wide range of scientific and technical disciplines. They consulted and co-ordinated with various stake-holders, including utility providers, landowners, the public, and further managed a large internal team and local subconsultants while employing key experts for various specialised tasks.

14 ACCOLADES

Award of Excellence 351+ Employees

Hatch Oxec II Hydroelectric Project

T he challenges of working in another country can be immense if not staggering, but also present opportunities that are most

rewarding.

For those who work for Hatch, the Oxec II Hydroelectric Project in north central Guatemala was such an experience.

Oxec II is a 56 megawatt hydroelectric project owned by Energy Resources Capital. The project was constructed by Solel Boneh Guatemala (SBG), with Hatch serving as engineers.

The greenfield project is a relatively low-head generating station with a concrete dam and spillway over 40 metres high with an overall crest length of 200 metres. The spillway comprises four bays, each equipped with a 12 metres by 16.5 metres radial gate. The powerhouse has three horizontal shaft S-type Kaplan units with an installed capacity of 56 megawatts.

Hatch’s scope included design of the exca-vation and diversion works, optimizing the basic design with an emphasis on technical and economic improvements, detailed design of the civil works, co-ordination with the hydromechanical equipment subcontractor, design of the auxiliary systems, and a review of W2W compo-nents for compatibility with concrete structures. Hatch also provided on-site and office support during construction.

According to Henri Assa of SBG, Hatch’s state-of-the-art design of various components of the project and innova-

For investors

and engineers

with major

hydro projects

in Guatemala

O p p o r t u n ity k no cks

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Volume 14 2019 15

Award of Excellence 351+ Employees

tive solutions for challenging tasks lead to significant cost and schedule savings and successful delivery of the overall project.

Amongst all design features and engi-neering tasks delivered throughout the project, the following items were recog-nized by the project team and stake holders as remarkable sophisticated engineering for challenging project features:

• A cellular cofferdam proposed for the temporary diversion during construction that maintained the project economically viable from budget and schedule perspective.

• An optimized spillway design, a submerged rollerbucket, suitable for handling exceptionally large design flood of the project.

• Sophisticated design for anchorage and support structures required for the very large spillway gates.

“Hatch was instrumental in the successful delivery of the project,” says Assa in his project report. “Their services were completed within the approved timeframe and budget and they maintained their professional support throughout the life of the project that included the planning stage, design phase and construction.”

Hatch Project Manager Hooman Ghassemi says working in the region provides a great opportunity for the firm and does indeed have its rewards. Hatch was involved in the initial stage of work with Oxec I in 2013 and when that was completed two years later, their experience allowed them to

continue into the next phase.

“Our firm has been active in this region for 20 years developing hydroelectric sites,” says Ghassemi. “There is huge potential in that country, there’s good demand and a good market and there are not a lot of barriers for the projects to begin.”

Ghassemi says there is a huge demand for hydroelectric in the region and the natural settings of mountains plus the heavy rainfall combine to make it all work. As well, he says the market structure supports large projects such as Oxec, ones that are built by private investors.

“These projects are not closely controlled by the government,” he says. “The cost of construction and capital

costs are lower than North America, but the price of electricity is somewhat comparable with what we pay. So that makes it a pretty attractive market for developers to build these sites.”

Working in the region does provide its challenges. Ghassemi says nature often presents unavoidable problems.

“It’s a country where you can have a hurricane and an earthquake. There can also be volcanic activity at the same time,” he says. “It can also be on unstable ground with flooding and the different geology. What we may call extreme events up here is not extreme down there. It can be very challenging, but that is what we do, we like challenges and we will take them on.”

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16 ACCOLADES

Award of Merit Building, Engineering & Science

adjeleian allen rubeli Limited Algonquin College DARE District

a lgonquin College needed a new place where students and faculty could gather in a space that was not only relaxing, but

one that could inspire.

The college, located in Ottawa, has been serving its community since the 1960’s and the library has been around almost since the day the campus opened.

Dark and outdated, the main library had become ill-suited for today’s students who depend on a more open, modern and collaborative setting in which to learn. The goal was to create an airy, inviting space which would serve as the new hub of the campus and be a place where people would want to be.

The design would also have to adhere to Algonquin’s commitment to sustain-ability and Indigenous studies and traditions. These would have to be core elements of the building. The building and resulting complex would become known as the Algonquin College DARE District. DARE for Discover, Applied Research, and Entrepreneurship.

To make this work the team of Adjeleian Allen Rubeli Limited was brought in as structural consulting engineers.

Rather than demolish the existing two-storey concrete library structure, the DARE District transforms it, expanding the footprint of the building to allow a three-storey curtain wall to flood the

As Algonquin

provides

fresh space

for learning

and living

neW LOOk transfOrmsold l i b ra r y

inTO CuLTuraL hub

Volume 14 2019 17

Award of Merit Building, Engineering & Science

building with light, and adding a show-case third storey to the original struc-ture.

A glulam wood roof creates a calming study space on this top level, looking over a courtyard designed to encom-pass traditional Indigenous crafts, which will be used as a gathering place and for Indigenous ceremonies. Finally, the Institute for Indigenous Entrepre-neurship was provided a new state-of-the-art facility adjacent to the court-yard, and was designed in collaboration with Algonquin’s Executive Director of Truth, Reconciliation and Indigeniza-tion, and Indigenous architect Ryan Gorrie of Brook McIlroy.

“Today’s libraries are very different from the ones that existed back when it was first built,” explains Project Manager Michael Allen. “Today’s libraries are meeting places, the centre of activity for school or a community, and this was not what you saw in the existing facility.”

By using wood, steel, and concrete as structural members, and by requiring a

complex seismic upgrade of the existing building, mitigation of poor soil condi-tions, and the determination and careful control of snow loading, this building posed a significant structural engin-eering challenge. Further complicating the design of the building was the demanding construction schedule.

In order to complete the building in time to meet financing requirements, site work to seismically upgrade the building began prior to the completion of the detailed design of the third floor addition. This schedule also placed pressure on the design of complex elements of the building, such as the double curvature roof, which required an iterative design process involving wind tunnel testing to modify and control snow loading on the roof and adjacent structures.

The new building structure is almost unrecognizable from the original struc-ture. The footprint of the building was expanded, and an additional storey added to the building, with a gently undulating wood roof.

The successful completion of the work has been recognized by Ontario Wood Works for its achievement in mass timber construction, and provides a stunning showcase building for the Algonquin College campus that is now being enjoyed by students and the community at large.

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18 ACCOLADES

Award of Merit Environment

robinson Consultants Inc. Northwest Arm Trunk Sewer Rehabilitation

L ocated on the coast of the North-west Arm inlet in Halifax, the Northwest Arm Trunk Sewer (NATS) Rehabilitation was one

of the most challenging Cured-In-Place-Pipe (CIPP) rehabilitation projects ever completed in North America.

