SU M M E R 2014 | $8.00
MAGAZINE
Anniversary feature 35 years of construction PAGE 31
Edmonton arena district update
Oilsands industry isn’t slowing down
PAGE 46
PAGE 51
Ernest Poole
Poole’s Rules
Bob Stollery
Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences
Poole Construction Headquarters
Dudley Menzies LRT Bridge
5155 PCL Constru
Z-FOLD AD – DOUBL Destination: Africa at the Calgary Zoo
Royal Tyrrell Museum
Edmonton International Airport Terminal Expansion
Crowfoot LRT Station
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LE PAGE SPREAD Calgary Airport Trail Underpass
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SAIT Trades & Technology Complex
Glacier Skywalk
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Volume 34 Number 2 Published Summer 2014
table of contents
NEWS Nuts & bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 People & products . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Made to measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Project update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
FEATURES COMMERCIAL
46
The good ol’ haggling game Work on a new downtown Edmonton arena finally begins after years of financial wrangling By Joseph Caouette
INDUSTRIAL
51
No slowing down With over $126 billion of oilsands projects on the books, Alberta’s oilsands industry is nowhere near slowing down. Here are five projects to watch.
FINISHING TOUCHES
53
Softening the concrete jungle Proper landscaping brings an aesthetic quality to our brick-and-mortar world
COVER STORY
31
The 35 people, projects and events that have shaped Alberta’s construction industry By Candice Ball, Joseph Caouette and Rianne Stewart
By Kelley Stark TOOLS & TECHNOLOGY
57
A tool for every job Advancements in technology have helped make construction safer and more productive over the years
ASSOCIATION UPDATES Alberta Construction Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Calgary Construction Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Edmonton Construction Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
By Melanie Collison
ON THE COVER: Glacier Skywalk in Jasper, Alta. PHOTO BY BREWSTER INC.
EVERY ISSUE
COLUMNS
People to know . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Bottom line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Time capsule . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Legal edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Alberta Construction Magazine | 9
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editor’s note EDITORIAL EDITOR Rianne Stewart
rstewart@junewarren-nickles.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Joseph Caouette jcaouette@junewarren-nickles.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Candice Ball, Gerry Cameron, Melanie Collison, Jessica Curtis, Ken Gibson, Tim Mavko, Barry Pfau, Aly Pringle, Kelley Stark EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE MANAGER Tracey Comeau tcomeau@junewarren-nickles.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE Kate Austin, Laura Blackwood, Shawna Blumenschein, Sarah Eisner, Sarah Maludzinski
CREATIVE PRINT, PREPRESS &PRODUCTION MANAGER Michael Gaffney
mgaffney@junewarren-nickles.com
CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER Tamara Polloway-Webb tpwebb@junewarren-nickles.com CREATIVE LEAD/SENIOR DESIGNER Cathlene Ozubko cozubko@junewarren-nickles.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER S Christina Borowiecki, Paige Pennifold,
Jeremy Seeman SALES
SALES MANAGER – ADVERTISING Monte Sumner
msumner@junewarren-nickles.com
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Paul Sheane psheane@junewarren-nickles.com For advertising inquiries please contact:
adrequests@junewarren-nickles.com AD TRAFFIC COORDINATOR – MAGAZINES Lorraine Ostapovich
atc@junewarren-nickles.com DIRECTORS CEO Bill Whitelaw
bwhitelaw@junewarren-nickles.com PRESIDENT Rob Pentney rpentney@junewarren-nickles.com DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING Maurya Sokolon msokolon@junewarren-nickles.com
Seven years ago I wrote in my first column as editor of Alberta Construction Magazine that Alberta smells like freshly cut lumber. I was new to the province and was absolutely blown away by the amount of construction taking place here. Roads, bridges, schools, the new coffee shop around the corner. And it seemed whatever community I would visit—Fort McMurray, Red Deer, Calgary, Edmonton—the smell of freshly cut lumber was evident. The smell is not as recognizable to me today. It’s not because there has been a fall-off in construction activity—far from it. It’s just that I’m so used to the smell by now. But every so often I will catch a whiff and it will remind me just how fortunate we are to be living in a place with so much activity and such a healthy industry. This will mark my last column as editor of this magazine, though I continue to hold the position of director of content for JuneWarren-Nickle’s Energy Group. Much has happened since I came on board in 2007. We experienced a global economic meltdown and rebound. Our industries have undergone massive changes. And Alberta Construction Magazine reached an important milestone this year— its 35th anniversary. So let me introduce you to my successor as editor, Rianne Stewart. I know she will do a great job leading the magazine into the future.
Chaz Osburn
cosburn@junewaren-nickles.com
DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & CONFERENCES Ian MacGillivray
imacgillivray@junewarren-nickles.com
DIRECTOR OF THE DAILY OIL BULLETIN Stephen Marsters
smarsters@junewarren-nickles.com
DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL STRATEGIES Gord Lindenberg
glindenberg@junewarren-nickles.com DIRECTOR OF CONTENT C haz Osburn cosburn@junewarren-nickles.com
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION A udrey Sprinkle asprinkle@junewarren-nickles.com DIRECTOR OF FINANCE K en Zacharias, CMA kzacharias@junewarren-nickles.com
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Tel: 1.866.543.7888 Email: circulation@junewarren-nickles.com Alberta Construction Magazine is owned by JuneWarren-Nickle’s Energy Group and is published quarterly. ©2014 JuneWarren-Nickle’s Energy Group 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 publisher. The opinions expressed by contributors to Alberta Construction Magazine may not represent the official views of the magazine. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, the publisher does not assume any responsibility or liability for errors or omissions. Printed by PrintWest. Postage Paid in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. If undeliverable return to: Circulation Department, 2nd Flr-816 55 Avenue N.E., Calgary, Alberta T2E 6Y4 Made in Canada GST Registration Number 826256554RT Printed in Canada ISSN 1499-6308 Publication Mail Agreement Number 40069240
We’ve all heard the joke that Alberta has two seasons: winter and construction. I’m not sure that it’s funny, but it’s definitely true. Work begins the moment the weather is mild and dry enough for it to start, and it doesn’t stop until we’ve collected multiple feet of snow and temperatures have dropped below minus 20 degrees Celsius. While attending a conference in the southern U.S. earlier this year, I was amazed by how quiet the city—one of the largest in the United States—was. There was no rumbling of dump trucks, no beep-beep-beeps of equipment backing up and no chattering of jackhammers chewing up the pavement. I woke up each morning and went about my day in complete silence. We are lucky to have the booming (catch the pun?) industries we do in Alberta, which directly and indirectly fund the construction we see—and hear—around us every day. It hasn’t always been this way, as you’ll see in our anniversary feature on page 31, but we should be able to enjoy the noise for a bit longer. To commemorate our anniversary, we’ve updated our look a bit. I am really excited about this issue and the new design, and I look forward to covering the construction industry in our amazing province going forward.
Rianne Stewart
rstewart@junewaren-nickles.com
COMING NEXT ISSUE: The energy issue. We’ll also look at ways to protect your job sites from theft and damage.
Alberta Construction Magazine | 11
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Copyright © 2014 Exxon Mobil Corporation. All rights reserved. All trademarks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries unless otherwise noted.
NUTS & BOLTS NEWS BRIEFS FOR THE BUSY CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONAL
A seven-man crew using a new modular construction system produced by ConXtech, Inc. assembled this pipe rack module in five and a half hours.
PHOTO: CONXTECH, INC.
Modular builders in Alberta and California forge a new connection California’s ConXtech, Inc. came to Nisku, Alta., with a challenge in mind. Could a small group of local ironworkers assemble a pipe rack module in just one day? The answer is yes. A seven-person crew, with the aid of two manlifts and a 50-ton crane, in April assembled the ConX modular pipe rack system in five and a half hours. Using conventional structural steel, the same module likely would have taken three days to build, according to Marty Eaton, business development at Bruce Steel Fabricators Inc., which helped supply the workers. Like an oversized erector set, the technology uses a variety of standardized pieces designed to lock into place quickly. Field welding is typically not needed; beams are bolted together. First used on mid-rise and high-rise residential projects, the principles behind the technology readily translate into the heavy industrial sector. “It’s just pipes and pumps instead of heads and beds,” says Bob Simmons, chief executive officer and chief technology officer of ConXtech. Notably, the finished product features no bracing, unlike more traditional modules. This
offers a wider variety of design possibilities as engineers juggle the placement of pumps and pipe spools. But it also helps make the construction stage safer by removing the cumbersome task of installing bracing—one less step is one less hazard. “We’ve approached safety by changing the work,” Simmons says. “If you can eliminate the risk instead of adding a rule, that’s much more efficient.” And efficiency is the key to this technology’s appeal. The executive notes that workers are often treated as the culprits whenever a project falls behind schedule, but he believes the cost-reimbursable approach used in Alberta has allowed inefficiencies to survive too long. What incentive is there to change the system when oil prices are high and contractors can count on overruns being covered by owners? The quality of the workforce is not the issue, he argues. “They are getting way too much of the blame for the challenges of delivering projects up here,” he says. “It’s really the process that’s at fault, not the workforce.”
Although not yet used in the province, the ConX system is essentially Alberta-ready. It has its Canadian Welding Board certification and is compliant with the International Organization for Standardization. It complies with the Alberta Building Code. It has already gone through a technology qualification with Exxon Mobil Corporation. Working with Bruce Steel and the local ironworkers’ union, the company plans to build a network of fabricators and erectors in order to tap into the lucrative oilsands market. Representatives from oilsands projects operated by the likes of Imperial Oil Limited and Cenovus Energy Inc. were all on hand to watch the Nisku demonstration. There is undoubtedly a hunger for more efficient modular construction. But will the larger engineering, procurement and construction companies (EPCs) join this push, or will it fall on smaller operators like Bruce Steel to lead the charge? The invitation is in the mail, if they care to join the party, according to Simmons. “One of the biggest EPCs in Calgary told us they couldn’t send anybody here because they didn’t have any place to charge the time to,” he says. “That’s the mindset.” Alberta Construction Magazine | 13
nuts & bolts
Province preps another wave of ood projects With the first anniversary of the southern Alberta floods fast approaching, the provincial government has revealed a $600-million package designed to prevent similar future disasters. Over the next three years, the government will draw on the funds to support high-priority projects that will help mitigate future floods. Municipalities around the province will be able to tap into $325 million of the total, which has
been set aside for community-level projects like berms, dikes and erosion control. According to the province, 100 flood mitigation projects have already been approved. One of the key projects is the 50-metrehigh McLean Creek dry dam, which would store 49 million cubic metres of water from the Elbow River. Conceptual design has been completed, but the final decision to proceed hinges on a feasibility study looking at diverting water underground from the Elbow River to the Bow River. (Calgary’s city council expects to receive the report at the end of June.) Flood mitigation efforts on the Elbow River would also be supported by the Springbank
14 | Summer 2014 albertaconstructionmagazine.com
Road off-stream reservoir. Located just 15 kilometres west of Calgary, this project includes a diversion weir, a canal connecting the river to the 59-million-cubic-metre reservoir and improvements to the natural channels that would be used to release water back into the river. Community consultations have begun as the province works through the preliminary design and environmental review. AECOM Technology Corporation has also been contracted to study flood mitigation options for High River, Alta. The province is currently considering three different routes that would divert water from the Highwood River around the town in the case of flooding.
IMAGE: GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA
The Springbank Road off-stream reservoir is one of a number of flood mitigation projects being considered by the Alberta government as part of a $600-million funding package. The reservoir would temporarily store water to help prevent flooding on the Elbow River.
nuts & bolts
The $153-million Centre for Arts and Culture will allow MacEwan University to consolidate more programs at its downtown Edmonton campus.
IMAGE: MACEWAN UNIVERSITY
MacEwan University plans artful expansion MacEwan University is going ahead with a $153-million expansion of its downtown Edmonton campus. Construction will begin this summer on the Centre for Arts and Culture, thanks in part to a $30-million funding boost from the provincial government. When the building opens at the start of the fall 2017 semester, it will provide space for another 4,000 students, bringing the school’s total up to 17,000. The 39,400-square-metre centre will include a recital hall, galleries, studios, and black-box and proscenium theatres. Drawing upon the latest energy modelling techniques, the facade and mechanical systems will
be built for high energy efficiency. The project is aiming for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver certification. The school’s visual and performing arts programs will be consolidated in the five-storey building, which will connect to the rest of MacEwan’s downtown campus through a pedway. Previously, these students were scattered between two satellite campuses in Mill Woods and the city’s west end. By closing the satellite campuses, the school will shave an estimated $1.8 million off of its annual operating budget. MacEwan says it plans to sell the two locations.
