Mammoet recently completed a rapid bridge replacement of the Lees Avenue Bridge in Ottawa, Ontario.

The company replaced a 2,100 ton bridge over one of Ottawa’s major highways. Work was completed in only 2.5 hours, according to Mammoet.

“Originally planned to take between four and six hours, the operation was conducted flawlessly and was completed ahead of schedule, allowing the city to reopen the busy thoroughfare as planned,” according to a statement.

The new bridge’s design provided for a particularly complex lift. It included a curved shape, making it more difficult to align the transporters beneath the bridge, and the move was completed over a curved section of the highway. The 85 meter length and 2,100 ton weight of the bridge added to the challenge.

Using a 96-axle self-propelled modular transporter (SPMT) trailer, the bridge was successfully installed within the planned timeframe. The SPMT is a platform vehicle co-developed by Mammoet and Scheuerle and widely used for its exceptional weight-bearing capabilities, its versatility and its capacity to keep the load level under any circumstances.

“This heavy lift project was well planned and executed and an excellent example of the teamwork required to deliver the Highway 417 component of the OLRT Project. This project was another first in North America; the heaviest lift of a multi-span structure over a freeway to date,” stated Steve Cripps, P. Eng, Director, Rail Implementation Office, City of Ottawa.

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Herb Lagois of Lagois Design-Build-Renovate in North Gower, gave $10,000 to Carol Houston, executive director of Ronald McDonald House – Ottawa.

This represents the funds raised at the Lagois 6th annual golf tournament on September 12 at the Manderley on the Green Golf Course.

Lagois has been supporting Ronald McDonald House for about 20 years and this was a special year as both Lagois and Ronald McDonald House – Ottawa each celebrate their 30th anniversary.

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            67s prepare for season opener in renovated arena as Pomerleau wraps up site finishing details

Ottawa Construction News staff writer

As Ottawa’s RedBlacks reach the last quarter of their inaugural season, the Ottawa 67s are ramping up for their first home game October 10 in their newly renovated home. The work here has all been part of the overall Lansdowne redevelopment project.

Pomerleau project director Philippe Goulet says crews are now finishing the arena bowl and are working to complete the suites and final occupancy details. “This is our last push on the site,” he said. “The stadium is done, we’re finishing small details here and there but really ramping down.”

Goulet says the hand-over to OSEG (Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group) went smoothly and the organization has had full control since before the first RedBlacks game in July.

On the retail side, he says work is still going on outdoors but the buildings have been closed in and in some cases, merchandise had begun moving in by September preparing for staggered openings expected to begin by mid-October.

Goulet says the entire project team is proud to see what has been accomplished in recreating Lansdowne and turning it into a vibrant centre.

“You go to a RedBlacks game or a Fury game and there are sell-out crowds, the excitement is high,” he said. “This has been a great project for us and for the city.”

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Ottawa Construction News staff writer

The Ottawa Hospital Foundation co-ordinated a surprise tribute for Robert Merkley on July 24, when the hospital unveiled the Merkley Supply Ltd. Research Bay at Dr. John Bell’s oncolyitic virus lab.

Merkley has been a driving force behind the successful Ride the Rideau fund-raiser for cancer research.

The hospital foundation co-ordinated the surprise party with Merkley’s family and employees, who also celebrated Merkley’s sixtieth birthday.

Despite weeks of planning, and an invitation list of about 100 – including several emails and reminders (which all mentioned “Save the date – but keep it a secret!), Merely was indeed taken by surprise when he discovered what he thought would be a small dinner event instead was to be the research bay unveiling, and a catered dinner on the hospital grounds.

Visitors gained rare access to the secure research area where the Merkley Supply Bay is located. Dr. Bell’s team is performing ground-breaking research to develop individualized cancer treatment methodologies, reducing treatment toxicity and increasing its effectiveness.

The fifth Ride The Rideau is scheduled for Sept. 6.  So far, the event has raised more than $6.4 million for cancer research.

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            RTG takes responsibility for rock bolts penetrating Sun Life Building parking garage wall

Ottawa Construction News staff writer

The Light Rail Transit (LRT) project is moving forward despite some unexpected surprises.

Recently, for example, rock bolts related to the tunnel excavation penetrated through the parking garage wall of the Sun Life Building along Queen St.