Several Canadian CIPP installation records were broken in the completion of this $23 million project, including longest

H a l i fa x rehabiLitatiOn

PrOject i s COnsTruCTEd

single continuous installation length at 682 metres. The engineering scope for this project included video inspection of the sewer, condition assessment, feas-ibility study, constructability review, detailed design, tendering, contract administration and site inspection for the rehabilitation of a combined trunk sewer of over 4,000 metres in length, ranging from 1,200 milimetres diameter round pipe to 1,200 milimetres by 1,500 mili-

Provides a

new route for

city sewage

system to f low

Volume 14 2019 19

Award of Merit Environment

metres arch pipe, located in some of the most difficult to access residential terrain in Halifax.

The client, Halifax Water, had set goals for the project which were to remove debris, restore the structural integrity, eliminate exfiltration, establish a corro-sion barrier, and extend the life of the trunk sewer for up to 75 years; all while minimizing the social, environmental and cost implications associated with construction.

Kevin Bainbridge of Robinson Consult-ants Inc. says CIPP rehabilitation of the NATS was deemed a solution which would address all the primary goals of the project, and also necessitate the removal of debris from the sewer to regain its original intended capacity flow.

CIPP installation is done by first flushing and cleaning out the sewer, and once the condition is suitable for rehabilitation, the inner walls are lined with a felt material which is impregnated with resin and cured on site, in this case with hot water due to the size of the sewer. The operations for CIPP instal-lation is done mainly through manhole access, so no linear trenching is required. This is the least intrusive and most time and cost effective solution for a project of this scope.

Bainbridge says there were many prob-lems with the project that had to be over-come. As a result of the sewer running through an easement located parallel to the shore of the Northwest Arm in the oceanfront yards of residential proper-ties, it was critical that property owners where engaged throughout the project.

As well, The NATS alignment meanders along the shoreline anywhere from 0-10 meters from the water’s edge and is land-locked by a CN rail track with only bridge access. These bridges were close to 100 years old and were weight restricted, which presented numerous accessibility challenges for material and equipment. Encountering debris in the pipe was also an issue.

There was also the time factor.

“Usually for this type of work you would need about 14 months,” says Bainbridge. “But the way it came

together we had seven months. That’s a pretty significant difference so it is something as a firm that we are proud of, that we were able to deliver this type of complex project in that length of time, and successfully execute that work from a construction standpoint for the utility without any significant implications.”

The success of the sewer rehabilitation project can also be measured by the effects on the community and the bene-fits to the environment.

Due to the deterioration of the original sewer, the exfiltration of sewage onto the coastline occurred when the combined sewer surcharged during rain events,

which not only impacted the environ-ment but caused an unpleasant odour that was noticeable among residents. Though the community was impacted during the construction, they have reaped the long-term benefits of being able to enjoy the natural coastline once more with the effects of the on-going environmental and odour problem now solved.

The use of CIPP also significantly reduced the construction footprint required to complete the project by avoiding extensive excavation which could have disrupted aquatic and terres-trial habitats, not to mention the resi-dents themselves.

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20 ACCOLADES

Award of Merit Project Management

Dst Consulting Engineers Inc. a Division of Englobe New Gold Rainy River Mine Development

A CrEaTivE team effOrt apprOaCh

r ugged terrain, harsh weather and a remote location were just a few of the challenges of the New Gold Rainy

River Mine Development.

Located in the Township of Chapple, more than 160 kilometres north of Kenora in northwestern Ontario, it is currently the largest gold mine development in Canada at 6,053 hectares in size.

When DST Consulting Engineers Inc. was retained by New Gold Inc. to provide geotechnical engin-eering services for the project, the firm knew it was a very large and

complex project, but was eager to get involved.

The objectives of the project centered on permitting a new greenfield gold mine and bringing it through develop-ment and into production. The specific focus was to build a robust Tailings Management Area (TMA) that would be safe and efficient over the long-term life of the mine. At all times, this project needed to align with the overall safe and sustainable vision New Gold had for the development.

According to Jeff Peterson, Senior Prin-cipal and Senior Geoscientist with DST, all on-site personnel, from contractors

Brings greenfield

project to the North

Volume 14 2019 21

Award of Merit Project Management

to consultants, needed to work around the client’s challenging and fast-tracked schedule. Completion of Stage 1 construction was directly impacted when the mine could move into full scale production and when Stage 2 of develop-ment for the mine could commence. Given the high stakes, pressure for Stage 1 of the project to be completed on schedule, and within budget, was very high. Although variables presented by the site made achieving the desired schedule difficult, the expectation that DST would manage responsibilities in a manner that did not negatively impact the project’s objective was firm. The DST team delivered.

“We are quite proud of what we were able to accomplish on this project,” says Peterson. “There were many of us at DST involved and it really brought the company together and showed what we were capable of achieving.”

What allowed DST to achieve the many goals set out before them on the

project was to become creative in the engineering solutions and by keeping all workable options open, according to Peterson.

This included a strategic partner-ship with the Naotkamegwanning First Nation; customized training and targeted recruitment programs; a specialized on-site laboratory to manage the high volume of sample processing; customized drill programs utilizing a variety of geotechnical drilling equip-ment; and successful installation of several hundred instruments in extreme subsurface and weather conditions.

Peterson says from start to finish, the team was proactive, on top of every aspect of the project, proficient at handling multiple priorities, committed to follow-through, and it was highly organized. Priority was placed on main-taining an open and transparent line of communication with the client and the extended team, making sure everyone

understood priorities, project objectives, and desired outcomes.

He says the project was important for DST because it allowed so many workers from across the country to be part of the development of one of the largest mining projects in Canada and they got to see it grow from the ground up.

“They were right there to see the entire process through,” he says. “It was a massive teamwork exercise to be able to cover that scope of work of that volume and that schedule, and having staff from our offices across the country involved built a high capacity in the firm for projects of this scale and larger. It is one of the largest projects we have worked on with a demanding schedule and a heavy workload so it allowed a lot of continuity building staff and showed them that we can do this and it is something we can build on.”

The project started in 2016 with DST on the job until late 2018.

22 ACCOLADES

Award of Merit Studies & Research

stantec First Nations Infrastructure Resilience Toolkit & Pilot Projects

assisting First Nations commun-ities to deal with the disruptions of climate change has proven to be not only a successful

project completed by Stantec, but one that has proven gratifying for all of those involved.

The First Nations Infrastructure Resili-ence Toolkit & Pilot Projects developed by Stantec working along with Ontario First Nations Technical Services

A TOOLkiT fo r

cLimate chanGe assisTs FirsT naTiOns

To identify

local problems

and provide

solutions

Corporation (OFNTSC) and other consulting firms, examined the causes and damage to traditional infrastruc-ture by climate change and considered future uncertainty. The toolkit will help First Nations communities in Ontario and eventually beyond, to identify the problems and provide the steps to mitigate losses to their infrastructure by way of asset management practices to better plan maintenance, repairs and replacement of assets.

