Award

80 | AUGUST 2018 Conklin Multiplex problem was clear and backfilled, con- tinuous flight augur (CFA) piles were sunk for foundations to mediate the site's high watertable. Chris Wallish, project engineer for RJC Engineers, explains, "This is an extremely fast way of putting in piles, as the concrete is poured while the auger is being withdrawn, after which the reinforcing cage is inserted in the concrete. With this method, one can complete about 15 to 20 piles in a day, and this project required a couple of hundred of them." Unfortunately, in May of 2016 the disastrous Fort McMurray wildfires caused many areas to be evacuated, and the project was temporarily delayed. "Shutting down a project in construction and re-starting is not a simple task," says Bengert. "The RMWB staff needed to undertake this process during an extremely com- plicated and delicate time within the region. Many people lost entire neigh- bourhoods, and much of RMWB sat empty for weeks. Despite the intense difficulty, Stantec, the RMWB project management team, municipal council, and Bird Construction remained task- focused and determined to complete the project." By January of 2017, the structural steel for the building was 50 percent finished and 20 percent of the total proj- ect had been completed. "Even with an entire municipality to take care of, the RMWB staff was successful in getting the project back online," says Bengert. Brendan Huber, project manager for Bird Construction, agrees that the wildfires "plus a really bad winter in 2016/17 caused delays, on top of having to excavate a lot deeper than intended and re-compact the soil due to the land- fill. We had about 90 people at peak on site working at the top of their game, and by June of 2018 the facility was 98 percent complete, with the baseball diamond and other outdoor amenities expected to be finished by September." Wallish points out that the steel structure was augmented by masonry for components such as the stairs and elevator shafts. "The idea was to keep the materials simple and minimize the number of different materials needed at this remote site, so masonry became a great alternative." As the project winds down, all par- ties can take pride in having overcome numerous hardships to create a valu- able resource for Conklin residents – as well as a remarkable facility in its own right. Bengert concludes, "The Conklin Multiplex now carries the legacy of the entire team who saved the proj- ect, the resiliency of the municipalities affected by the wildfire, and provides a fresh start for the community." A RENDERINGS COURTESY STANTEC ARCHITECTURE LTD. Scott Steel.indd 1 2018-07-17 8:17 Design with community in mind stantec.com/sport Conklin Multiplex • Regional Municipality Wood Buffalo We are honoured to have designed this exciting project. Acoustic Solutions.indd 1 2017-09-21 2:55 October 2018 ANNUAL INDUSTRY FEATURE: Tiles Book your ad space now: Dan Chapman 604.473.0316 Alexander Sugden 604.473.0358

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