Commercial & Industrial Construction
Commercial Industrial Construction
Alberta Construction Magazine | 15
nuts & bolts
Solidia Technologies has won $500,000 to develop a project that would store CO2 emissions in concrete as it cures.
Concrete production is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases in the construction industry. But what if it could transform from carbon emitter to carbon sink? Three new projects are each offering their own novel takes on how to do exactly that. The trio joined 21 other projects as the first-round winners of the CCEMC Grand Challenge: Innovative Carbon Uses. Conducted by the Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation (CCEMC), the contest awarded each project $500,000 to develop a technology that could help Alberta reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Based in the United States, Solidia Technologies is working on a process to capture CO2 produced by cement plants, so it could then be stored in curing concrete. No significant alterations to current cement production technologies would be required. Currently, the company is working to bring the product to an industrial scale by 2015 at Lafarge North America Inc.’s plant in Exshaw, Alta. “Solidia’s patented technology has created a new generation of cement that reduces the CO2 footprint by approximately 70 per cent,” Solidia project manager Brian Leary tells Cleantech Canada. “The result...is increased efficiency and profitability...over and above the sustainability benefits,” he adds. The company estimates its process could reduce the cost of manufacturing cement by up to 40 per cent. Another U.S. company, Blue Planet Ltd., took home $500,000 for its plan to produce carbon-mitigating precast and ready-mix concrete using its liquid condensed phase technology. In addition to concrete production, the process could find application in the petrochemical and power industries. The technology should be ready for initial deployment in Alberta as early as spring 2015, the company says. Full-scale deployment would follow in 2017. Finally, McGill University in Montreal offers its own carbon-reducing variation on existing precast concrete production methods. Using the school’s process, both the cement binder and aggregates would be carbonated with CO2 to produce a stronger product with lower emissions. Commercialization could begin as early as 2016.
16 | Summer 2014 albertaconstructionmagazine.com
PHOTO: SOLIDIA TECHNOLOGIES
Solid ideas for carbon mitigation
nuts & bolts
Fall charity gala promises magic evening The Edmonton-area construction industry and Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS) are partnering once again on the gala fundraiser Building Magic in the Air. The fourth annual event will be held on October 25 at the Chateau Lacombe Hotel in downtown Edmonton. The western-themed gala includes a reception, dinner, live entertainment, raffles, and both live and silent auctions. For more information on the event, including tickets and sponsorship opportunities, visit foundation.stars.ca/buildingmagicintheairgala.
Calgary’s National Music Centre was one of three winners at the 61st Annual Progressive Architecture Awards in New York.
IMAGE: ALLIED WORKS ARCHITECTURE
Architects sing praises of National Music Centre Construction has only just begun on Calgary’s National Music Centre, but the project is already winning rave reviews. The centre was one of three top winners at the 61st Annual Progressive Architecture Awards, held by Architect Magazine in New York. Jurors sifted through 150 submissions looking for unbuilt projects that demonstrated design excellence and innovation. Scheduled to open in 2016, the 160,000-square-foot project will feature exhibitions, recording studios, performance spaces, classrooms and a radio station. The building will also incorporate the historic King Edward Hotel, which will be used to provide apartments for artists-in-residence. Brad Cloepfil, founding principal of Allied Works Architecture, is lead architect on the project. Kasian Architecture is the local architecture partner, while CANA Construction is the general contractor. Alberta Construction Magazine | 17
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New hospital opens in Strathcona County The time for healing has begun for Sherwood Park, Alta. Residents in the area east of Edmonton will now have access to a variety of medical services at the $130-million Strathcona Community Hospital. The Alberta government estimates that 30,000 fewer patients will be sent to Edmonton hospitals because of the new facility. The hospital will roll out its services in stages. Initially, it will offer laboratory services, a CT scanner, intravenous therapy, diagnostic imaging and a 24/7 emergency room. In the future, low-risk prenatal care, orthopedic and sports medicine, and specialized health services for women and seniors will be added. Space has also been provided for future expansions of the facility. Seriously ill patients will be stabilized at the facility before being transferred to a hospital in Edmonton.
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18 | Summer 2014 albertaconstructionmagazine.com
The playbook isn’t quite being rewritten, but there could soon be a few new rules governing labour relations in the Alberta construction industry. Following a year of discussions with contractors, unions and project owners across the province, labour lawyer Andrew Sims has released a report recommending six changes to Alberta’s labour laws. The current legislation has not been updated since 1988. Thomas Lukaszuk, the Alberta minister of jobs, skills, training and labour, commissioned the report and says he accepts the recommendations. There are no details on a timeline for new legislation, but the province would like to make any changes as soon as possible, according to the minister. “You don’t want to enter into labour negotiations having any questions on what legislation will prevail, how the act will look and how [owners, employers and workers] can bargain,” he says. “They would like to approach the negotiating table having a clear understanding of what are the cost repercussions of this legislation and how they will group themselves at the negotiating table.” The six recommendations for the provincial government and Alberta Labour Relations Board are:
1
Settle disputes on major construction projects, such as some oilsands mega-projects, with arbitration instead of strikes and lockouts.
2
Avoid certifying small groups of employees before the workforce can grow to a larger, more representative size.
3
Allow collective bargaining units that consist of all employees at a company, while also maintaining the traditional craft-oriented unions.
4
Examine the feasibility of changing the classification of major transmission line projects from general to specialty construction.
5
Require that an agreement made with a local union be honoured by the parent union and any affiliated locals.
6
Hold periodic round table discussions with all industry stakeholders to promote greater dialogue within the industry.
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PEOPLE &
WHO’S WHO
Calgary consultancy acquired by CH2M Hill TERA Environmental Consultants will be joining the CH2M Hill family. Headquartered in Calgary, TERA provides environmental consulting services to the pipeline, power, and oil and gas sectors. The core of the company’s business is focused on helping businesses navigate the environmental regulatory process. “Siting, licensing, permitting and environmental planning are necessary for all facets of energy production, whether it’s for pipelines, transmission lines, power plants or roads and utilities to production areas,” says Chris Shea, corporate vice-president and global market president, environment and nuclear, at CH2M. “We see a lot of potential for growth in the market.” TERA Environmental Consultants, recently acquired by CH2M Hill, is involved in several major projects in western Canada, including the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion.
TERA’s current projects include the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion and Eastern Alberta Transmission Line.
Construction lawyer joins Dentons’ Edmonton office Dentons Canada LLP has added a new face to its construction Garett Eisenbraun has joined the company’s corporate commercial group in Edmonton as a partner. His areas of practice include construction, infrastructure and energy, and he has been certified as a Canadian Human Resources Professional. Most recently, Eisenbraun worked as senior corporate counsel for WorleyParsons Ltd. and senior legal counsel for Enbridge Inc.
The Bradco Quik Pik attachment will help skid steers grab a variety of materials, such as brush or rocks.
QUICK ON THE PICK Tired of multiple attachments cluttering up the yard? Paladin Attachments hopes its latest offering will entice customers to consider tossing out their old pallet forks, log grapples and pipe handlers. The Bradco Quik Pik is a multiple-purpose grapple designed for skid steers. The tool’s dual-hydraulic boom and curved tines allow it to handle a range of materials, such as brush, rocks, pipes and even standard pallets. In addition, the Quik Pik comes with a removable landscape shoe to help stabilize loads. Visit paladinattachments.com for more details.
20 | Summer 2014 albertaconstructionmagazine.com
PHOTO: (TOP) KINDER MORGAN CANADA; (BOTTOM ) PALADIN ATTACHMENTS
legal team.
AND WHAT’S WHAT
The contract for the latest oilsands work camp has been awarded to Horizon North Logistics Inc. The company will build a 432-unit dormitory complex for an unnamed oilsands operator near Fort McMurray. The project, which will house 1,250 people, is expected to be complete in the second quarter of 2015. Manufacturing the camp will take up 25 per cent of Horizon’s annual capacity, the company estimates.
PRODUCTS
A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Atlas Copco Canada’s new drum cutters are quiet enough to be used on demolition work in urban settings.
DRUM ROLL, PLEASE And the newest attachments in the Atlas Copco Canada Inc. portfolio are...drum cutters. The company is offering eight different drum cutter attachments for use in demolition and dredging, as well as excav
PHOTO: ATLAS COPCO CANADA INC.
ating frozen soil and soft rock. The different models offer
Pembina Pipeline expands in Sherwood Park Pembina Pipeline Corporation has begun work on a new facility in Sherwood Park, Alta. The 85,000-square-foot operations centre will
cutting widths ranging from 18.9–48.8 inches and weigh from
feature 45,000 square feet of office space, with
200–2,900 kilograms.
the rest of the building dedicated to warehousing.
The drum cutters are also equally suitable for the beach or the boulevard. Atlas Copco says that they can be used underwater to depths of 30 metres, and produce low enough amounts of noise and vibration to be used in urban areas.
Pembina says the new facility will allow it to consolidate its regional operations in a single location. The facility is expected to be in operation in the second quarter of 2015.
Learn more at atlascopco.ca.
Alberta Construction Magazine | 21
people & products
TAKING THE “COLD” OUT OF COLD WEATHER CONSTRUCTION!
Milwaukee Tool’s new hole-punching system can handle up to 12-gauge stainless steel.
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A technical knockout Milwaukee Tool is offering a new hole-punching system for electrical
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contractors. The company’s EXACT punches and dies use laser-engraved crosshairs to help line up tools. The punches and dies are made for both stainless and mild steel applications up to four
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inches in size. The second offering in the new knockout system is the M18 FORCE LOGIC, a 10-ton, hydraulic-powered knockout tool that can punch through 12-gauge stainless steel. The company notes that the tool is also compatible with other major brands of punches and dies. The third component of the system is a hand ratchet, which features a
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longer handle than many other similar tools in order to provide more leverage. It also requires less clearance ing arc. Go to milwaukeetool.com for more details.
22 | Summer 2014 albertaconstructionmagazine.com
PHOTO: MILWAUKEE TOOL
because it uses a five-degree ratchet-
people & products
CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES HONOURED FOR MANAGERIAL EXCELLENCE The 2013 list of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies has been revealed, and 14 Alberta companies made the cut. This group includes a number of familiar faces in the province’s construction and energy sectors, such as CCI Inc., the Borger Group of Companies, Landmark Group of Builders, Upside Engineering Ltd., Vista Projects Limited and Westcorp Inc. “In the face of a changing global marketplace, these companies are building efficiencies and driving down costs,” says Dino Medves, senior vice-president, commercial banking at CIBC, one of the award sponsors. “By growing aggressively and profitably, they are strategically expanding their operations, while making a significant contribution to the Canadian economy.” The winners were chosen based on several areas of focus, such as profitability, employee engagement, expanding market reach and investments in productivity and
PHOTO: DODOIMAGES/THINKSTOCK
innovation.
Alberta Construction Magazine | 23
people & products
WENT TO SEE THE GYPSUM Georgia-Pacific Canada LP has expanded its sales presence in Alberta. The gypsum product provider has tapped Calgary’s Pilot Group Inc.
Ute boot makes safety concerns moot You won’t shoot yourself in the foot with this purchase. Bulletproof Kevlar stitching is just one fea-
to act as its sales agent in the prairie provinces. Led by president Larry
ture of Blundstone Boots’ new Ute #165 CSA Met
Shoesmith, Pilot has served as a product representative for a variety of
Guard safety boot, however. It also has a metatar-
manufacturers since 2002.
sal guard, steel toes, leather covered elastics on the
Building owners, architects and roofing contractors will be the primary market for Pilot, which will carry all of Georgia-Pacific’s gypsum
sides and shockproof soles. In addition to its safety features, the boot should
products. Georgia-Pacific’s internal field sales managers will continue to
prove comfortable even when standing on concrete
serve drywall contractors and distributors.
all day, Blundstone says.
Check out gp.com for more information.
Go to blundstone.ca to find the nearest supplier.
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PHOTO: (LEFT) GEORGIA-PACIFIC CANADA LP; (RIGHT) BLUNDSTONE BOOTS
The Ute, a new safety boot from Blundstone Boots, features shockproof soles and bulletproof stitching.