Volume 14 2019 23

Award of Merit Studies & Research

“We’ve been involved in projects with First Nations and we knew of the prob-lems they were facing,” explains Guy Felio, Senior Advisor of the project for Stantec. “First Nations people are noticing more and more that extreme weather and climate change are causing problems with their way of life and that it needs to be acknowledged and to find ways of dealing with it.”

For instance, Felio points out that issues such as hunting patterns are changing and that plants that people relied on for traditional medicine, were, in some instances, disappearing or becoming limited. There are also more instances of invasive species of insects that didn’t exist before and now, because of the change in climate, have become an issue for disease and plant life.

While ecological issues are cause for long-term concern, immediate and direct issues such as extreme temper-atures and whether conditions that affect infrastructure and routine services need to be addressed.

“The First Nations people know their land and their history very well and they can easily identify the changes that are occurring,” Felio says. “They know that they have to adapt and make changes and they are taking those steps.”

Focussing on three communities, Stantec examined the problems which included extensive studies and public meetings. The results were turned into practical solutions which the toolkit clearly defined.

Studies included work with three groups and communities, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, the Moose Cree First Nation, and the Oneida Nation of the Thames.

In all three communities issues were identified and their ensuing prob-lems such as high temperatures with low precipitation, impacts of freezing temperatures on fire hydrants and other equipment, and high winds that cause damage to roofs and property. The toolkit presented solutions such as improving weather alert systems to allow operational staff and emergency first responders to be more pro-active in anticipation of extreme weather, a program to insulate the fire hydrants to prevent freeze-ups, and the hurricane ties – an inexpensive added protection to roofs subjected to high winds.

These are just a few examples of the problems identified and the solutions that are to be considered.

Ultimately the toolkit will help First Nations communities better prepare for the impacts of climate change and help them to adapt and thrive in a changing environment.

By creating a tool that promotes risk iden-tification and prioritization, communities can better focus future efforts and funds to create communities that are resilient. This focus will allow the mitigation of the potentially devastating impacts of climate change before they occur. The application of risk and asset management practices that are tailored to First Nations will help ensure these communities remain economically viable, under the challen-ging affects of climate change.

For those at Stantec, the project proved invaluable and showed that a firm can conduct business while at the same time work towards the betterment of society.

24 ACCOLADES

Award of Merit Transit

aECOM Dundas Connects – Dundas Street Corridor Master Plan

mississauga mOvEstO keeP cOrriDOr

Ontario’s third largest city, Mississauga is faced with many of the same issues that most urban centres

must deal with. Moving people effi-ciently is one that is most always debated and preparations have been underway to achieve solutions.

The City of Mississauga embarked on Dundas Connects – Dundas Street Corridor Master Plan as a way to collect data on how one of the city’s most important corridors (with Huron-tario Street being the other) can be util-ized to meet the growth and future plan of transit users.

AECOM was one of the lead firms that helped to develop the plan that will shape the look and feel of Dundas Street for years to come, with emphasis placed on transit, land use, and public space.

Today, Dundas Street has a varied look with businesses, parks, churches, apartment buildings and residential neighbourhoods. However, it is also a busy thoroughfare with up to six lanes of traffic and narrow sidewalks. Many parts are clogged with traffic conges-tion. Cycling and walking along much of Dundas feels uncomfortable and unsafe and much of the corridor is unattractive and lacks greenery. There

Ready for future

enhancements

that will keep

the city on

the path to

sustainability

Volume 14 2019 25

Award of Merit Transit

is little publicly owned land and change relies on private landowners.

The objective of the Dundas Connects Master Plan is to provide the frame-work to address existing transportation challenges along the 19.5 kilometre stretch, to look at ways to accommodate growth, and retain and promote the key elements that make the street unique.

“Mississauga has already been making plans for Hurontario so Dundas is next in line,” says Project Manager Stephen Schijns of AECOM. “The two corri-dors are different in function and back-ground, but it is the same process of developing a truly integrated land use and transportation for the corridor and setting the pieces in place to allow this vision to be developed and played out over the coming decades.”

Schijns says the plan has a long-term vision that will rely heavily on the participation of private landowners who occupy most of the space along Dundas with the expectation they will embrace

growth and a vision that can be benefi-cial to the entire community.

“When that part of the plan takes place then you can begin the creation of a vastly improved transportation plan that can include the streetscaping, the bicycle facilities, the sidewalks and the utility provisions that will accompany the transit,” he says. “A lot of things have to fall in place for it to take shape and begin.”

As such, some of the recommendations for Dundas Street include:

• ImplementingBusRapidTransit(BRT) along Dundas Street

• Encouragingmixed-usedevelopmentthat supports transit

• Creatingmoreopenspacesandcommunity facilities

• Maintainingexistingandsupportingnew affordable housing

• MaintainingfourtrafficlanesalongDundas Street

• Providingsafecyclinginfrastructurealong the length of the Dundas Street Corridor

• Enhancingpedestrianspaceandproviding street trees

• Encouragingstreet-relatedretailwhile supporting existing businesses

As far as Mississauga is concerned, once implemented, the Dundas Street Master Plan will allow the corridor to leave behind its unattractive and under-utilized present conditions and continue its evolution towards a dynamic urban rapid transit-served arterial that is walk-able, bikeable and accessible.

It will also provide affordable options for living, and commercial and employ-ment opportunities along the corridor. Integrated public spaces, community services, diverse, active storefronts, and an enhanced pedestrian experience will create a liveable street that supports new and current residents to live, work and play within the confines of a safe and efficient corridor.

26 ACCOLADES

Award of Merit Transportation Structural

Wsp F.G. Gardiner Expressway Lower Simcoe Street (York-Bay-Yonge) Off Ramp

For commuters

making their

way back into

downtown Toronto

W orking in a high volume traffic area in the country’s busiest city is a challenge that can’t be taken lightly and WSP understood full well what it was up against when it took on the job.

The job was the reconfiguration of the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto at the eastbound off-ramp at York-Bay-Yonge ending at Lower Simcoe Street as well as a number of other adjustments.

Specifically, the City of Toronto wanted the aging ramp replaced with one that opened up the Harbour Street cross section to accommodate another lane of traffic, wider sidewalks, tree boulevards and a multi-use trail.

“The City was looking to make the area more vibrant and more user friendly to pedestrians as well as trying to straighten out some of the traffic issues,” says Jeff Smith of WSP.

rECOnFiguringG a rd i ne r E x p re s s way o f f ra mp

a biG time reLief

Volume 14 2019 27

Award of Merit Transportation Structural

The new ramp is a concrete slab on a bridge with steel girders moving traffic from the Gardiner into down-town Toronto. It is curved in plan, superelevated, and tapers from two lanes plus shoulder to three lanes plus shoulder. The structure comprises seven spans, ranging from 14.0 metres to 19.5 metres.

