INNOVATION July-August 2014

2O13 2O14 PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

The second most northern permanently occupied outpost in the world, Eureka, Nunavut, is home to a Canadian Forces outpost, a High Arctic Weather Station and a climate research lab. Located on Ellesmere Island at 80° North, the isolated facility was the focus of a WorleyParsons engineering study into upgrades to the aerodrome, water reservoir and sewage lagoon. Led by geologists and geotechnical engineers from WorleyParsons’ Geotechnical Consulting group, the study included air photography and satellite imagery assessment, a geotechnical site investigation, quarry exploration and design input into a new fuel drum storage facility, new sewage lagoon and a new drinking water supply. Despite challenges posed by the harsh environmental conditions and remote location, the on-site work was completed successfully for Public Works and Government Services Canada in the early spring of 2013. South Shore Corridor Project Port Metro Vancouver’s South Shore Corridor is currently undergoing an extensive infrastructure improvement plan under the federal government’s Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative. This project includes the construction of an 800-m elevated roadway over some of the busiest road/ rail crossings on the corridor, renewal of access security infrastructure and a new 33 m span pedestrian overpass at Victoria Drive. The elevated roadway structure, which includes spans of up to 80 m, was opened in December of 2013 and provides benefits of reduced congestion and improved travel time reliability for Port traffic. Remaining project elements, including the Victoria Drive Pedestrian Overpass, are due for completion by Fall 2014. Owner: Port Metro Vancouver. Design: AECOM; PBX;Thurber. Photo credit: CJI. Sea to Sky Gondola Situated near Squamish, BC, between Stawamus Chief Provincial Park and Shannon Falls, this new $22-million facility provides outdoor enthusiasts access to extraordinary vistas and back-country wilderness. The gondola receives 1,200 visitors per hour and transports them 2,800 ft above Howe Sound, providing access to the Summit Lodge and restaurant, mountain-top viewing areas and a number of trails. Across a 300-ft suspension bridge, the Stawamus Chief viewing platform—constructed of blond pine and framed with glass panels— cantilevers over the mountain’s rock face, yielding a one-of-a kind viewpoint all the way to Whistler. Structural engineers used BC timber throughout the structures to support the extremely high snow loads at the summit. Architects detailed the structure to minimize the environmental footprint and respect the natural integrity and spiritual significance of the Stawamus Chief and Shannon Falls.

Project team: Sea to Sky Gondola Corporation. Bethel Lands Corporation. Ray Letkeman Architects. Geopacific Consultants. Creus Engineering. Read Jones Christoffersen (Leon Plett, P.Eng., Struct.Eng., LEED AP). SRC Engineering Consultants. JRS Engineering. JWT Architecture. CFT Engineering. Bennett Land Surveying.

Eureka Water Reservoir and Runway Maintenance Aggregates

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