Pilot Group Inc. will serve as a sales agent for Georgia-Pacific Canada LP gypsum products in Alberta.
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made to measure
Ritchie Bros. spring Edmonton auction On April 23-25 in Nisku, Alta., Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers held their largest unreserved Canadian auction ever. What does that look like?
874 SELLERS SOLD 6,145 PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING:
$65,155,820
190+ excavators
ONLINE SALES 173+ truck tractors
$143,586,060 TOTAL SALES
170+ compactors
$78,430,240
145+ crawler tractors
IN-PERSON SALES
80+ dump trucks
Registered bidders
Purchased by Albertans:
$96,988,185
Online: 5,372
Purchased by the rest of Canada and other countries:
In-person: 4,073 Total: 9,445
$46,597,875
Of those:
75+ loaders
1,450 bought online
55+ agricultural tractors
1,250 bought in-person 2 Canadian records broken: total sales number of lots (items) sold
2,700 bought in total
Buyers came from 50 countries, including:
CANADA BELGIUM UNITED STATES JORDAN
EGYPT
MEXICO
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
PANAMA MALAYSIA
COLUMBIA PERU
HONG KONG THAILAND
BOLIVIA
NEW ZEALAND
TOP 5 BUYING COUNTRIES (OUT OF 50): CANADA
1 $133,400,445
USA
2 $8,208,715
IMAGES: THINKSTOCK
Registered bidders came from 9 Canadian provinces and all 3 territories (only province not represented was Prince Edward Island). Registered bidders came from 46 U.S. states (all states but Arkansas, New Hampshire, Rhode Island & West Virginia).
MEXICO
3 $407,450 Bottom sale: Lot of four clutches for
UAE
4 $327,800
$10
JORDAN
5 $212,500
Top sale: 2013 Surefire Tridem Twin Fluid Pump Trailer on a 2012 Kenworth T800 Sleeper T/A Truck Tractor for
$1.5 million Alberta Construction Magazine | 27
PROJECT UPDATE
—
Drayton Valley bridge —
A
s one of two major entrances to Drayton Valley, the stretch of Highway 22 that crosses the North Saskatchewan River and is currently under construction sees over 7,000 vehicles per day, of which 20 per cent are heavy truck traffic. And for the past three years, that traffic has dealt with a lot of construction. Flatiron Construction Corp. began the much-needed road improvements, including construction of a new bridge, three
years ago. The new crossing will be a 252-metre, four-span steel girder bridge. Along with the bridge, Flatiron is constructing service roads, improving intersections, conducting geotechnical upgrades and completing phased construction of 8.5 kilometres of highway. The original bridge over the North Saskatchewan River just outside Drayton Valley was built in the late 1950s, and will be demolished once the new bridge and associated roadwork are complete.
With just under a year of construction to go, the project has already faced several hurdles. At project start, part of the land was not yet available. Then, in June 2013, the North Saskatchewan River flooded, damaging the earthen berm that had been installed to complete piers 2 and 3. And, in August 2013, the project experienced a large embankment slide, which prevented Flatiron from completing the roadway in 2013 and pushed the project completion date into 2015.
Construction began: August 2011 Completion expected: February 2015 Project cost: $51 million Project delivery method: Design—Bid—Build Companies involved: Flatiron, Rapid-Span Bridges Inc./Structal-Bridges, Wapiti Gravel Suppliers, Construction Drilling Inc., Allnorth Consultants Limited, Gabion Wall Systems Ltd., LMS Reinforcing Steel Group, McColman & Sons Demolition Ltd., RBee Crushing, Valley Concrete (2003) Inc., Watson Bowman Acme Corporation, Wercholz Canada Inc. and Westcana Electric Inc
28 | Summer 2014 albertaconstructionmagazine.com
PHOTO: FLATIRON CONSTRUCTION CORP.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
From commercial construction to industrial operations and public projects, the United Rentals team is proud to provide our customers the best equipment, tools and solutions in the industry.
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page 32
The top 35 people , projects and events that changed Alberta’s construction industry page 37
page 33 Today’s construction industry has been shaped by years of booms and busts, technological advances and changing regulations. To celebrate
+ projects to watch page 41
the 35th anniversary of Alberta Construction Magazine, we’re taking a look at 35 of the people, projects and events that have made today’s industry what it is.
Alberta Construction Magazine | 31
anniversary
The people
2 3
The motto of Clark Builders is “one great person and one great project at a time.” In 1974, Andy Clark was that one great person and the project was erecting preengineered buildings in Yellowknife. Forty years later, the company has a staff of 700 great people completing a huge number of great projects.
4
Gene Dub A true born-and-raised Albertan, Dub has built some of the most architecturally interesting buildings in the province, including Edmonton’s city hall. Dub is probably most well known for the integration of existing and historic buildings into his designs, like the Shaw Building in downtown Edmonton and a series of apartment-style condo buildings formed around an old John Deere warehouse in the city’s downtown core.
5
Stephen Mandel As a former mayor of Edmonton, Mandel has a long list of accomplishments, most notably the construction of a new arena for the Edmonton Oilers, the expansion of the LRT lines, the decommission of the City Centre Airport and the implementation of the City Centre Redevelopment Plan. Serving as Edmonton’s mayor from 2004 to 2013, Mandel earned a reputation as a passionate champion for his city and for his candid reactions to his political foes’ jibes. There’s no question he has had a profound impact on the revitalization of downtown Edmonton and has left a lasting legacy on the city’s infrastructure.
32 | Summer 2014 albertaconstructionmagazine.com
6
Ed Stelmach When Stelmach came into office in 2006, Alberta was enjoying a boom driven in large part by energy developments. Despite pressure from environmental groups, Stelmach took the stance that he would not impede the development of the oilsands. But not even “steady Eddie” could keep Alberta out of the red during the recession. Under Stelmach’s premiership, the Alberta government had its first budget deficit in 16 years. Douglas Cardinal Internationally, Cardinal is best known for striking projects like the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Que. But this Calgary-born architect’s distinctive vision is evident throughout Alberta cities both big and small, and his early adoption of computer design in the 1960s helped push forward his entire profession. Defined by sweeping curvilinear forms, signature works like Grande Prairie Regional College and the Edmonton Space and Science Centre embody his philosophy that architecture must exist in harmony with its surroundings while still serving human needs. How fortunate that Cardinal believes beauty to be one of those necessities. Bob Stollery In 1977, Stollery signed the papers that created PCL Constructors Inc.’s famous employee ownership model, but that is just one milestone in a storied career. He helped build PCL into the nation’s largest construction company, fought to bring home major industrial contracts like the Scotford Refinery, and left a philanthropic legacy throughout the province, including the children’s hospital in Edmonton bearing his name. John Poole, former company owner, once said the smartest thing PCL ever did was hire Bob Stollery. Who can argue with that?
PHOTOS (IN NUMERICAL ORDER): CLARK BUILDERS, DUB ARCHITECTS, CITY OF EDMONTON, GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA, DOUGLAS CARDINAL, PCL CONSTRUCTORS INC.
1
Andy Clark
anniversary
The projects 7
West Edmonton Mall
Covering a gross area of about 5,300,000 square feet today, West Edmonton Mall offers over 800 stores and services, including a waterpark, a rollercoaster, an ice rink and a live penguin exhibit. When the mall first opened its doors in 1981, it covered a mere 1,140,560 square feet and, with a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, was considered the largest indoor shopping mall in the world until 2004.
8
Art Gallery of Alberta
9
The Bow
PHOTOS (IN NUMERICAL ORDER): CITY OF EDMONTON, AARON PARKER, ALBERTA GLASS
Yes, but is it art? Many people in Edmonton asked that question of the Art Gallery of Alberta when it opened in 2010. Notable for the swirling 190-metre steel ribbon that runs through the structure, Randall Stout’s evocative design provoked diverse reactions from residents, who debated the architectural merits of the $88-million project with a gusto hitherto unseen outside of design colleges. As an artistic statement, the building is as bold and imaginative as anything hanging on the walls inside.
As western Canada’s tallest building at 58 storeys, The Bow is a sight most people notice when admiring Calgary’s skyline. Designed by British firm Foster + Partners, the curved “c” shape of The Bow provides the employees of Cenovus Energy Inc. and Encana Corporation with dramatic views of the city, as well as the Rockies to the west. The 1.7-million-square-foot tower required the largest concrete foundation pour of its kind in Canada; poured continuously for 36 hours, it required approximately 1,300 truckloads of concrete and over 500 people to complete.
9
7
8
10
Enermodal Calgary office
Enermodal Engineering literally blazed the green trail in Alberta in 2007. As Canada’s largest consulting firm exclusively devoted to creating green buildings, it should come as no surprise that Enermodal’s Calgary office, located in the Mission district, was the first LEED-CI (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – Commercial Interiors) Platinum certification in Canada. Green design elements include Forest Stewardship Council–certified framing, countertops and doors; lighting power density 35 per cent below American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers standards; and the use of recycled materials such as ceiling tiles, ceramic and carpet tiles, composite wood, insulation and steel studs. There are also green lifestyle incentives for employees, including bus passes, low-flow showerheads, and hybrid car and solar energy system rebates.
Alberta Construction Magazine | 33
anniversary
11
In 2013, Calgary International Airport welcomed a whopping 14.3 million passengers and became Canada’s fastestgrowing airport. Over the past two decades, the airport has doubled in size and passenger volume. The $2-billion Airport Development Program includes two major projects and will be YYC’s largest expansion to date. Edmonton International Airport has also undergone major expansions. To keep up with the energy industry’s developments, it is estimated the airport will need to add a third runway by 2025. Fort McMurray Airport served almost one million passengers in 2012 with one terminal built to accommodate 250,000. The new $258-million terminal, scheduled to open June 9, 2014, will bolster YMM’s capacity and accommodate over 1.5 million passengers.
12
Calgary and Edmonton ring roads
Residents of Alberta’s two largest cities will not be surprised to learn that construction of both ring roads has been in the works for over 50 years. Undoubtedly, the seemingly never-ending projects have affected most people—whether inconveniencing them with road closures and detours or making their commutes easier than before. The good news is there is an end in sight. Edmonton’s last leg of Anthony Henday Drive, the northeastern portion connecting Manning Drive to 153 Street, is expected to be completed in 2016. And the City of Calgary has finally reached an agreement with the Tsuu T’ina Nation for land to complete the southwestern portion of Stoney Trail; however, a timeline has not been set.
12
Mobile Offices Workforce Camps Storage Products Modular Buildings
13
LRT lines
It’s hard to imagine a commute through downtown Calgary or Edmonton without an LRT line removing hundreds of thousands of people (and cars) from the roads each day. Calgary’s LRT line, affectionately called the C-Train, opened in 1981 and has had several kilometres of new track laid since. The line now transports passengers from as far south as Bridlewood to Crowfoot in the north, and a separate line moves people from 69 Street on the western side of the city to Saddletowne in the northeast. In 1974, Edmonton was the first city in North America with a population less than one million to construct an LRT line. The original route travelled from Belvedere to Jasper Avenue. Today, the route has grown in both directions, expanding north to Clareview in 1981, and south in five separ ate sections (1983, 1989, 1992, 2006 and 2010) to Century Park. Construction of a separate line moving east to west across the city is in the planning stages, and three more lines are also proposed.
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Offices in Edmonton, Calgary, Fort McMurray 34 | Summer 2014 albertaconstructionmagazine.com
PHOTOS (IN NUMERICAL ORDER): CITY OF EDMONTON, ALBERTA TRANSPORTATION
11
Alberta Airport expansions
anniversary
PHOTOS (IN NUMERICAL ORDER): CITY OF CALGARY, JOEY PODLUBNY, ROYAL TYRRELL MUSEUM, BREWSTER INC
13
16
14
14
Twinning of Highway 63
15
Royal Tyrrell Museum
It’s called the highway of death for a reason. Over the past decade, dozens have died on the perilous 240-kilometre stretch of road connecting the oilsands-mecca of Fort McMurray to the rest of the province. In that time, the province has been working on twinning the road, and efforts on the $1.1-billion project have doubled in recent years. Now 20 per cent of the job is finished and another 60 per cent underway as the government races to meet a completion deadline of fall 2016. Few infrastructure undertakings in Alberta’s history have been as massive—and massively needed.