The project also called for the bridge to carry new street lighting, new advanced traffic management system hardware, and a fixed automated anti-icing spray technology system including a weather station.

The project wasn’t without a good amount of complexities, says Smith, as workers dealt with constant traffic throughout the area as well as various other constraints and competing interests.

“It’s one of the busiest ramps downtown,” says Smith, pointing out there are only three eastbound ramps in the downtown core of Toronto. “Cutting off one-third of the access points into downtown is never a good thing. So every day that you can shorten the process is money well spent and appreciated by everyone involved, especially those who drive the Gardiner. So that is what we worked towards, getting the job done.”

Foundation construction often takes up a large part of the work duration for bridges. On this project, the foundations were designed so they could be constructed using small equipment entirely under the existing ramp without a need to close it or impact any Gardiner traffic.

As well, the quick transition from elevated expressway to at-grade downtown street necessitated a steep ramp. WSP drew on its technical experience to provide a safe design that included “daps” at the west ends of the deep steel girders supporting the start (west end) of the ramp deck, thereby reducing their depth (and lowering the road above). This allowed for a longer, gentler vertical crest curve leading into the descent of the ramp and improved safety and

comfort over what would have been achievable without such an innova-tion.

Other issues WSP successfully over-came included the soil which was highly compressible and caused a lot of settlement. This was compounded when workers had to contend with a 100-year-old storm sewer that they needed to bridge across without it settling and damaging the sewer pipe.

Smith says WSP is pleased with the outcome of the project because of the firm’s longstanding relationship

with Toronto and the work they have contributed to the Gardiner for the past 25 years.

“We certainly know the Gardiner very well and this project was a major piece of infrastructure that was very high profile for us and one that we completed using so much of our experience and expertise,” he says. “And it is right there, part of the downtown core of the city near the CN Tower and the Rogers Centre. As well as the ramp, we created a new streetscape and it all fits together nicely. We’re very proud of it.”

28 ACCOLADES

FINALIST

Built in the 1950’s, the former Battery Hotel in St. John’s Newfoundland was transformed into the Emera Innovation Exchange at Memorial University’s (MUN) Signal Campus. DIALOG was contracted by MUN to conduct structural engineering, architecture and interior design for this project because of the firm’s knowledge of the location and site.

Central to MUN’s objectives for the renovation was the creation of a space for staff, students and the public, while maintaining the history and iconic presence of the building. The decision was made to keep the existing building and add to its capacity through a glass structure that accentuates the views on Signal Hill. The scope of the project included a public atrium, and a conference centre that could accommodate up to 300 guests, flexible rooms for classes and seminars, cafes, and offices for a variety of organizations including MUN Pensioners Association, as well as Business and the Arts, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Some of the obstacles DIALOG had to overcome were soil conditions, coastal weather, and working with an existing struc-ture. To ensure the project would be delivered on schedule, DIOLOG created a risk assessment matrix which allowed the

When the Halton Region began to experience increasing amounts of ammonia, iron and manganese concentrations and chlorine demands at Prospect Park Purification Plant (WPP) in Acton, action needed to be taken. The WPP has existed since the 19th century and is located in the heart of Prospect Park. The Town of Halton Hills entrusted R.V. Anderson Associates Limited (RVA) to oversee the project.

Since reconstruction took place in the early 1990’s, the WPP building did not have to be demolished. To retain the existing structure and minimize costs, RVA redesigned the internal layout which included changing the configuration and place-ment of walls and equipment to accommodate the new, expanded filtration system. In addition, RVA added a large extension without undertaking significant demolition of the superstructure. A significant amount of SCADA program-ming was provided for the almost entirely new equipment by Eramosa Engineering Inc.

Site safety was a primary consideration. Effective construction management was planned to avoid disturb-ances to the community and minimize health and safety hazards – especially as construction occasionally needed

DiaLOG Memorial University Emera Innovation Exchange

r.v. anDersOn assOciates LimiteD Prospect Park Water Purification Plant

team to outline and identify potential risk factors and proposing proactive strategies to mitigate or overcome them.

The team relied on innovative and creative approaches to reuse materials where possible and engage local suppliers and experts. While LEED was not a requirement for this building, DIALOG was mindful of their carbon footprints. By using the wood of the demolished hotel in the screens and fences of the project, they were able to salute the past while reducing materials used.

The project was successfully completed for the 2018 school year. The former Battery Hotel was transformed into MUN’s Signal Campus while retaining its character and architectural integrity.

to take place near park activities.

RVA designed two large per-oxidation tanks to be constructed underneath the parking area which were encased in concrete to prevent floatation. To understand whether settling was taking place during the dewatering process, RVA specified the installa-tion of a number of horizontal and vertical monitoring points.

The building could not accommodate the upgrades in a way that could be constructed alongside the existing equipment. Alternatively, RVA provided a very efficient design for the piping controls and UV systems which had to be placed in the base-ment.

buiLDinG, enGineerinG & science

envirOnment

Volume 14 2019 29

FINALIST

Toronto Water has implemented several programs to manage the numerous capital projects underway. Chief amongst them is the Watermain Rehabilitation Program, one of the largest programs of its kind in North America. It is chartered to rehabilitate and maintain existing ductile and cast iron water-mains through the use of two technologies: Cured-in-Place-Pipe (CIPP) Watermain Structural Lining, and Cathodic Protection. Toronto Water retained WSP to provide engineering design, project management, and contract administration services.

Given the large number of streets in the program, WSP was also able to package the work into different contracts based on the various constraints on each street. These constraints included finan-cial, geographical, permits, and co-ordination with other work.

WSP’s program rehabilitated approximately 510 kilometres of the city’s 5,551 kilometre distribution watermain system – a substantial amount in a short period of time. The program successfully delivered on the following:

•Totalcapitalvalueof$204million.

•Installationof110kilometresofCIPPliningthrough11construction contracts providing a fully renovated water

The Province-wide Cycling Network Study identifies a network of on and off-road cycling routes. This study is another step in Ontario’s efforts to support the growing trend of cycling as a means of transportation, recreation and tourism.

The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport (MTCS), initiated the study to build upon and complement the existing policies, plans, projects and initiatives. Conducted by WSP, this study identifies a long-term aspirational network of cycling routes across Ontario with the following goals:

•Promoterecreationalcyclingandcyclingtourism

•Connectmunicipalcyclingroutesandplacesofinterest

•Identifyareasofprovincialinfrastructurethatshouldaccom-modate cycling

•Prioritizefuturecyclinginfrastructureinvestmentsonprovin-cial highways.