Gary Craig, acting director, Rail Implementation Office quickly responded, saying: “All repairs related to this minor incident have been made at the cost of the Rideau Transit Group. There are no risks to the integrity of building’s foundation and there was no other property damage.”

He added that the Rideau Transit Group (RTG) began working on a revised methodology to install the rock bolts to ensure there would be no re-occurrence.

In February, a sinkhole 8 m. wide and 12 m. deep opened on Waller St. just south of Laurier Ave. where crews were digging the tunnel’s eastern entrance. The root cause of the issue was determined to be unanticipated soil conditions. The issue was deemed the responsibility of RTG, according to the project agreement.

Other updates note that digging on a 2.5-kilometre downtown tunnel that will connect Lyon, Parliament and Rideau stations by light-rail transit is roughly 30 per cent complete.

Steven Cripps, director, rail implementation office says as of July 21, 679 m of the running tunnel have been excavated encompassing 53, 407 m3 of material since tunnel work began mid-October 2013. “Rideau Transit Group, the consortium responsible for delivering the Confederation Line, currently has more than 200 employees,” he said. “Subcontractors have, as of the end of June, worked about 400,000 hours on the project.”

To complete the heavy excavation work three 135-tonne roadheaders, one for each access point, are excavating up to 70 to 80 MPA rocks (UCS). Cripps says these specialized machines were shipped preassembled in small to mid-size pieces from New York by trailers and from Austria by ship, and assembled onsite.

“Additional equipment is being used in the construction of the tunnel, such as jumbos for the installation of the temporary support, robots for shotcrete, and loaders for mucking,” he said.

Many of the fine details of the project have yet to be finalized. A mock-up of the rail car to be used had been scheduled to be delivered to Ottawa this summer for viewing but at this point the city is still finalizing details with Alstom, the designer and manufacturer.

Cripps says a working group, tasked with operational matters, is still working on the final name that will be applied to both the Confederation Line and the current O-Train and is expected to bring recommendations to the Transit Commission later this year.

To date the project has received three awards in the financial and P3 category. These are: 2013 CCPPP National Awards for Innovation and Excellence in Public-Private Partnerships, Project Financing Category; 2013 Project Finance Magazine Deal of the Year Award and 2014 Partnership Awards, Best Rail Project, Partnerships Bulletin/PPP Bulletin/P3 Bulletin.

            The Confederation Line website reports thatexcavation of the Lyon Station and Parliament Station caverns continues and includes umbrella and mesh installations as well as shotcreting.

At the Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) excavation is progressing on the building foundation, works for the MSF connector continue, including stripping of topsoil and utilities locates within the VIA right of way.

Widening and rehabilitation of the Hurdman Bridge continues, with stripping the deck of the eastbound lanes and westbound lanes access.

At the St. Laurent overpass, widening and rehabilitation of the structure is ongoing on the north side, with forming and pouring of the abutments, installation of roadway protection, removal of the approach slab, and chipping out the deck and ballast walls.

At the Vanier Parkway overpass, work advances in preparation of the rapid bridge replacement scheduled for late September. Contractors are preparing for pouring the new bridge deck.

Demolition of the existing Belfast Road underpass is advancing and formwork and pouring continues at the south abutment.

Work on the new Lees Avenue underpass deck progresses, and includes forming, stripping and pouring parapet walls, hedge pilling, and removing the overhanging west side bracket platform.

Construction of the Coventry pedestrian footbridge is progressing, including installation of reinforcing cages for the bridge’s columns.

Cripps says over the next two months the project team expects to complete of stage 1 of Highway 417 works, rapid replacement of Lees Ave. overpass, continued mining at the station caverns (Lyon and Parliament), continued mining at the East Portal and progress at the Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF)  including completion of foundation work, structural steel work and work on the connector.

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Ottawa Construction News special feature

Taking advantage of training programs aimed at bringing women into the trades, Kathy Choquette left her administrative responsibilities and discovered a passion for electrical work. She is now a foreman with Ziebarth Electrical Contractors Ltd. and has been involved in the trade for 24 years.

“I took Women in Trades and Technology at Algonquin College,” she says. “The program provided exposure to a number of trades and from there I went into a pilot project called Electrical Training for Women.”