Named for a geologist who accidentally discovered the first dinosaur bone in the Red Deer Valley, the museum was first announced in 1980 and broke ground in 1982. Construction of the pro ject, which included a public gallery, display areas and educational facilities, took place over three years, with the 120,000-square-foot museum officially opening in September 1985.
16
Glacier Skywalk
Opened in May 2014, the PCL-built Glacier Skywalk will surely induce vertigo as much as it inspires awe. Jaded travellers and thrill seekers will likely be drawn to the dizzying view from the glass-floored walkway hanging 280 metres above the Sunwapta Valley floor in Jasper National Park. Nature lovers may prefer to admire this award-winning project for its eco-conscious design, which deftly integrates the solarpowered, toxin-free structure into its surroundings. And everyone will come away with a brand new perspective on some of the most splendid natural vistas in Alberta.
15
17
Athabasca River crossings
Upgrading the 10 lanes over the Athabasca River through Fort McMurray is no small feat. Opening all 10 lanes seven months ahead of schedule is even more incredible. The project included demolishing the deck of the original Grant MacEwan Bridge built in 1965, using the existing piers to construct a new two-lane bridge for southbound traffic, rehabilitating the Steinhauer Bridge—along with expansion to three lanes—for northbound traffic and constructing the new Athabasca River Bridge, which consists of three lanes for northbound traffic and two lanes for southbound traffic. Total funding from the A lberta government was $236 million. The project was officially completed in December of 2013—a full seven months ahead of schedule! Materials used: – 10,000 metres of girders – 24,000 tonnes of asphalt – 22,000 cubic metres of concrete
Alberta Construction Magazine | 35
anniversary
22
18
MacDonald Island Park
Located in Fort McMurray, MacDonald Island Park is Canada’s largest community recreational, leisure and social centre. Operated by the Regional Recreation Corporation of Wood Buffalo, the park includes the Suncor Community Leisure Centre and the Miskanaw Golf Club. After extensive renovations, the current incarnation of “Mac Island” opened in 2009. Construction of Shell Place, a $127-million expansion project that includes a sports and performance stadium, is currently underway. Clark Builders chose the Edmonton Eskimos’ 2015 pre-game to inspire them to completion. The Northern Kickoff will be held at the new Shell Place on Saturday, June 13, 2015.
19
Stantec Executive Place
Located in the heart of downtown Red Deer, Alta., Stantec Executive Place, a 12-storey, 112,000-squarefoot commercial building, is Red Deer’s first downtown high-rise. With its modern design, wrap-around patio on the 11th floor and high-efficiency glazing system affording tenants wonderful views, the high-rise building is a vital addition to Red Deer’s burgeoning downtown. Stantec Executive Place was developed by Beca Corporate Holdings Limited and constructed by Clark Builders.
20
Wildlife bridges
21
Al-Pac pulp mill
The twinned highway between Calgary and Banff National Park provides motorists with a peaceful passageway through the majestic Rocky Mountains. Unfortunately, it also provides a man-made barrier for wildlife, trapping bears, moose, deer, wolves and other animals on one side of the highway or the other. To prevent road fatalities and increase the area in which wildlife can find mates, two vegetated overpasses were constructed in 1997, each 52 metres long and landscaped to mimic the surrounding vegetation. The bridges were fabricated using precast concrete arches that could be put in place while traffic was on the highway—both for efficiency and economical reasons.
Environmentalists worried about the effect on the Athabasca River. Taxpayers complained about generous government loans for the project. But when the Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc. pulp mill began operations in 1993, the $1.3-billion project boasted one of the most efficient, environmentally friendly processes in the entire industry. Located near Athabasca, Alta., the mill whitens its pulp with elemental chlorine-free technology and burns wood waste in order to produce its own heat and power. At the time, it was the largest single-line kraft pulp mill in the world. To this day, it remains the largest in North America, with annual production of 650,000 air-dried tonnes of pulp.
21
22
Cowley Ridge wind farm
23
Shell’s Caroline Gas Complex
There were 1,120 megawatts of wind-power capacity in Alberta at the end of 2013—enough to make the province the third-largest producer of wind energy in the country. It all started near Pincher Creek, Alta., at the Cowley Ridge wind farm currently owned and operated by TransAlta Corporation. Launched in 1993, this 21-megawatt operation bears the distinction of being the first commercial wind farm not only in Alberta, but in all of Canada.
When the Caroline field was discovered in 1986, it was Alberta’s largest natural gas discovery in 20 years, with raw natural gas and gas liquids reserves estimated at 56 billion cubic metres. Built over a period of 30 months at a cost of $1 billion, the Shell Canada Limited Caroline Gas Complex began operating in 1993. A major maintenance turnaround took place in 2012, which involved taking one of the two plants offline due to dwindling production. More than 550 contractors had a role in the turnaround, which entailed maintenance, inspection and repairs.
36 | Summer 2014 albertaconstructionmagazine.com
PHOTOS (IN NUMERICAL ORDER): STANTEC, FLATIRON CONSTRUCTION CORP., JOEY PODLUBNY, JOEY PODLUBNY
19
23
anniversary
The events
24
24
Cancellation of Voyageur Upgrader
PHOTOS (IN NUMERICAL ORDER): DEBORAH JAREMKO, 51SYSTEMS/THINKSTOCK
Suncor Energy Inc’s $116-billion Voyageur Upgrader began construction in 2007, at the height of the boom. Soon came labour shortages, rising costs and lower oil prices. And then, in 2008, the recession hit and all work on Voyageur stopped. For five years, the Voyaguer site sat untouched—its foundations poured and modules sitting in storage—while a wave of light oil rolled in and stole the market. Having already spent millions of dollars on construction, Suncor made the tough decision to cancel the project, unintentionally killing work for many local construction companies and thousands of jobs for construction workers.
25
Infrastructure funding drying up
Ralph Klein, premier of Alberta from 1992 until his retirement in 2006, was known for many things, including his never-ending stream of controversial remarks and sharp-tongued quips. But nothing he said ever cut quite as deeply as the legislation introduced by his Conservative government to balance the provincial budget by 1996-97. Multiple areas felt the knife, including infrastructure funding, and even today places like Fort McMurray, Edmonton and Calgary still bear the scars of those lean years.
26
Split of ECA from ACA and then rejoining
27
Calgary Olympics
At the start of 2006, the Edmonton Construction Association (ECA) resigned its membership in the Alberta Construction Association (ACA). The schism sent the local industry into disarray: Edmonton-area firms were suddenly denied access to ACA services and the ACA lost revenue from dues that would have been paid by ECA members. Finally, in September 2013, the ECA at long last rejoined the province-wide organ ization, adding over 1,100 companies to the ACA’s already 2,000-strong membership. The ACA can now claim to represent the entire provincial industry, and both organizations have already embarked on several joint initia tives. There really is strength in numbers.
Calgary’s bid to host the 1988 Olympic Games beat out rival city Vancouver’s by offering to spend three times more than the West Coast city. With $270 million in federal and provincial funding, Calgary—in the middle of an oil-and-gas-related recession—got to work preparing for the games. Construction included building the Olympic Saddledome ($100 million), Olympic Oval ($39.9 million), Canada Olympic Park ($200 million), Canmore Nordic Centre ($17.3 million) and the Nakiska alpine skiing facility ($25 million). Costing over $829 million total, the Calgary games were the most expensive games in the history of the Olympics—in part due to having to construct almost all hosting facilities.
28
Slave Lake fire
One-third of Slave Lake was destroyed when a wildfire tore through the town of 7,000 in 2011. All told, 732 residents were left homeless after 433 properties were destroyed and another 84 damaged in the town and surrounding municipality. With damages valued at $700 million, the wildfire would become one of the costliest disasters in Canadian history. Once the smoke cleared and the rubble was swept away, the daunting task of rebuilding the town—a job that continues to this day—required an unprecedented coordination of efforts between the private and public sectors to restore infrastructure and repopulate the charred streets with new homes.
29
29
Southern Alberta flooding
In spring 2013, Alberta saw rain. Lots and lots of rain. Rivers rose, and the rain continued, eventually culminating in southern Alberta in late June. Several rivers flooded, completely submersing the town of High River in water first, and then, the next day, parts of Calgary, Medicine Hat, Bragg Creek and surrounding communities. The water receded a few days later, leaving $5 billion of damage in its wake. Entire communities needed to be recovered and, a year later, are still being rebuilt. The provincial government has since introduced a flood-prevention plan and $830 million in funding, and several projects are already completed or under construction. Alberta Construction Magazine | 37
anniversary
30
Increased awareness of sustainability
31
Commercialization and development of oilsands
32
100th anniversaries of PCL and Burnco
Sustainability has gone from buzzword to necessary design principle. Since 2002, Canadian builders have turned to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards to guide the greening of their industry. Everything from the way we build to the materials we use now incorporate measures intended to lessen industry’s environmental impact. And while green building once meant abandoning aesthetics, today’s sustainable designs are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the environment.
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If you’ve lived in Alberta any time in the last 20 years, you are aware of the impact the oilsands have had on the province. The construction industry has been in high demand, building everything from the billion-dollar megaprojects and the roads criss-crossing our province to the hundreds of new Tim’s locations. Labour shortages, increased material prices and the introduction of modular construction are only a few of the effects the oilsands industry has had on construction. And we are just getting started.
There are very few Alberta companies that can say they have survived multiple recessions, the National Energy Program, the introduction of digital technology and at least 14 different premiers; however, two companies with boasting rights are PCL Constructors Inc. and Burnco. Both companies have celebrated 100-year anniversaries in Alberta, which is no small feat. And these spry centenarians remain integral parts of the construction industry to this day.
anniversary
33
National Energy Program
34
Growth of modular construction
Where do I find a
Coming out of the 1970s, Alberta was riding high as the decade’s soaring oil prices helped fuel a boom that saw the province’s population increase by one-third. Unfortunately, the entrance of the National Energy Program (NEP) in 1980 helped kill the party. The federal government introduced the NEP with the hopes of promoting Canada’s energy self-sufficiency, protecting consumers from escalating energy costs, promoting the exploration of oil and gas and renewables, and increasing government revenues from oil sales, among other things. Instead, it had the opposite effect and sent the Alberta industry into a state of catatonic shock that stifled development for years. Spending plummeted and oil and gas activity dropped dramatically, sparking an exodus that cost Alberta between $50 billion and $100 billion.
Modularization used to be a novelty. Now it’s a necessity for anyone building a major project in Alberta. Driven by the growing oilsands, modular construction has evolved from the simple pipe racks of yore to the complex process modules now required by the industry. Firstgeneration modules in the 1980s took 10 per cent of project work off-site, while the second generation of the 2000s pushed that figure to 25–40 per cent. Who knows how much higher that number will go as innovators devise even more sophisticated designs and technologies?
35
Global recession Non-residential building permits issued in Alberta:
7 6 5 4 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Enough said.
SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA
million
8
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Toll Free 1-800-252-9375 Web: www.ecaa.ab.ca Alberta Construction Magazine | 39
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anniversary
Projects to watch Sturgeon Refinery
Oilsands projects
Sundance 7
Canada’s first new refinery in over 30 years broke ground in mid-September 2013. Developed by North West Upgrading Inc. and Canadian Natural Resources Limited, the Sturgeon Refinery is being built in three 50,000-barrelper-day phases. The project is located in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland and will be the first refinery of its kind to capture large volumes of CO2 and transport them to southern Alberta for use in enhanced oil recovery. Construction on the first phase is expected to continue until 2016 and will cost $5.7 billion. The first phase will also employ 8,000 people at its peak.
With over $124 billion of oilsands projects proposed, announced or under construction, it’s pretty clear the oilsands aren’t slowing down any time soon. Good news for the construction industry—along with project construction comes infrastructure, industrial, commercial and institutional construction to support the surrounding communities. Check out the five oilsands projects you should take note of on page 51.
Built by TransA lta Corporation and MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, Sundance 7 is a combined-cycle natural gas generation facility with gross generation of 834 megawatts. Operated by TransAlta, the new plant will be located south of Wabamun Lake beside the company’s existing operations. TransAlta plans to bring the plant on stream around 2018-19, in time for an expected jump in demand, as several coal-fired power plants are retired.
New Royal Alberta Museum
When the $340-million Royal Alberta Museum is finished in 2016, it will bring new light to the venerable institution’s 11 million artifacts. Credit for which goes to the facility’s more open design and heavy use of glass, which will allow patrons a peek into the inner workings of a museum. But the Royal Alberta Museum will also be more accessible to the public once it moves from its old environs west of downtown Edmonton. Located within a few blocks of the Citadel Theatre, the Art Gallery of Alberta, the Stanley A. Milner Library and the Winspear Centre, the museum will reinforce the downtown core’s position as the cultural hub of Edmonton.