WSP leveraged their significant experience in active trans-portation network development to complete this study. The

WsP Watermain Rehabilitation Program Management

WsP Province-Wide Cycling Network Study

system, ensuring reliability of supply and improvement of quality.

•Cathodicprotectionofover400kilometresofexistingwater-mains delivered through six construction contracts, prolonging the remaining lifespan of the water system and deferring replace-ment costs.

•Replacementandupgradeof4,000substandardwaterservices,including the removal of existing lead services.

Through WSP’s continual engagement with the public, the program not only delivered improvements to the watermain system, but educated the public of the benefits of the work.

team offered significant value added in cycling network planning and facility design, public and stakeholder consultation, costing, funding strategies and programming and outreach strategies.

This project is future ready in its promotion of multi-modal trans-portation and its goal of supporting Ontario’s economy though cycle-tourism. Development of the Network is an acknowledgement of the desire to create a cycling plan/blueprint that will help Ontario compete with other regions around the world that are implementing similar networks. By encouraging cycling, this project will improve active transportation mode share, which will have a positive impact on greenhouse gas reduction and help realize health benefits for its users.

PrOject manaGement

stuDies & research

30 ACCOLADES

FINALISTS

The Region of Peel developed a Road Safety Strategic Plan (RSSP) to address the approximate 1,000 annual roadway collisions on Regional roads that result in injury or death. The plan was a collaborative effort from Region of Peel Stake-holders, Peel Public Health, Peel Regional Police, Ontario Provincial Police – Caledon Detachment, City of Brampton, Town of Caledon, City of Mississauga and CIMA +.

The RSSP aims to address a number of priorities outlined in the Region of Peel’s 2015-2035 Strategic Plan by promo-ting healthy and age-friendly built environments and building a community that promotes safe mobility, walk-ability, healthy living, and various modes of transporta-tion. The RSSP is one of three component studies of the Region’s Long-Range Transportation Plan and serves as the implementation plan for achieving the Region’s objective of safe mobility.

The RSSP is a data-driven study and collision analysis of Regional and local roads. The analysis of this data created a better understanding of how and where the collisions are happening in Peel. The data collected was based on various criteria including age groups, types and causes of collisions.

cima + Vision Zero Road Safety Strategic Plan – Region of Peel

A questionnaire was developed to obtain feedback from people who work or live in Peel on their perception of safety issues in the Region. The collision data, public opinion survey, and discussions with partners resulted in the identification of emphasis areas.

The action plan to address fatal and injury collisions within each emphasis area is made up of general actions and specific safety programs called countermeasure. To implement the RSSP action plan, it is necessary to assemble a task force to direct the program and deliver the actual safety program elements. The action plan delivered by the task force will emphasize areas that fall into the following categories: engineering and physical changes, enforcement of rules of the road, educational programs, and empathy programs.

transit

Nearing the end of its useable life, the Fountain Street Bridge over the Grand River in Cambridge needed a makeover.

Built in 1957, the bridge had served its purpose for decades, but the growth of the area and the needs of the community had changed to such an extent that a complete re-do was warranted.

The superstructure replacement, under the watch of Parsons, was an extensive project that called for the removal of the original bridge, the modification of existing in-water piers, the building of new abutments, and the creation of a new superstructure.

Further, the project had to include more functionality to allow it to be used by cyclists and pedestrians as well as cars, make it more attractive as a connector to the area’s extensive trail network, enhance the surrounding environment to accommo-date wildlife, and raise the new bridge to make it less suscept-ible to flooding.

By replacing the existing bridge with a new composite concrete deck on a continuous variable-depth weathering steel girder, supported by new semi-integral abutments built five metres

ParsOns Fountain Street Bridge/Grand River Superstructure Replacement

back from the existing abutments, Parsons facilitated all of the project objectives. The bridge was widened which met the needs of both those on foot and on two wheels. The widening as well as the raising of the bridge addressed future flooding issues. The reuse of in-water piers limited the impact on aquatic life but at the same time were modified for both strength and aesthetics. As well, architectural crash-tested traffic railings were installed to enhance the new bridge’s appearance, and to provide scenic over-looks and unobstructed river valley views.

The finished structure has not only addressed all concerns structur-ally, but has proved to be a connector for the community, one that is modern, pleasing to the eye, yet recognizes its place in local history.

transPOrtatiOn structuraL

Volume 14 2019 31

FINALISTS

Public Services and Procurement Canada contracted John G. Cooke & Associates Ltd. to provide structural engineering to the West Block Rehabilitation Project in Ottawa. Completed in 1909, the Centre Block was partially destroyed by the great fire in 1916 making the West Block the oldest building on Parlia-ment Hill.

The client’s objective for this rehabilitation was to have a temporary home for the House of Commons for the duration of the Centre Block rehabilitation.

The material properties of the West Block were largely unknown and varied. Due to this, close co-operation with the contractors and the decision makers was essential to modify design details to better address on-site. The design was changed to incorporate the existing attic spaces, as mechanical equip-ment rooms and passageway included the requirement for dense sound attenuating floors in the form of new composite structural slabs.

This led to the requirement of a full analysis of the existing steel roof trusses, walls and other load bearing elements, to allow for the significant increase in load. Ground Penetrating Radar was

jOhn G. cOOke & assOciates LtD. West Block Rehabilitation Project

used on the interior masonry walls to locate hidden flues and vent shafts in the brick masonry. For security upgrades the structural engineers worked with the latest technology in blast design.

Sustainable design strategies included salvaging existing stones and the reuse of existing building materials, where possible. On the exterior facades of the building, restoration of masonry included sourcing compatible limestone and sandstone masonry, mortar and sealants to suit existing conditions.

As a result, the building has been restored and modernized to meet the current needs of the 21st century, all while respecting the historical and cultural significance of the late 19th century.

1-50 emPLOyees

York Region’s primary objective for the project was to replace aging, obsolete hardware and software platforms with current industry standard technology. Eramosa Engineering Inc. was hired to improve the overall operation of the water and wastew-ater Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems.

At the onset of the project in 2013, the Region operated 144 water and wastewater facilities. Of those, 99 were identified as utilizing legacy automation hardware and software platforms while only 14 were using fully supported platforms current with industry standards. The remainder of the facilities had already been slated for short term capital upgrade projects which would include the replacement of the SCADA systems.

They aimed to replace all existing legacy automation control panels, SCADA software, instrumentation and network infra-structure under a single project with the ultimate goal of having a common and current set of automated control systems in place throughout York. Eramosa was retained to perform detailed design, contract administration, site inspection and system integration services.

Due to the legacy control hardware in use at the facilities being

eramOsa enGineerinG inc. SCADA PAC Panel Replacement Project

upgraded, the remote SCADA communications network for data concentration, historical data collection and inter-facility controls was using low bandwidth and obsolete radio technology. This hardware was replaced with a combination of current 900MHz and 5.8GHz unlicensed spread-spectrum radios and fibre-optic communications for faster and more reliable collection of the significantly increased amount of data in use with the new control hardware.