Choquette says programs specifically designed for women create an environment in which women with no background and perhaps lacking some of the basic skills, can acquire what they need in a supportive environment. “I came out of an office background knowing I wanted to get into something more hands-on but with no experience with many of the tools and this was a great starting point to learn.”

She says she originally found employment where she had completed a work placement but discovered one of the company’s partners was less-than-supportive of women in the trades. The other partners though helped her get into the union, which proved an advantage when she later decided to take time off to have a family.

“I had one child, went back to work briefly and then after my second was born, decided to stay home a while,” she said. “The early morning hours of construction are a real roadblock in getting daycare so staying home was really the only option.”

Through IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers), she found work with a few other companies before she landed a position with Ziebarth 10 years ago. “This is a great company to work for,” she says. “They treat staff well and we have become a close group. There are often activities outside of work that we get involved with together and many social opportunities.”

She says Ziebarth has invested both time and confidence in her, giving her the opportunity to develop the skills and gain the experience she has needed to move from electrician to lead hand and then foreman.

She says she has always felt welcome on site and says in fact that many of her male colleagues have said they enjoy working with women and wish more were involved. “Many of the guys have commented that women are easy to work with and have something of a calming effect on a site.”

She says electrical work is a great career for women because it is not all about strength but rather detail and planning. As a foreman, planning work and organizing staff is part of her role. Though there is room for advancement, Choquette says she loves being in the field and prefers on-site work to advanced office jobs.

“I love the camaraderie on site, seeing a project come together. I’ve been a speaker for Algonquin promoting women in the trades and I’ve personally suggested it as an option to many women.”

She says the pay, benefits package and hours also suit her lifestyle.

Choquette says she especially enjoys the bigger projects and long jobs where relationships are developed and carry forward with other companies and their employees. She says it is quite common to run into people who have worked together on previous jobs and finds a sense of community in the relatively small market.

“I believe we need more women in all of the trades,” she said. “We need to have job fairs and public speaking events in high schools to let girls see what tradeswomen look like, and to hear our stories and experiences.”

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            Mattamy Homes takes on title sponsorshiop for Ride the Rideau

By Tracey Tong

Special to Ottawa Construction News

They started small.

When Mattamy Homes first got involved with Ride the Rideau in 2012, they were a cozy team of five. But like many event participants, the event grew on them. Inspired by the cause and captivated by the well-organized event, the team decided to up their involvement.

Two years later, the team has grown to more than 20 riders, and Mattamy Homes has taken the reins as title sponsor of The Ottawa Hospital Foundation’s signature fundraiser.

Ride the Rideau is a natural fit for Mattamy Homes, Canada’s largest new home builder, said Peter Gilgan, Founder and CEO of Mattamy Homes. Based in Toronto, Gilgan, who is an avid cyclist, recently signed up to do the 100-mile ride in Ottawa alongside his staff.

“Ottawa has always supported Mattamy,” said Gilgan, “and we want to give back where we build.”

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada and is responsible for 30 cent of all deaths. An estimated 191,300 new cases of cancer and 76,600 deaths from cancer will occur in Canada in 2014. The proceeds from Ride the Rideau support the groundbreaking cancer research that will save or improve the quality of life for many.

In its fifth year, Ride the Rideau will be held Saturday, Sept. 6. It features a brand-new 100 mile distance this year, in addition to its popular 50 km and flagship 100 km rides. All distances feature new routes, departing from and returning to Ottawa’s EY Centre, making it easier for family, friends and fans to cheer riders on at the start and finish.

The Ride grows each year, continues to be the top cancer fundraiser in Eastern Ontario. In just four years, has raised over $6.45 million in support of cancer research, including the development of personalized therapies for cancer patients and clinical trials at The Ottawa Hospital.

“This is definitely something that we’re proud to be a part of,” said Mark Parsons, president of the Ottawa division of Mattamy Homes. Parsons and team captain Mattamy senior project manager, land development Mike Green, both avid cyclists, are leading group rides so all team members will be comfortable with their conditioning on the day of the ride.

“Since we decided to take on the title sponsorship, we were looking for greater employee participation,” said Green. “We knew the fundraising aspect would be a challenge, but wanted to assure those participating of the company’s support and to give a certain comfort level with all aspects of the ride.”

During the winter, Green set up a spin class though Goodlife twice a week. Now that it’s summer, training has moved outdoors in the form of a weekly cycling group.