Crude transportation With no end in sight to oilsands development, transportation of Alberta’s crude remains an issue—a hotly contested one. As train derailments and pipeline spills dominate news headlines, Alberta is waiting and seeing.
The Quarters The City of Edmonton will be investing $56 million to upgrade a section of its downtown core into a mixed-use residential and commercial development. Infrastructure upgrades include drainage services, water lines, overhead utility lines and streetscaping with a focus on pedestrian-friendly streets. The Quarters will feature the Boyle Renaissance Plaza, which includes the Melcor YMCA Village (completed in 2013), a 13-storey hotel (currently under construction) and the Ukranian Canadian Archives and Museum of Alberta. Residential facilities include the Artists Quarters and several residential-style towers.
City Centre McMurray The goal of City Centre McMurray is to be a global model for sustainable living in the north. Several catalyst projects are planned or underway and will transform the face of downtown Fort McMurray. Jubilee Plaza, a public square, is currently under construction and is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2014. The plaza will be a vibrant, open gathering space with a mobile stage, a café, public art and an urban market. The Waterfront Program, which involves an eight-kilometre waterfront trail and park system, is a year-round public space to enjoy the city’s waterfront. The Sports and Entertainment Centre, currently in the planning stages, will bring bigname games and entertainment of all kinds to the downtown core and will attract and anchor private developments.
IMAGE: CITY OF EDMONTON
New Edmonton arena district
THE ARENA DISTRICT
Shaped like an oil drop, Rogers Place is expected to fuel a new wave of growth in Edmonton's core. The sleek, modern facility will serve as the new home of Edmonton Oilers hockey in the city, but the entire commun ity will be able to take advantage of the amenities of the $604.5-million arena district, which includes office towers, a community rink, LRT links and the Winter Garden pedestrian overpass. Edmonton has always been a hockey town. Soon the sport will take its rightful place in the city’s heart.
Alberta Construction Magazine | 41
anniversary
FORT MCMURRAY
Eau Claire Market redevelopment
The ambitious redevelopment plans for Calgary’s Eau Claire Market include five towers comprised of 1,000 residential units, 800,000 square feet of office space and 550,000 square feet for retail. Over the next decade, Harvard Developments Inc. will transform Eau Claire Market into a vibrant mixed-use designation that includes a hotel, residential apartment rentals, condominiums, and office and retail spaces. Pending permit approvals, construction will begin in early 2015, with the first phase taking place in the south parking lot. It would
include a multi-level underground parkade, multi-level podium with retail space, a hotel and condo tower, and an apartment tower.
Schulich School of
THE QUARTERS
Engineering Expansion and Renovation project
Slated for completion in 2016, the $158.3-million Schulich School of Engineering Expansion and Renovation project involves an expansion of about 18,300 gross square metres and renovations to 11,100 square metres of the existing engineering complex. The project will seek the highest possible Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification.
The new and renovated spaces include new state-of-the-art technology and labs that will make the University of Calgary even more attractive to world-class researchers. The expanded student-oriented spaces will foster a collaborative learning environment. The expansion will ultimately allow the school to increase its capacity by an additional 400 students.
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IN CONSTRUCTION
The good ol’ haggling game Work on a new downtown Edmonton arena finally begins after years of financial wrangling
“It has to be downtown.” Those words, written in a 2008 report commissioned by the City of Edmonton, kickstarted what would become seven years of debate, disagreement and occasionally even despair over the prospect of a new arena. Negotiations between city council and the elusive Daryl Katz, billionaire owner of the Edmonton Oilers, nearly fell apart several times. There were only two types of Edmontonians during those years: those who wanted a new arena, and those who wished the whole issue would disappear as quickly as the Oilers’ playoff hopes. (Better luck next year, Oil fans.)
What’s the score? Rogers Place Project manager: ICON Venue Group Construction manager: PCL Construction Inc. Lead architect: 360 Architecture Seating: 18,461 Area: 820,000 square feet Funding: $200 million (City of Edmonton) $130 million (Edmonton Arena Corp.) $125 million (ticket surcharge) $25 million (other government sources) Cost: $480 million Completion: September 2016
But shovels finally hit the ground in March after the city and the Katz Group reached their guaranteed maximum price of $604.5 million just one month earlier. The deal includes not only the $480-million Rogers Place arena, but also a light rail transit (LRT) connection, a pedestrian corridor, a community rink and the Winter Garden, a multi-use space spanning 104th Avenue that serves as the facility’s front door and a gathering place in its own right. Overruns are off the table, and everyone involved couldn’t be more relieved to set aside money matters for the actual work of building the project. “I will say plainly on behalf of the Katz Group that having worked as hard as we had to work to come to an agreement with the City of Edmonton on funding, we’d like to not have any further funding negotiations as to how to manage an overrun,” laughs Bob Black, a senior executive with the company and executive vice-president of Edmonton Arena Corp. The price is right The city and the Katz Group worked with Edmonton-based construction manager PCL Construction Inc. to set the final price, with the exterior envelope, mechanical, electrical and structural steel subcontractors also providing input. If the project comes in under budget, the savings will be split between the owners and PCL. Cost overruns will fall entirely on the construction company, however. Scope changes and unforeseen incidents like damaging storms are the only exceptions.
46 | Summer 2014 albertaconstructionmagazine.com
Still, for some citizens (and city councillors), no project, however grand, can compete with the glory of a freshly filled pothole. Rogers Place—with those dynamic curving lines and an ice-smooth exterior designed to evoke the sport that will fill its seats—defies those who prefer their public projects modest. Rick Daviss, executive director of the arena district project for the city, acknowledges the ambitious arena had to grapple with deep skepticism early on. “When the first renderings came out and were made public, that changed almost overnight,” he says. “All of a sudden people were looking at it and saying this is special. Nothing looks like this.” Indeed, the 820,000-square-foot Rogers Place certainly strikes a contrast with its 497,000-square-foot predecessor. Comparatively, the new arena offers only a minor increase in
IMAGE: CITY OF EDMONTON
By Joseph Caouette
commercial
A rendering of Edmonton’s new arena district, set to change the city’s downtown core.
seats: 18,461 versus Rexall Place’s 16,839. It also provides only 56 suites, while the older building has 64. Instead, Rogers Place will emphasize its 1,100 loge seats—designed in groups of four to six around tables to create a sports bar feel—which will likely appeal more to Edmonton’s small- and medium-sized corporate base than pricey luxury boxes, Black says. Designing to fit with Edmonton is crucial to the facility’s success, which is also why the arena is aiming for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification. According to city rules, new municipally owned facilities must be LEED certified. Daviss suggests the city could very likely have been convinced to waive that rule for Rogers Place, given the difficulties of building an arena that meets the environmental requirements. But the Katz Group embraced the challenge, and
will be able to boast of building the first LEED silver NHL arena in Canada. The company found energy savings in the smallest details. There are water-usage controls on the plumbing. Low-emissions paints and adhesives are used, and LED lighting will be installed. Construction waste will be minimized. There are even plug-ins for electrical vehicles. “It’s going to be a very, very efficient building that will minimize carbon footprint,” Black says. The project, massive as it may be, needs to make sure it steps lightly. Hemmed in by the city’s expanding LRT to the north, busy 104th Avenue to the south, an apartment building to the west and a casino to the east, the arena needs to take advantage of every square inch. “We have no allowance whatsoever on any side,” Daviss says. “The arena is built property line to property line.”
No one wants to have construction occurring next door for 30 months. Imagine if a busy arena with major concerts and rowdy sporting events followed that two-and-ahalf-year headache. The situation required a great deal of discussion with the apartment residents and property manager to find a solution, Daviss says. Any truck leaving the site—and there is one rumbling by every three minutes during the eight-week excavation period—will pass over cattle gates to shake off excess dirt. Wheel washing will also be available as a backup. The road has been divided, with one side dedicated to construction vehicles and the other to residential traffic, which will be given priority. Once finished, the arena will also have two separate loading bays on the east and west sides to divvy up truck traffic. One will handle food and beverage deliveries, while Alberta Construction Magazine | 47
commercial
Whither Wayne? There will be a familiar face welcoming Edmontonians to the new Rogers Place arena when the facility opens in 2016. Mayor Don Iveson has confirmed that the statue of Wayne Gretzky outside Rexall Place will be joining its teammates downtown. The fate of Rexall Place itself remains much less certain. Built in 1974, the arena is the third-oldest facility in the National Hockey League today. However, despite its age, it remains a largely successful operation. Venues Today magazine ranked it as the top concert venue in Canada and 13th in the world
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in 2013. But can it continue to thrive in the shadow of a larger, more modern facility like Rogers Place? “Studies have shown that a population the size of Edmonton’s has a difficult time supporting two arenas,” says Rick Daviss, executive director, arena district project at the City of Edmonton. There is a chance that the facility could continue operating in a reduced capacity, but demolition is also one of the options being considered, he says. After all, the site is located on prime development land on the city’s light rail transit system. If Rexall Place doesn’t
make effective use of the surrounding infrastructure, its days may be numbered. Still, Edmonton Northlands, the non-profit group that operates the facility, has said it wants to keep Rexall Place running. For now, the city will work with the organization to help plan for the future—regardless of what becomes of the old arena. “We’re suggesting that they should be looking at their business case very closely to make sure that it is indeed viable,” Daviss says. “We do a lot of the funding and work with Northlands, and we want everyone to be winners here.”
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the other will take care of the dozens of big rigs that can accompany a major touring act. Both will be indoors in order to block the irritating beeping of trucks backing up, Daviss explains. Catalyzing development Residents will likely have to adjust to more activity if the arena project succeeds. The Katz Group has signed on for a 35-year lease, and it wants the facility to spur an entire new wave of development in Edmonton’s core. “We think that the downtown is going to change in remarkable ways over the next decade, and we certainly intend to be right at the heart of that,” Black says. Early signs are positive. Condo projects are already sprouting up in the area, bragging of their proximity to the new arena. Just a few blocks down the street, work is already underway on the new Royal Alberta Museum. MacEwan University will be bringing another 4,000 students to its nearby campus with the recently announced Centre for Arts and Culture. The first new office tower for the arena district—to be developed by the Katz Group and WAM Development Group—will begin construction in June. The City of Edmonton will lease 60 per cent of the 27-storey building.
48 | Summer 2014 albertaconstructionmagazine.com
But the arena remains the lynchpin for the downtown growth strategy. Edmontonians may complain about the terms of the final deal or worry about the Oilers’ ability to fill a larger building. They may grouse about traffic delays during construction or on game day. But the success of the city’s capital plan will now ride on this project, like it or not. Fortunately, that’s a burden everyone involved is willing to accept. “In light of the downtown location, we’ve worked really hard in partnership with the city to design a building that we believe will be enduring,” Black says. “The reality is that it has got to be a great building from day one, but it’s got to be a competitive building for a long time.”
IMAGE: CITY OF EDMONTON
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No slowing down With over $126 billion of oilsands projects on the books, Alberta’s oilsands industry is nowhere near slowing down. Here are five projects to watch.
1
The largest oilsands project ever for the Peace River region
PROJECT: Carmon Creek COMPANY: Shell Canada Limited (100 per cent owned and operated) TIMELINE: The original application was filed in 2006, withdrawn in 2008 and re-filed in 2010 after technical review. The applications were approved by the Alberta Energy Regulator in April 2013, and the project received corporate sanction in October 2013. CAPACITY: 80,000 barrels per day
2
The largest SAGD phase ever built
FORT MCMURRAY PEACE RIVER
EDMONTON
RED DEER
FUN FACT: The project is expected to
employ 1,000 workers during peak construction. The project will also use cogeneration to feed approximately 500 megawatts into the Alberta grid—enough to power half a million homes.
CALGARY
PROJECT: Surmont 2 Expansion COMPANY: ConocoPhillips Canada (50 per cent ownership and operator), Total E&P Canada Ltd. (50 per cent ownership) TIMELINE: Construction began in January 2010. Expected to come on stream in 2015. CAPACITY: 109,000 barrels per day
FUN FACT: Never in the history of
SAGD has a company built a single phase with production capacity over 100,000. The size of Surmont 2 makes its scheduled production volumes equivalent to a phase of an oilsands mine.