As a result of the project, the Region will be operating all water and wastewater facilities using common hardware and software platforms supported by their manufacturers and in line with current industry standards and best practices utilizing the most recent technology.

51-100 emPLOyees

32 ACCOLADES

FINALISTS

Morrison Hershfield assisted Digital Realty with repurposing the iconic Toronto Star newspaper printing facility into “TOR1”, the first mega-scale wholesale data center in Canada. Morrison Hershfield was responsible for mechanical, elec-trical, plumbing, structural engineering, LEED consulting and building envelope commissioning.

The existing facility was successfully converted into a state-of-the-art data center, vital for meeting the increasing demands for capacity in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). TOR1 includes 23 computer rooms spread across 21,000 square metres with a critical power capacity of up to 46 megawatts and an annual-ized Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.25.

In 2016, DuPont Fabros Technology “DFT” (now Digital Realty) purchased the building. They made a major commit-ment to construct and deliver one of Canada’s largest state-of-the-art wholesale colocation data centers.

Power cost is by far the largest expense for wholesale data center companies, considering the power consumed and the cooling costs associated with critical load consumption. Digital Realty was looking to maximize the energy efficiency of the cooling system in order to achieve an uncompromising PUE of 1.25. This high

mOrrisOn hershfieLD TOR1 Wholesale Data Centre Conversion

level of efficiency offers a highly reliable wholesale solution with excellent efficiency resulting in bottom line savings for clients.

Morrison Hershfield compiled total cost of ownership and return on investment information and analyzed data to guide Digital Realty’s decision-making process throughout, keeping maximum efficiency in mind at all times. As a result of this and subsequent engineering design work, a class leading annualized PUE of 1.25 was achieved for the facility.

The first of its kind in Canada, Digital Realty’s Canadian flag-ship data center has generated great interest in Toronto. Despite significant challenges, the project was completed on an aggressive schedule, meeting all project requirements.

351+ emPLOyees

The goal of the $85 million, 160,000 square-foot Queen’s Innov-ation and Wellness Centre project in Kingston, now named Mitchell Hall, was to transform the aging Physical Education Centre (PEC) into a place where students can come together.

As a priority for Queen’s University, key components of the existing PEC were to remain, including the heritage limestone façade and roof over the original 1920’s building and the existing gymnasiums built in the 1970’s. The original 1920’s building was to be repurposed as part of the project, but it had contained a gymnasium that had to be replaced.

The existing masonry heritage façade and steel building columns that support the structural steel trusses of the roof structure were temporarily supported with a structural steel shoring system that remained in place until the structural renovations were completed. The entire second floor within this heritage buildings was demolished and new composite concrete/structural steel floor structure was inserted in both the second floor and a new third floor within the space.

The existing ground floor structure over this new gymnasium area was demolished, leaving a two-storey open space with the

Lea cOnsuLtinG Mitchell Hall – Queen’s University

existing columns. New structural steel welded wide flange girders spanning 22.5 metres were inserted on the underside of the struc-ture above the gymnasium to support it when the columns were removed. The design of these elements was extremely complex considering deflections immediately at load transfer when the columns were cut and considering significant vibrations due to the gymnasium activities on the floor above. Immediate deflections were monitored at load transfer and matched the predicted values.

Prior to detailed design, LEA completed initial studies of the feasibility of the proposed modifications and identified sensible, cost-effective solutions for the challenges described.

101-350 emPLOyees

Volume 14 2019 33

Nominees

aecOm York Region Police Training CentreYork Regional Police sought to build a new facility to meet the constant and growing demands of the police force and modern training standards in the Town of East Gwillimbury. AECOM developed the design and servicing for the building to match the aesthetic and functional requirements.

Challenges that were overcome included: removal of existing fill material from the former dump site, revising the master plan to allot for future growth of the facility, reduce the program to meet budgetary requirements, and work with the town to obtain permit for ammunition storage.

The facility design features major structural system of steel columns and beams with open web steel joists. The main electrical service consists of a 44 kV supply from Hydro One to a York Regional Police owned padmount. This facility was designed to meet the highest industry standards, with an emphasis on sustain-able features, so the building would meet LEED Silver certification.

cima + Fortieth St. Sanitary Sewer and Maintenance Hole RehabilitationCIMA+ provided project management, detailed design, contract administration and inspection services for the City of Toronto. Based on the inspection reports of 2012, Toronto Water initiated this project with the goal of rehabilitating the Fortieth Street Sanitary Trunk Sewer, approximately 1,000 metres in length.

Obstacles CIMA + was challenged with included: cleaning sewer lines with robotic cutters, and a Marine Dive Team was called on site to install a plug on the down-stream maintenance hole which was completely submerged in water. CIMA+ also introduced a cloud sharing platform which made all information readily available, drastically improving the response time in expediting unforeseen site issues.

To further minimize service interruptions to residents and businesses during construc-tion, the rehabilitation work was performed in phases. The phases included installa-tion of temporary pump and bypass system, rehabilitation of clay tile trunk sewers, rehabilitation of maintenance holes and service connections.

GhD LimiteD Hespeler Trunk Sanitary Sewer RehabilitationThe City of Cambridge retained GHD to assist in the selection of a trench-less installation method for rehabilitating the existing Hespeler Trunk Sanitary Sewer. The trunk sewer was approaching its end of its 45-year-old life.

Many challenges were faced, such as the surrounding area had not been previ-ously developed, limiting access and increasing the lining length required. The sewer bypass also crossed a significant body of water with regularly unpredict-able flows.

One of the initial challenges was that the trunk sewer lays entirely within a Grand River Conservation Authority wetland regulated area and crosses the Speed River. The method of installation reduced the amount of approvals needed and keeping the Ministry of Natural Resources and Fisheries and Oceans Canada informed reduced delays.

The construction process for this assignment was successfully completed within 65 working days.

34 ACCOLADES

Nominees

hatch Acaray GS Life Extension and Modernization StudiesIn partnership with Manitoba Hydro, Hatch was engaged to perform a life extension and condition assessment, providing short, medium, and long-term socially and environ-mentally responsible investment plans to extend the Acaray Generating Station’s life for an additional 30 years for Administracion Nacional De Electricidad (ANDE).

Part of this study included evaluating the power increase option versus turbine effi-ciency in existing units, cost and benefits of the rehabilitation, the operational mode of the Acaray GS unit according to the energy market in Paraguay.