The team has brought Mattamy’s small Ottawa office closer together, Green said.

In addition to riding, Mattamy Homes employees, including Michael Winiarz, vice-president sales and M=marketing, will be volunteering at the event and are manning one of our pit stops to help keep riders fuelled, inspired and comfortable along the way.

Mattamy Homes is no stranger to supporting causes like Ride the Rideau. The company has a long history of supporting community efforts and charities across Canada and the U.S. that contribute to people living healthy and productive lives.

Support the Mattamy Homes team in their ride on Sept. 6 by visiting www.ridetherideau.ca and sponsoring “Mattamy.” It’s the ride of your life to save someone else’s. For more information, to register, or volunteer, visit www.ridetherideau.ca.

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Advance Drywall is coordinating “A Little Taste of Italy” to raise Ride the Rideau funds.

All funds raised at the Aug 14 event at Trattoria Cafe Italia at 254 Preston St. will support cancer research at the Ottawa hospital

Tickets are $50.00 each or $80.00 per couple. Please call Kim at (613) 291 4085, Sherry at (613) 292 7940.

The event includes

• Wine tasting – no limit as long as deemed safe
• Appetizers: Deep fried olives, pizza squares, veggies & dips, cheese, grapes, meatballs, calamari, antipasto….etc.
• Desserts: will be made by donors around the city of Ottawa – restaurants, individual bakers, etc. Traditional desserts of the different regions of Italy – i.e.: Sicily – cannoli
• Coffee/tea/pop – available free of charge
• A $150.00 gift certificate from Davidson Jewellers as a door prize.

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            Passive House and LEED for Home Platinum status will provide healthy living conditions to a vulnerable population, whilereducing ongoing operating costs

Ottawa Construction News staff writer

Construction of Salus Clementine, an environmentally-sustainable $7.5 million, 42-unit project to provide housing for individuals living with mental illnesses is expected to start next April, says project architect Sonia Zouari of CSV Architects.

“The project has been designed to achieve LEED for Homes Platinum status, while adhering to the Passive House standard – with energy savings performance of 80 to 90 per cent compared to conventional Canadian construction,” she said.

As well, non-profit Salus Corporation project has been designed to provide support services for vulnerable men and women, 16-years-old and over.

“Building energy efficient and a durable building will keep operational costs low, and allow Ottawa Salus to stretch its resources to provide the best possible service to its clients,” Zouari said.

The four-storey apartment building, to be constructed by Taplen Construction, has been designed  “as a bright and engaging building that the residents will identify as their home.”

The energy efficiency and durable design will reduce operating costs, allowing Salus to focus the ongoing savings to the benefit of the building’s residents.

The passive house design achieves thermal performance through solar orientation, advanced building envelope design, high-performance windows and mechanical ventilation with high efficiency heat recovery, Zouari said.

The project will be funded by the three levels of government, as well as Salus’s own equity.

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Ottawa Construction News staff writer

The initial design for Ottawa’s new Innovation Centre, to be built at the former Bayview Yards, has been released – and the designers say they “have developed architectural, technological and programmatic arrangements inside and outside the building to create interconnected spaces which are diverse and rich.”

The $30 million project, funded equally by the city and province, will turn the former municipal works yards (originally constructed in 1941) into an entrepreneurial incubator and hub.

The prototypeD team of graphic, architectural and industrial designers “approached the Bayview Yards with the purpose of creating an architectural environment that fosters a dynamic and engaging ecosystem, and to develop a vision which could gather feedback from and energize the community.”

“The team balanced heritage, structure, accessibility, environmental performance, programming needs, community feedback, and the brownfield state of the site and building to harness the site’s potential,” said architect Janak Alford, prototypeD’s founder and CEO. “Through various consultations and design sessions that we have held at prototypeD and on site at Bayview Yards in March and April, our team has worked hard to capture the energy and potential of Ottawa’s entrepreneurs and translate their needs into tangible spaces to support innovation.

The building at 7 Bayview Rd. has about 45,770 sq. ft. of space. Construction is scheduled to start later this year if the city’s finance and economic development committee and city council approve the project.  Work would be completed by 2016.

If the first phase is successful, a condense phase – a tower in the courtyard with as much as 180,000 sq. Ft, would be constructed, but this project will only move forward after Phase I is completed and enough anchor tenants have been secured to justify it.

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