4 5 3 The project that finally came in
PROJECT: Fort Hills COMPANY: Suncor Energy Inc. (40.8 per cent ownership), Total E&P Canada Ltd. (39.2 per cent ownership), Teck Resources Limited (20 per cent ownership) TIMELINE: Regulatory approval was issued in 2002. After a series of ownership changes, the project was finally sanctioned in fall 2013 by Suncor and its partners. The project is expected to come on stream near the end of 2017. CAPACITY: 180,000 barrels per day
FUN FACT: The project is expected to employ 5,000 workers at the peak of construction, with 1,600 permanent positions once online. Suncor is using cost control to drive the project, rather than schedule.
The first North American refinery in three decades
PROJECT: Sturgeon Refinery COMPANY: North West Upgrading Inc. (50 per cent ownership), Canadian Natural Resources Limited (50 per cent ownership) TIMELINE: The first phase began construction in September 2013. The second two phases are approved. The first phase is expected to come on stream September 2017. CAPACITY: Three 50,000-barrel-per-day phases
FUN FACTS: The Sturgeon Refinery is the
first to use bitumen from Alberta’s Bitumen Royalty in-Kind program. The project will also employ a carbon capture and storage program of its own, shipping the carbon to depleted oilfields in southern Alberta for enhanced oil recovery. The project currently employs over 1,000 people and will employ up to 8,000 at peak construction.
The upgrading capacity addition without government funding
PROJECT: Horizon Expansion COMPANY: Canadian Natural Resources Limited (100 per cent owned and operated) TIMELINE: Phases 2A, 2B and 3 are all under construction CAPACITY: 250,000 barrels per day in total (divided into fi ve phases)
FUN FACT: Canadian Natural is
managing the project using cost control, rather than schedule. The majority of contracts are lump sum, and the project is currently about 10 per cent under original cost estimates. Alberta Construction Magazine | 51
finishing touches
Softening the concrete jungle Proper landscaping brings an aesthetic quality to our brick-and-mortar world By Kelley Stark
PHOTO: ULS MAINTENANCE & LANDSCAPING INC.
W
hen it comes to the finishing touches on a construction project, landscaping is often the first impression some clients have. So investing in interesting and inviting surroundings is important to many companies—whether natural or synthetic materials are used. Options have grown past large expanses of green grass or large cedars encasing—and sometimes blocking— entrances. Modern trends have a cleaner look and give thought to conservation of time and materials. Ken Ruddock, president at ULS Maintenance & Landscaping Inc., says that because landscapers are in the green industry it makes sense that they aim to be environmentally friendly. He also says, “Commercial landscaping is to maintain a certain amount of natural landscape in what are typically brick and mortar and asphalt and concrete environments. It’s used to soften those spaces.” Green options are endless for landscapers. Using native plants and those requiring low maintenance saves money in labour and water. Living in Alberta doesn’t leave as many alternatives as warmer climates, but it’s still possible to have nice spaces that are low maintenance. Many clients choose the container landscaping option. Containers include anything not in the ground like pots, raised beds or even ponds. Jim Hole, owner of Hole’s Greenhouses & Gardens Ltd., uses this analogy: “It’s like
flying an airplane over a city. You [cannot] look down and see a profile of a building, but you see a lot of rooftops. When you’re in the city and you’re walking around, you get a different perspective.” Containers may not be at eye level, but they are certainly a lot closer. They are also much easier to maintain. Container landscaping is popular because it can be used anywhere, from rooftop bars to downtown sidewalks to a simple pot in front of a suburban yoga studio. Synthetic products have also become common. Ruddock says: “Along a roadway, where it’s six months of winter and we’re plowing snow and salt and sand up on the grass, that grass is basically replaced every year.” He says synthetic turf looks more real now than ever before and is a lot more durable than grass—“aside from in March when the snow melts off and we expect to see brown grass and it’s bright green.” He acknowledges that synthetic grass will never replace grass, “but in certain applications where it’s difficult to keep any kind of plant material growing because of the nature of our seasons and all the materials we need to use to make being safe in the winter,” it’s a great option. One more trend to be aware of is pavement texturing using products and technologies like StreetPrint. This involves heating previously laid asphalt, stamping colours and textures into it and applying a thermoplastic coating. Alberta Construction Magazine | 53
finishing touches
“We stamp the pattern in and apply the thermoplastic,“ says Ruddock, “and it is far more durable than regular traffic paint.” Because of the variety of colours and custom designs available “this is a practical solution to improving the look of asphalted areas where pavers [paving stones] or stamped concrete may not be cost effective or structurally sustainable.”
Commercial landscapers work with a variety of codes and bylaws. Thought must be given to property lines, entrances and walkways. “One of the most common bylaws,” says Ruddock, “is complying with a ratio of landscaped area to development area.” This is a mathematical equation that commercial landscapers must know. Companies need to be careful when hiring landscapers because, like any other business, some landscapers are not qualified. Using a certified landscaper is beneficial so companies don’t end up with the wrong plants planted in the wrong places, and so all codes and bylaws are sure to be followed. After Alberta’s seemingly never-ending winter, seeing professionally landscaped areas reminds us that the province can be beautiful even when you’re not in the mountains. The use of environmentally friendly methods and innovative designs really can soften our concrete world.
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54 | Summer 2014 albertaconstructionmagazine.com
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Container landscaping can add a bit of green in spaces where conventional landscaping is not possible.
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SAIT Polytechnic’s blended learning programs help apprentices stay on the job while hitting the books
T
he Government of Alberta estimates that the province could experience a labour shortage of around 96,000* workers by 2023, and SAIT Polytechnic’s blended learning apprenticeship programs continue to lead the way in providing flexible, innovative training to close the trades gap. SAIT offers blended learning in five high-demand apprenticeship programs — plumber, carpenter, electrician, welder and a newly created program for automotive service technicians. “Blended learning is about flexibility. It’s designed for the many Albertans who want to advance their trades careers but can’t afford to leave their job for on-campus apprenticeship training,” said David Roberge, Dean, School of Manufacturing and Automation. Apprenticeships are three- or four-year training periods, with about 1,500 job hours and six to eight weeks of classroom learning each year. Blended learning allows apprentices to complete a portion of their theory training online during evenings and weekends, while still continuing to work. While some lab work must still be completed on campus, the blended option can reduce classroom time by up to 15 weeks,
depending on the trade, over the period of the apprenticeship. “Blended learning enabled me to keep a full paycheque,” said plumbing apprentice Rob Milton. “Being a father of three, I do have a lot of expenses at home with the kids.” And while Milton’s salary is needed by his family, his services are needed in the field. By 2023, the government predicts a cumulative shortage of more than 3,400 welders, carpenters, plumbers, electricians and automotive service techs.
How blended learning works “It’s the best of time-tested apprenticeship training, blended with the benefits of technology,” Roberge said. “We’re seeing a high success rate among motivated apprentices.” Interactive graphics and videos complement reading materials to make theory easier to understand and can be watched at the learner’s pace. Knowledgeable SAIT instructors are only a click or call away, while online practice questions help with exam preparation. “One of the main advantages I found was the ability to retake any test and review answers at any time,” said Seamus Bowkett, a blended learning welding apprentice looking
*Alberta’s Occupational Demand and Supply Outlook: 2013-2023
A PROGRAM WHERE EVERYBODY WINS. ENROL IN A SURE THING FOR APPRENTICES AND EMPLOYERS SAIT Polytechnic’s Blended Learning Apprenticeship program offers apprentices the opportunity to earn as they learn while advancing their skills in plumbing, welding, electrical, carpentry or automotive service. With online courses, followed by lab and shop training at SAIT, apprentices spend less time off the job site — making it the most convenient way to learn while working. AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE ∙ CARPENTER ∙ ELECTRICIAN ∙ PLUMBER ∙ WELDER
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for a new career after 15 years in oil and gas HR management. “The digital nature of blended learning is a fundamental step in the future of our industries, which can only enhance the level of standards we have come to expect from Alberta’s tradespeople.”
Benefits for apprentices, employers and the economy For learners from outside Calgary, it cuts down on travel and living expenses — while reducing the financial strain faced by all apprentices, regardless of their hometown. Employers are also on board. “The blended learning program allows me to not lose my manpower for so much time. Time is valuable,” said John Swan, owner of Triple J Mechanical. Apprentices can also apply their learning to the job the very next day. Scott MacPherson, Dean, School of Construction stated, “By providing apprenticeship training when, where and how it’s needed, SAIT is making it easier for people to achieve their goals, helping to prevent the projected labour shortage and fuelling our provincial economy.” For more on apprenticeship blended learning, visit sait.ca
tools & technology
A tool for every job
PHOTO: SURIYASILSAKSOM/THINKSTOCK
Big advancements have helped make construction safer and more productive over the years By Melanie Collison Back in the day when the first stone tools were used to bash big animals on the head for supper, users hadn’t even thought of tying a handle onto the hammer head with sinew. That came after one too many hunters crushed his fingers between his stone tool and his stunned target. The use of tools and respect for safety have evolved hand in hand ever since. From their toes on up, workers are expected to protect themselves from the risks that attend mechanical advances in every construction arena. Boots feature non-skid or puncture-resistant soles, anti-static and electrical protection, toe reinforcement of steel or the toughest plastic. Some cover the ankle, and some are fashionably cut like dress shoes, a compromise for construction site visitors. Workers wear high-visibility neon vests and jackets with reflective detailing, or flame-resistant clothing on sites where there’s potential exposure to flash/ arc burn injuries.
They choose among chemical-resistant, Kevlar, leather and shock-absorbing gloves. And they wear safety hats, and oh, what fancy hats they are. The first hard hats were made by dockworkers smearing tar over their cloth hats. They sun-dried the tar until it was hard and donned them to protect themselves against junk falling from a ship’s deck. Those gave way to leather hats, which in turn gave way to World War II–inspired helmets of toughened canvas, complete with internal suspension system. The next iterations were aluminum—except for electrical workers—then fiberglass, and finally plastic. Modern plastics provide resistance to heat, solvents and flame in helmets made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (recyclable plastic No. 2). But these days, when hard hats may be outfitted with mirrors, hearing protection, visors and headlamps, the most important accessory of all may be the chin strap that keeps the whole kit and caboodle in place. Alberta Construction Magazine | 57
tools & technology
“A cable broke, it hit you in the cab. Nowadays with hydraulics they’re all interlocks. If the pressure goes off, the machine is turned off,” Morton says. “On large cranes like a Grove, if the crane senses the operator overreaches and is lifting something too heavy, it will shut down. He has to phone—he has a phone in the cab—to the Grove headquarters and they will walk him out of the possibly dangerous situation.” The degree of automation not only makes operating construction machinery safer, it removes the brawn factor. “When you’re building a road, all the specs come in digitally. They’re put onto a cassette [and fed into a computer that] automatically raises, lowers and angles the blades. All the operator has to do is steer. “There’s no such thing as physical strength needed,” Morton says. “The cabs are air conditioned; they have a stereo. A lot of the older guys who grew up on these machines laugh because the young guys don’t know how good they have it.” Up until that cable-to-pneumatics transition, the major change had been the move from the external combustion engine to the internal combustion engine. In external combustion, burning coal or wood boils water, and the energy transmitted into the steam prod uced is harnessed to perform work.
58 | Summer 2014 albertaconstructionmagazine.com
In internal combustion, burning gasoline or diesel expands gases that directly apply force to some part of the engine. Chemical energy is transformed into mechanical energy. Powering an engine by highly portable, energy-dense gasoline or diesel was unquestionably more efficient than hauling wood or coal plus water. Further decades of improvements have led to the Tier 4 diesel engine, Morton says, “cleaner and more efficient than any combustion or diesel engine of the past.” Computer technology continuously adjusts the engine’s performance to meet ever more stringent standards for emissions of oxides of nitrogen and oxides of sulphur (NOx and SOx). Tier 1 regulations went into effect in the United States starting in 1994. Still, no matter how sophisticated the machinery gets, and no matter how much safer it is for operators, not every worker buys into safety culture. Shh... Take the driver of a pneumatic road roller paving a residential Alberta street, for example. His 12,245-kilogram machine, fully loaded, oscillates and articulates at enough decibels to decimate delicate hearing tissue, but he’s not even wearing earplugs. When the earliest version of his compactor hit the road, it was horse-drawn, an adaptation from farming. There was no call for even the lowest-tech earplugs— pressing a finger on the triangular bit of cartilage in front of your ear canal to cover it—when the loudest sounds were meadowlarks and magpies. Inevitably, self-powered steamrollers came in, and noise came with them. Today’s diesel engines call for both earplugs and earmuffs rated by the American National Standards Institute. The Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Heritage Society of Canada (RHHS) has early steamrollers on display outside the Leduc #1 Energy Discovery Centre, just south of Devon. The society shines a spotlight on the role of road building and heavy construction at public events and by forging educational partnerships with organizations like Olds College. It recently hosted the 12-week Women Building Futures heavy equipment operator training program on its site. In its historical collection, RHHS has both an early padfoot drum road roller and a couple of different styles of smooth-drum road rollers, still colloquially called steamrollers. The padfoot drum roller is used for the preparation of the substrate on a road project. The pads focus the force onto smaller areas than smooth rollers do, thus achieving higher compaction density. The final step, not surprisingly, is a polishing by the smooth-drum rollers—all ready for winter and pothole season.