The deliverable in this project was a complete study report which was translated and delivered to ANDE. The outcome will provide information to ANDE so an informed decision can be made on the best way to improve the electricity supply of the upcoming demand in the country. Adding new power and reliability to the system will help avoid power outages and increase life standards. In addition, an optimal water management plan will help keep appropriate water levels in the reservoir.

hatch Nalubaale Hydroelectric Generating StationThe Nalubaale Hydro Power Station in Uganda (circa 1954) is a key facility in the country’s limited energy supply. Significant cracking and structural movements in the concrete substructure have been attributed to adverse concrete expansion due to Aggregate Alkali Reaction (AAR). In the 1980’s, 115 inclined and vertical post-tensioned rock anchors were installed to stabilize and strengthen the powerhouse.

Hatch deployed its specialized expertise for their client Eskon Uganda Limited in analyzing AAR growth effects in complex structures and extensive knowledge of those effects on remedial anchors. The project mandate was to provide a definitive condition assessment, remedial alternatives and practical recommendations.

Hatch has developed and refined proprietary finite element modeling tools which model AAR expansion in hydroelectric and dam structures. Following detailed site assessments, Hatch deployed advanced modeling and objective data evaluation to recommend that, with continued monitoring and surveillance, the anchor service life could conservatively be extended until at least 2030, thereby ensuring continued, uninterrupted generation of clean, renewable power.

inteGraL GrOuP University of Toronto Mississauga North Building Phase BIntegral Group worked with their client University of Toronto, Mississauga to create a new campus building called The New North Building providing mechanical consulting engineering services.

The building is the campus’ second LEED Gold building. Design features include high efficiency condensing boilers and variable speed chillers – maximizing indoor environmental quality; accessible green roofs; an environmentally responsive envelope; and advanced measurement and verification systems that will ensure the highest possible building performance over its life-cycle.

The building boasts 210,000 square-feet of academic space and is the second phase of a three-phase project to replace the campus’ first structure first built in 1967. The new building has transformed the campus and its culture.

Volume 14 2019 35

Nominees

jacObs Gregory Casey Stormwater Management FacilityThe City of Ottawa retained Jacobs to provide services for the design and construc-tion of the Gregory Casey stormwater facility. It services a 332 hectare area that has been undergoing significant urbanization. To accommodate the development, a former municipal drain was diverted into the facility to achieve Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) enhanced protection. In addition, an existing pond was repurposed as an aquatic habitat.

Jacobs completed a hydrologic model of the baseline conditions for the system to determine the existing flow conditions. After establishing the baseline conditions, hydrographs for the design rainfall event were applied to the models to determine which rainfall event produced the highest upstream hydraulic grade line (HGL).Geotechnical investigations discovered that some soils at the proposed pond and existing pond exceeded the MECP background site conditions standard and special management of excess soils were required. The team developed and executed the most cost-effective and efficient way to manage the stormwater while keeping the natural environment and local community in mind.

Lea cOnsuLtinG Highway 401/19 Structure Replacement and Interchange ImprovementMTO West Region enlisted LEA to provide consulting engineering services for the replacement of the Highway 401 underpass structure at Highway 19 and associated interchange improvements in the Town of Ingersoll, Oxford County.

This contract was constructed to address the deteriorated condition of the Highway 19 underpass, to accommodate the future expansion of Highway 401 and improve safety and operational performance of the interchange by replacing the at-grade ramp terminals with roundabouts.

This project utilized MTO West Region’s Get-in Get-out (GiGo) Bridge method-ology for the replacement of the Highway 401 Underpass. The GiGo Bridge meth-odology is an Accelerated Bridge Construction technique, where prefabricated bridge elements and modular systems are used to accelerate bridge construction.

Efforts to make the impact on traffic minimal and made by diverting motorists to various routes.

r.v. anDersOn assOciates LimiteD (rva) Ingersoll Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades & ExpansionThe Ingersoll Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), owned and operated by Oxford County, in the Town of Ingersoll, provides treatment for the residential, commercial, and industrial users. The county retained RVA to complete the upgrade and expand the plant.

It is only natural that RVA work on this project given its history with the plant since inception. RVA’s founder, Roderick Anderson designed Ingersoll WWTP in 1947 and RVA has been maintaining and upgrading it ever since.

This entailed upgrading the plant to treat the entire plant flow for the existing effluent criteria and re-rate to Average Day Flow (ADF), designing a new Conventional Acti-vated Sludge Plant, providing a decommissioning strategy for the plant while keeping the overall facility operational during construction. Using two contracts with overlap-ping timelines cut about a year off of the overall construction schedule versus a conven-tional single contract.

36 ACCOLADES

Nominees

stantec evolve1Cora Group Inc. commissioned Stantec to provide services for a multi-tenant commer-cial office building in Waterloo, targeting net positive energy performance and LEED Platinum.

In the context of engineering achievement, Stantec was able to optimize the thermal performance of the building envelope. This included reducing thermal bridging, increasing insulation, and increasing glazing performance to a balanced point where it was equally as cost effective to produce energy from the photovoltaic array.

Evolve1 is a Net Positive energy building which means it produces more energy than it consumes. The building is also a Zero Carbon building which means there are no carbon emissions in the building’s operation. Both these features will contribute to the health of Waterloo’s environment and take a step towards reversing climate change. Evolv1 is highly visible in the community as a flagship for sustainability.

stantec Port Stanley WWTP, Pumping Station 51 Upgrades, and Pumping Station 52The community of Port Stanley has been serviced with facultative lagoons for their sanitary treatment for more than 40 years. The Municipality of Central Elgin identi-fied that the Port Stanley Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) was nearing its oper-ational capacity and measures were required to ensure adequate capacity for existing development and for future growth within the service area. The project required atten-tion for three major sites, namely the existing lagoon treatment site, Pumping Station 51 (PS51), and Pumping Station 52 (PS52).

A key objective of the project was to increase the capacity of the sanitary servicing system on the west side of Kettle Creek and improve the safety and security of the two upstream Pumping Stations (PS) and the end-of-pipe wastewater treatment tech-nology. In addition to ensuring an adequate technical solution, ensuring a high level of engagement with key stakeholders became a critical objective, along with the need for an environmentally sustainable long-term solution.

the municiPaL infrastructure GrOuP LtD. Elgin Mills GreenwayThrough the collaborative efforts of The Municipal Infrastructure Group Ltd., the Town of Richmond Hill, and other stakeholders, a unique stormwater management system was developed and implemented to mitigate erosion and improve water quality in the East Don River, which will minimize the Town’s future maintenance efforts in the Elgin Mills Greenway.

Several Butternut trees were identified which are protected as an Endangered Species. The design was developed to avoid the regulatory setbacks from the trees. Down-stream of the existing on-line pond is the tributary of the river, which is considered habitat for the Redside Dace fish, also protected under the Endangered Species Act. The design also included measures to mitigate impacts on water temperature, such as shading by selected vegetation and drawing cooler water from the base of the pond. The new stormwater management facility and naturalization of the former stormwater management facility provided opportunities to expand and enhance the trail system in the Greenway, while also removing a large number of invasive plant species and improving the quality of the woodland vegetation through the Elgin Mills Greenway.

