Award

Grand opening of the Porter Airlines hangars at the Ottawa Airport. Montreal's REM Light Rail Phase 1 project. M A R C H 2 0 2 5 | 41 Structural Steel P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E S Y CO R B EC P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E S Y P O RT ER A I R L I N E S Work on the ROM focuses on revitalizing the historic facility's jagged, striking Daniel Libeskind-designed Michael Lee-Chin Crystal addition. The transforma- tion of the main floor and a redesigned Bloor Street entrance aim to deepen ROM's connection to Toronto. Given that 86,000 square feet of existing space will be transformed, and 6,000 square feet of new gallery space will be created on the second and third levels, Benson and his team were recently busy "scan- ning the entire interior of the Crystal, which is famous for not having a single straight column or plane," he says. "This was necessary, in order to determine the optimum connection locations." Recently completed is another unique Benson project – the two new Porter Airlines hangars for aircraft maintenance at the Ottawa airport. "The hangers received a grand opening in October, and they're a real showstopper," Benson says. "For us, procuring 2,000 tons of steel necessary for the project during the COVID lockdowns was just one of many challenges in building the hangers, and they look fabulous." Hellen Christodoulou, executive VP of engineering, sustainability, and business development at Corbec, is a huge advocate for steel as a sustainable building material. Having worked in the steel industry for over 40 years – including as chief engineer of bridges for CP Rail and national director for the CISC – she's well-versed in the material's benefits. She reports that galvanizing is on the upswing because "erosion costs us billions of dollars in repair, and protection systems are increasingly being factored in at the beginning of con- struction projects." Corbec is the leading hot-dip galvanizer in Canada, and the zinc coatings the company provides are a sustainable process that produces minimal waste and can be recycled at the end of their useful life. Additionally, the coatings can last for decades without maintenance or repair, making them a cost-effective solu- tion for long-term protection. COMPLEX STEEL STRUCTURES bensonsteel.com 45 th Anniversary 45 years of history developing the landscape of Ontario, Canada, and abroad. 45 years building a work environment and culture of SAFETY

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