PHOTO: EROSERA/THINKSTOCK
Moving forward Aside from PPE (personal protective equipment), probably the biggest step forward in worker safety occurred in the biggest machinery, when hydraulics replaced gear and cable systems in cranes in the 1960s. “Everything was cable. Like a yo-yo, you wind up the cable and lift the bucket. That goes right up until the ’60s,” says Don Morton, secretary of the Historical Construction Equipment Association of Canada. The association draws members from every province. It houses its collection of heavy equipment in the Simcoe County Museum in Ontario.
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JUDYLYNN ARCHER, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, WOMEN BUILDING FUTURES
Levelling the playing field JudyLynn Archer makes it her daily mission to help fill the looming labour shortage—one woman at a time By Rianne Stewart
It’s not hard to imagine JudyLynn Archer fitting in as the only female on a crew of heavy haulers. Not because she could be mistaken for one of the guys, but quite the opposite. Archer, who is president and chief executive officer of Women Building Futures (WBF), could probably fit in anywhere, due to her down-to-earth and welcoming demeanor. We sat down with Archer—a mere 24 hours after she met with Prime Minster Stephen Harper on economic issues—to find out what it is that makes her so passionate about the industry, and where she thinks it is heading. ACM: How did you get started in the construction industry? JA: Growing up on the west coast, a lot of the people I knew were in the tug, lumber or locomotive industries. Moving big stuff became a fascination, which led me into trucking. While I was not in construction, my work brought me very close to it, and I learned that “men’s work” paid better than “women’s work” and it was way more fun. ACM: When you first entered the industry, what was your biggest challenge? JA: I was young, so I’m not sure I saw any challenges at the time, although I can tell you that I didn’t work with another woman in all those years. It can be quite isolating; it’s very different to be in an environment where you don’t see or talk with other women, just because women tend to talk about different things. I learned very
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quickly how to blend into my surroundings and kind of become “one of the guys.” At the same time, the majority of men that I worked with were fantastic, and they had the expertise that I needed to learn, so the more time I got to spend with them, the better I was at my job, and the more I could help them as well. ACM: How have you seen the role of women in the construction industry change over the years? JA: When WBF first started around 2003, it was a struggle to find companies who were willing to hire the women coming through our program. There were a couple, but they were few and far between. Over the past five years, however, we’ve seen a tremendous shift where companies are now strategically positioning their organizations in ways that will attract and retain more women. It is a huge shift, and a most welcome one. ACM: Do you think the biggest challenge is finding women interested in entering the trades or finding companies willing to hire tradeswomen? JA: It’s both. This year, we’ll see 4,000 women come through the WBF doors looking for a way to get into the trades. Our market in Alberta in our age target, which is 24–44, contains 660,000 women. Our conservative estimate is that we can attract one per cent of those women, which is 6,600. More realistically, I think we could attract three per cent, which is closer to 20,000 women, over the next five years.
That’s a significant number. We need to do a number of things though. The first is to really promote the lifestyle that construction can bring to women. We also need to promote the fact that women are an absolutely viable source of workers for this industry. In order to make this successful for everyone involved, we also need to make sure women are making informed decisions, and that they’re well prepared for the industry that they’re entering. At WBF, we divide training into two parts. The first is competency-based skills training, which can be done at colleges and institutions. The second, which we do very well at WBF, is workplace culture training. That training really helps women understand the job expectations and the work environment and culture. Construction has its own culture, and women need to really be aware of it and understand it so they can get in and blend in and focus on the job at hand and be successful. Everybody wins. ACM: What is the advice you give women regarding workplace culture in the construction industry? JA: Construction is a predominantly male environment, which can be very challenging for women if they are not well prepared. Our recommendation is to conduct thorough research about the industry and reflect upon one’s lifestyle and career aspirations to determine if construction is the right fit. We also recommend enrolling in programs that prepare women for
PEOPLE TO KNOW
success in this type of environment. Not fitting in can hold people back from performing at their best and can result in failure. Research has proven that the number one reason women leave construction is because they were not prepared for the workplace environment and culture.
PHOTO: PETER MARKIW
ACM: What should employers know about hiring women? JA: We are certainly not advocating that employers start hiring every woman who applies. If Alberta is going to have the skilled workforce that it needs to build and operate and maintain our projects over the next 10 years, we need to attract the brightest minds that we can and that includes, of course, women. We need to encourage interest, but we need to continue to be selective so we’re getting the best and the brightest in this industry. I think if I had one suggestion for employers, it’s to look for women who have made informed career decisions. When employers are looking to hire in this industry, if an individual doesn’t have the years of experience, it helps to look for the signs that they’re ready, they’re interested and they are committed. ACM: Do you see an end to the imbalance between men and women in the construction industry in the near future? JA: In any situation like this—whether it’s men going into nursing or women coming into construction—you need critical mass, and that’s difficult. I believe they say 30 per cent or more before there’s a level
playing field. Right now we’re at four per cent, so we’ve got a long way to go. Certainly, given the retirement numbers and the trillion dollars’ worth of industrial work across Canada in the next 10 years, there’s never been a better time in this country for women to come into the trades. There’s never been a better time for the industry to hire the women in this country.
The game changer is that it isn’t like it was during the war: these guys aren’t coming back. This wave of retirement is going to create an opportunity both for women and for the industry that we have never seen before. And if we take advantage of it, we will achieve that critical mass. Overnight? No. Over the next 15 years? We’re going to move the needle significantly, that’s for damn sure.
Alberta Construction Magazine | 61
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ALBERTA CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION
ACA focuses on member interests By Ken Gibson ACA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Alberta Construction Association’s (ACA’s) efforts to advance member interests include: Government Advocacy • Maintaining predictable, consistent and adequate provincial and municipal investment in infrastructure. • Providing input to Alberta Infrastructure on timely and efficient delivery for new school construction and modernization of schools. • Leadership to the Construction Management and Design-Build Advisory committees. • Participating in market conditions roundtables with industry and owners. • Providing input to the Government of Alberta on promoting rather than mandating the use of apprentices for government-funded projects. • Education of best practices for public procurers of design and construction services. • Strengthening partnerships with school boards and post-secondary institutions,
•
• • •
and with other construction associations for policies and programs to support the development of a skilled domestic construction workforce. Keeping training clear of labour relations issues (the ACA is opposed to public funding of apprenticeship training by third parties). Continued advocacy for sensible and responsive immigration programs. Review of employment standards code. Review of Municipal Government Act.
Safety/ WCB • Leadership in the WorkSafe Alberta strategy. • Development of best practices for the reduction of occupational exposure to silica. • Dialogue with the Workers’ Compensation Board concerning interpretation of the refusal of modified duties policy. Standard Practices • Recommendations for mandatory annual progressive release of holdback through
• •
the Alberta’s Builders’ Lien Act (BLA). Developing an ACA position on prompt payment legislation. Advocacy with Alberta Health Services and other owners for adoption of industry standard practices.
Research and Technology • Service partnerships with Productivity Alberta. • Initiatives with Alberta Centre for Excellence for Building Information Modelling. • Partnerships to showcase the applied research capabilities of Alberta colleges and technical institutes. • ACA’s effectiveness in serving industry has always relied on the generous contributions of expertise from its volunteers, drawn from the membership. ACA continues to work at improving connections with the grassroots to better understand your needs and work to your benefit. With your continued support, we will share continued success and meet the uncertainties of tomorrow.
18004 - 107 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5S 2J5 • Phone: 780.455.1122 • Fax: 780.451.2152 E-mail: info@albertaconstruction.net • Web Site: www.albertaconstruction.net
Alberta Construction Magazine | 63
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CALGARY CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION
The gift of construction By Aly Pringle DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION CAREER DEVELOPMENT, CCA
In the wake of a looming labour shortage in Alberta, the Calgary Construction Association’s (CCA’s) Try-A-Trade committee has made it a top priority to promote and encourage construction careers at the junior high and high school levels. After both the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) and Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) voiced concern over the quality of their classroom construction materials, a request for support was made to the CCA.
The CCA board approved $50,000 toward new construction equipment and materials for 29 high schools throughout the Calgary area. To distribute the new equipment, the Try-A-Trade team constructed gift boxes, each containing over 20 different items of equipment, including hammers, jig saws, scroll saw blades and shop coats. The boxes were delivered to all 29 schools on May 5. “It felt like Christmas this morning as staff opened and sorted the tools. The students will use all of the
materials provided for the programs offered at our school,” says Jackie Chapman-Brown, principal of Crescent Heights High School. “The donation is making a difference in the lives of individual students and will help us to provide outstanding CTS programs,” echoes Stephan Deloof, fabrication and construction teacher at St. Mary’s High School. The CCA continues to work in partnership with the CBE and CCSD to encourage students to look at construction as a first choice option with vast potential. The CCA would like to thank all of its members for their support in education and career initiatives, especially Calgary Fasteners & Tools Ltd., which was the main supplier of the equipment and materials donated.
Construct your career! By Jessica Curtis EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, CCA
The eighth annual Construction Career Expo set a new record for the most students to enter through the doors of Hall B at Stampede Park’s BMO Centre on April 24. Over 2,600 students attended the expo from all over Calgary and area, including several new schools from High River, Cremona and Canmore. The Grade 7–12 students had the opportunity to view and interact with the 45 exhibitors who represented member firms of the Calgary Construction Association (CCA), as well as trade contracting associations. Westcor Construction Ltd. had students at their booth participate in a group activity. Students were divided up into two teams of four people to recreate a LEGO structure using communication methods varying from verbal instruction to text messages. The students were able to see the importance of collaboration on a group project during the exercise.
Another booth that captured the attention of the students was the virtual spray painting activity hosted by the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Students wore a helmet with glasses to virtually paint a building. The expo’s booths were extremely diverse and represented a variety of construction trades. BURNCO Rock Products Ltd. brought a concrete truck and had students try their hand at pouring concrete. The Spalding Hardware Systems booth allowed students to connect and open different circuits. The Masonry Contractors Association of Alberta mentored students in the art of bricklaying. Students were also able to help build six doghouses on site, which was sponsored by the Calgary General Contractors Association. Pierre Champness of CANA Construction led a group of 16 individuals on the project. The doghouses were delivered to the Cochrane & Area Humane Society to be donated to dogs in the Morley area that are in desperate need of new homes.