Volume 14 2019 37

the municiPaL infrastructure GrOuP LtD. Friday Harbour Vertical WorksFriday Harbour Resort is a 240 hectare, all-season resort located in the Town of Innisfil. The Municipal Infrastructure Group Ltd. (TMIG) provided design, construc-tion administration, and site inspection services for Friday Harbour Resort water storage facility, internal sanitary pumping station, and submersible stormwater pumping stations, for their client Geranium Corporation for the Town of Innisfil.

The project had to consider a construction schedule such that the water and sani-tary facilities were operational in time for the opening of the first phase of the resort, overall aesthetics of the resort and design requirements of all key stakeholders.

The traditionally industrial-looking water infrastructure was transformed into an iconic architectural feature. This was accomplished through the material selection in the tank pedestal and the selection of the glass fused-to-steel material, circular staircase, and lantern features. TMIG collaborated with the contractor to establish the sinking caisson method, which eliminates the need for a temporary support or groundwater pumping, vastly expediting the construction process.

Nominees

WOOD Natural Capitol Pilot StudyWood was enlisted to conduct this study for the Town of Oakville as part of the national Municipal Natural Assets Initiative (MNAI) to evaluate the municipal services provided by natural infrastructure which could be included in asset manage-ment plans. The Oakville pilot assessed the performance of a 305 metre private channel (natural) and compared this to equivalent stormwater services provided by engineered (grey) assets, demonstrating lower capital and operating costs.

The objective for this pilot study, in partnership with MNAI, was to establish a financial value of a pilot natural asset and the stormwater services it provides in order to under-stand the potential relationship between the value of services from natural assets and new municipal financial strategies to providing equivalent stormwater services. Wood determined the stormwater services provided by the subject remnant channel included flow conveyance, flow attenuation, infiltration, and informal water quality treatment. The study also examined the influence of changing land use in this residential land base which is under pressure to intensify with larger homes leading to increased runoff rates.

WsP Navigating Uncertainty – Exploration of Alternative Futures of the GTHAThe Metrolinx Navigating Uncertainty project, led by WSP, is a scenario planning project that put a future-focused spin on traditional long-range strategic planning for regional transportation. The project helped guide and inform the next update of the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). The project builds resilience into the RTP by developing strategies to address various plausible futures as opposed to just one.

The project team broke the status quo to apply scenario planning for a complex, multi-faceted regional area. Whereas traditional approaches plan a set of future conditions established through extrapolation from current conditions. Scenario planning encourages planning for more than one set of future conditions, each representing a different alternative future. This technique broadened the scope of considerations, allowing the team to effectively assess potential solutions against a range of plausible futures rather than a singular estimate or prediction of what the future might look like.

38 ACCOLADES

Professional Services Directory BMS ............................................................ 19 ceo.insurance.bmsgroup.com

Eramosa Engineering .................................. 9 www.eramosa.com

Hub International ....................................... 17 www.hubinternational.com

Hugh Wood Canada Ltd. ..........................23 www.decastltd.com

Matchfield .................................................. 15 www.matchfield.com

Manulife Financial .....................................39 www.hubinternational.com

Ontario Society of Professional Engineers ..................................... 2 www.ospe.on.ca

R.J. Burnside & Associates Limited .......... 13 www.rjburnside.com

Parsons .......................................................40 www.parsons.com

Robinson Consultants Inc. ........................21 www.rcii.com

Terraprobe Inc. .......................................... 11 www.terraprobe.ca

Valcoustics Canada Ltd. ........................... 11 www.valcoustics.com

Wood .........................................................40 www.woodplc.com

WSP ...........................................................38 www.wsp.com

Just the factsabout Engineers Canada-sponsored Disability Income Replacement Insurance

The odds of su� ering from a disability before age 65 are 1 in 3 1

It’s unfortunate, but true: disabilities are disturbingly common. Every day in Canada, 165 Canadians are involved in an accident that leaves them partially or totally disabled.2

Disability has a high � nancial costWhile disability certainly takes immense physical, emotional and psychological tolls, people who su� er from disability also take a tough � nancial hit. A­ er all, nearly 50% of mortgage foreclosures are due to disability.3

To give you an idea, have a look at the total annual cost to Canadians who su� er disabilities caused by di� erent injuries, when you factor in health care costs plus the costs of reduced productivity and other issues:2

DescriptionTotal cost ($ Million)

Transport incidents 4,289

Falls 8,680

Fire/burns 366

Unintentional poisoning 1,264

Struck by/against sports equipment 187

Other unintentional injuries 7,127

Violence 1,142

Undetermined intent/other 598

Engineers Canada-sponsoredDisability Income Replacementinsurance can help

Engineers Canada-sponsored Disability Income Replacement Insurance was created exclusively for professional engineering, geoscience and technology association members and their families. This a� ordable plan can be a huge help while you recover, covering 6 types of disabilities. It features low rates not available to the general public and provides monthly bene� t payments up to $15,000.4 It includes automatic Cost of Living Adjustments, a compassionate care bene� t and a waiver of premiums if you’re totally disabled for more than 3 months.

Learn more and apply:

manulife.com/ceoDI 1 877 598-2273

There’s no denying it: to even think about yourself or a close family member becoming disabled – even temporarily – is incredibly unpleasant. But the facts will tell you that it’s something to which you should at least give some thought – so you’re prepared, just in case.

1 Canada Life and Health Insurance Association, “A guide to disability insurance,” January 2016. 2 Parachute, “The Cost of Injury in Canada,” 2015.3 www.disabled-world.com, “Disability Insurance: Bene� ts, News and Claims,” 2017.4 Based on a percentage of your monthly earnings, while you are disabled and unable to perform your occupation.

Manulife, Manulife & Stylized M Design, and Stylized M Design are trademarks of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company and are used by it, and by its a¥ liates under license. All rights reserved.

© 2019 The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company. Manulife, P.O. Box 670, Stn Waterloo, ON N2J 4B8.

Underwri§ en by

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company

180419_EC_CEO_DI_Ad_8.375x10.875_EN_v1.indd 1 2019-04-16 11:02 AM

NYNJ Link is part of The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Goethals Bridge Replacement Public Private Partnership (P3). Kiewit-Weeks-Massman, AJV, is a design-build joint venture team for NYNJ Link, LLC. For information on the Goethals Bridge Replacement and the P3 visit: www.panynj.gov/GoethalsBridgeReplacement

Knowledge. Expertise. Resources. Goethals Bridge ReplacementStaten Island, NY to Elizabeth, NJ

Going beyond the expectedGoing beyond the expectedWith a global network of 60,000 engineers, scientists and project

managers spanning six continents, Wood applies ingenuity and

innovative technologies to provide balanced solutions that meet your

specific business priorities.

woodplc.com