The CCA’s Women in Construction committee also hosted a booth to encourage female students to consider a career in construction. Students were given a construction quiz to complete throughout the day as they visited the booths. Completed quizzes were entered into a draw to win one of three iPod minis. The CCA would like to thank all of the participants who showcased construction career opportunities to the students. Thank you to the over 50 volunteers who took time out of their busy schedules to help us load and unload supplies, greet students at the buses, organize and hand out the giveaways, and everything in between. The expo could not be the great success it is if it was not for every person who helped out, as well as the industry support and sponsorship. The CCA looks forward to making next year’s expo an even bigger success. Alberta Construction Magazine | 65
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EDMONTON CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION
Finding opportunity in challenges By Barry Pfau ECA PRESIDENT
Alberta’s robust economy presents our industry with an abundance of opportunity; however, the economy also presents coinciding challenges—namely, changes to procurement practices, new technologies, our aging demographic and the shortage of skilled workers. The Edmonton Construction Association (ECA) prides itself on proactively addressing these and other industry concerns, many of which have been rendered opportunities in disguise. Procurement The ECA is ranked second in Canada for the number of procurement opportunities provided to our member firms—quite an undertaking, considering we rank fifth in the country by population. Our members have access to thousands of opportunities every year through COOLNet, a centralized, online procurement hub. With respect to procurement strategies, many of our clients are experimenting with new tendering practices and hybrid contractual agreements that combine the standard tried-and-true industry contracts—construction management, costplus, stipulated price and design-build. The ECA wants to ensure all member firms have a complete understanding of their obligations under these non-standard agreements, and we will provide support for our members through this process—at times, lobbying on their behalf. Technological advances There are numerous technological advances in our industry that we are
dealing with, primarily with respect to scheduling, project management software and Building Information Modelling (BIM). BIM represents a major change in our industry, as it offers a 3-D virtual model of the project, providing for clash detections and allowing a fourth dimension of time to be factored in. Provided the consulting firms, general contractors and subcontractors understand BIM, it is a very powerful tool that can assist greatly in a project’s construction. The ECA wholly supports BIM and provides introductory courses in our fully equipped BIM lab. We intend to expand our BIM support to members over the coming years. Demographics The construction industry has an aging population, resulting in fewer skilled tradespeople to perform the tasks at hand. Adding to this, many young people have chosen fields outside of construction in the last 20 years. The ECA understands the need for quality tradespeople today and in the future, and has awarded numerous scholarships and program funds for the apprenticeship program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Additionally, the newly formed Young Builders Group (YBG) is our initiative to ensure succession health and a commitment to the future of construction leadership. The group’s focus is primarily on individuals between the ages of 20 and 40 years old who are in the first half of their construction careers.
The YBG provides a platform for young professionals to collaborate with peers outside of their own companies and to develop, over time, a voice that will help shape the future for our industry. Shortage of skilled workers Lastly, the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program has received a lot of negative press—some of it possibly due to not understanding how the program works. In truth, these workers are here to help employers address labour challenges, and both Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada ensure that TFWs support economic growth. Bringing in TFWs is not an effort to reduce wages in the industry. The employer must maintain pay scales, otherwise they would lose staff, and that would counteract the efforts of bringing in people to perform the work necessary. As well, it is legislated that the employer must cover the medical and health insurance and Workers’ Compensation Board costs, just as they would with Canadian employees. The ECA supports the TFW program and will help direct our member firms to the regulatory agencies for bringing skilled workers to Canada. In short, these initiatives—combined with our realignment with the Alberta Construction Association, relevant and meaningful courses for our members, added networking opportunities and providing a hub for procurement—align with our long-term strategic goal of being the centre of construction excellence.
Alberta Construction Magazine | 67
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Engaging Minds | Uplifting Lives
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Is it worth the trouble? By Gerry Cameron | CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH MANAGEMENT CORP.
PHOTO: SANDRA KEMPPAINEN/THINKSTOCK
T
hese days, I find myself talking to people who are excited about the cottage season and how they plan to spend this summer at the lake. And I can appreciate it. I grew up with a friend whose parents owned property in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec. I loved it there. A porch wrapped around the house, the lake at the bottom of the property was deep and clear, and a floating dock allowed us to dream the days away. Hollywood could have used it to film On Golden Pond if the Concord, N.H., site were not available. Years later, I met someone who also owned property in the Laurentians but couldn’t wait to unload it. According to him, Friday nights were a hassle herding the kids into the car, Saturdays were filled with chores to maintain the cottage’s value and Sunday nights were passed fighting traffic back into the city. So is it worth owning a summer home? If you can afford to spend your entire summers at the lake like On Golden Pond’s Norman and Ethel Thayer, owning a summer cottage makes sense in more ways than one. But for many people, spending 20–30 days there—a week or two and a few added weekends—is more the norm. As the kids grow older, they have their own lives, and getting everyone together becomes more of a challenge. Summer jobs, university in another city and commitments with friends compete for time. And as weeks turn into months, the reasons for the well-loved cottage being underused or even abandoned add up. And we are not even addressing the finances a cottage owner has to consider. Annual real estate taxes, property and boat insurance, and major expenses like a new roof and smaller ones like painting the deck all come into play. Financial Post writer Ted Rechtshaffen says ty pical expenses for a mid-value
cottage could run up to $15,000 per year. If, like most people, you do spend roughly 20 days at the lake each summer, that works out to $750 per day. One alternative is to rent. In high season, if it costs $1,500 per week, two weeks sets you back $3,000. Renting results in huge savings. No more guilt when the cottage sits empty. No more frustration when guests arrive unannounced and overstay their welcome. No more feeling tied to one location. Finally, you can spend a summer vacation in Europe guilt-free. Then there is the major question regarding inheritance. According to Rechtshaffen, if the family cottage was bought 40 years ago for $50,000 and is worth $750,000 today, there could be a major capital gains bill in the thousands when the second parent dies. True, the capital gains issue can be addressed through proper succession planning, but family conflicts over ownership of the cottage are not so easy to solve. Is owning a summer cottage worth the trouble? The guy who found it a hassle finally unloaded his property in the Laurentians and built an in-ground pool at his primary residence. He’s never looked back. As for me, I still miss those lazy summer days swimming and sunning on the dock. The world was our oyster. Editor’s note: Gerry Cameron is a registered associate investment adviser at Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management, a division of Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. and member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. He wants you to know that these views (including recommendations) are his alone and are not necessarily those of Canaccord and the company does not assume any liability. If you want to contact him, he can be reached at gerry.cameron@canaccord.com.
Alberta Construction Magazine | 69
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LOIs, MOUs and agreements to agree By Tim Mavko | REYNOLDS MIRTH RICHARDS & FARMER LLP
PHOTO: BERNARDASV/THINKSTOCK
O
n some construction projects, there is a lag between when the parties strike the deal (fist bumps and high-fives all around) and when they sign the formal contract (bring in the suits with briefcases). It could be weeks, perhaps even months, from the day they shake hands until the day they sign. But sometimes things need to happen during this gap just to keep the job on track—things like planning, scheduling or surveying. Perhaps ordering long-lead materials, locking in subcontracts or hiring project personnel. Maybe even starting excavations, utilities and foundations. What this means is that both the owner and the contractor may have to undertake obligations, commit resources and spend money—without the safety of a signed contract. To bridge this gap, some par ties exchange short documents with officialsounding titles like “letter of intent” (LOI) or “memorandum of understanding” (MOU). In these documents, the parties might assure each other of their good intentions and promise to sign a contract. They might even discuss the price, list the work or set out other terms. But what is the legal effect of a document like an LOI or an MOU? Does it create
enforceable rights and binding obligations? More to the point: can one sue or be sued if things go sideways before the formal contract is signed? As with many good and interesting legal questions, the answer is it depends. It depends on what the LOI or MOU says, rather than what it’s called. More specifically, it depends on whether the document contains the elements of a contract, or whether there are still essential terms to be negotiated later. Put another way, it depends on whether the parties have agreed on enough things to constitute a contract now, or have simply agreed to agree to more in the future. Consider a simple one-page letter that informally, but clearly, names the parties, describes the scope and sets the price. In point form, it lists the completion date, describes the warranty and calls for liquidated damages. It even talks about the bonds, insurance and security that are needed. But it’s called an LOI or an MOU at the top and says that the parties intend to draw up a formal contract in the future, incorporating these terms. On these facts, a court could easily conclude from this short, informal LOI or MOU that there is a binding contract. As Jean
Côté (now a Justice of the Alberta Court of Appeal) said in his classic text An introduction to the law of contract: “Where the parties have made an agreement subject to a formal document’s being drawn up, often by saying ‘subject to contract,’ it is a question of interpretation whether this new document is to contain any new matter, in which case there is now no contract, or whether the new document is merely to put the existing agreement and its terms into more formal language, in which latter case there is a valid contract formed now.” Simply put, if the parties have agreed on enough essential terms, they have a contract—and they can sue or be sued on it. Contrast this with another example: rather than precise terms, the memo discusses the job generally. It includes some details, but important items—such as the exact price, the completion date or even a full description of the work—are missing. In their place, the parties say they intend to negotiate these things when they prepare the formal contract. They say they want to work together, and they promise to fill in the blanks when they get to them. In other words, they have agreed to agree on these missing terms—someday. Unfortunately, contracts require certainty, and agreements to agree are not certain. To quote Justice Côté again: “An agreement to agree is void because it is not really an agreement on anything at all, but merely a pious hope that an agreement may later be reached.” These two examples are the extremes. Which way a given LOI or MOU might tip— contract or not—depends on the words of that document and the facts of that job. The important thing is that the parties intend it to tip that way. If they want to be bound by this interim document, they should take care to include the essentials. But, if they don’t, then they should be equally careful to make that intention clear. Alberta Construction Magazine | 71
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AD INDEX ACO Systems Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 ATB Corporate Financial Services . . . . . . . . . . 64 ATCO Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . inside front cover Bird Construction Company Limited . . . . . . . . 40 Brandt Tractor Ltd . . . . . . 5 & outside back cover Brock White Canada Company . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Calgary Construction Association . . . 6, 44 & 45 Cana Construction Co Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Canadian Western Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Canam Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Canessco Services Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Clark Builders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Delcan Products Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Edmonton Construction Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . inside back cover Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 & 66 EllisDon Construction Services Inc . . . . . . . . . 52 Energy Saving Products Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta . . . 68 F&M MAFCO LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Government of Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Grant Metal Products Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Hertz Equipment Rental Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Hotsy Water Blast Manufacturing LP . . . . . . . . 50 ICS Group Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Imperial Oil Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Keller Equipment Supply Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Kubota Canada Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 LaFarge Construction Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Layher Scaffolding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Lloyd Sadd Insurance Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 MAPEI Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 MMFX Steel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Mount Royal University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Northland Construction Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . 40 PCL Constructors Inc . . . . . . . . . . . cover fold-out Polywest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Proform Concrete Services Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Proform Precast Products Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer LLP . . . . . . 40 Rocky Mountain Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Roxul Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 SAIT Polytechnic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Scona Cycle Honda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Spatial Technologies Partnership Group . . . . 49 Toole Peet Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 U F A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 United Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Western Construction Products . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Western Surety Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 WesternOne Rentals & Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Williams Scotsman of Canada, Inc . . . . . . . . . 34
Alberta Construction Magazine | 73
TIME CAPSULE
Grande Prairie High School 10209-99 Street ❦ Grande Prairie, Alberta
By Candice Ball
s one of the oldest buildings in Grande Prairie, Grande Prairie High School (originally called Montrose School) is a venerable structure. Built in 1929, the twostorey, red-brick school was to be the Grande Prairie School District’s first institution to exclusively house secondary education. With elements of simplified Collegiate Gothic style, the rectangular structure was comprised of simple classrooms and austere laboratories to teach high school students the fundamentals. Dating back to the settlement period of Alberta’s last agricultural frontier, the school predates the influx of Depression-era immigration into the South Peace region. In 1984, the Province of Alberta designated the Grande Prairie High School a Provincial Historic Resource. After extensive fundraising, renovations began to convert the building into the Prairie Art Gallery. On Feb. 9, 1985, the Prairie Art Gallery officially opened its doors, and the building housed the vital arts institution for 22 years.
The next phase of the building involved construction of the Montrose Cultural Centre next door, which was to seamlessly connect to the historic school. Unfortunately, unusually heavy snow loads caused a partial collapse of the southern wing of the school building on March 19, 2007. Thankfully, no one was injured and the gallery’s permanent collection was rescued. At that point, there was some debate about whether the collapsed building would be restored and integrated into the architectural design of the new Montrose Cultural Centre or be demolished. In fact, in June 2007, City Council recommended demolition but required provincial approval as the building had a historic designation. The decision was revoked on Dec. 15, 2008, when City Council voted unanimously to restore the building. After extensive study, construction began in 2010. A new steel-framed building was built within the framework of the old building. Today, the renamed Art Gallery of Grande Prairie is fully restored and connected to the Montrose Cultural Centre.
74 | Summer 2014 albertaconstructionmagazine.com
KEY FACTS CONSTRUCTION DATE:
1929 ARCHITECTURAL STYLE:
Simplified Collegiate Gothic Style CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENT:
“1929” date stone and Grande Prairie High School nameplate above main door DATE OF DESIGNATION:
On May 7, 1984, the Province of Alberta designated Grande Prairie High School a Provincial Historical Resource SOURCE: HTTPS://HERMIS.ALBERTA.CA/ARHP/ DETAILS.ASPX?DEPTID=1&OBJECTID=4665-0577
PHOTO: SOUTH PEACE REGIONAL ARCHIVES
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