June 19, 2006

MCCORMICK RANKIN CORPORATION

An aerial view of the Queenston-Lewiston International Bridge.

Engineering

CEO hands out kudos in awards

PATRICIA WILLIAMS

staff writer

KINGSTON

Consulting Engineers of Ontario (CEO) presented its prestigious Willis Chipman Award to McCormick Rankin Corporation (MRC) and Buckland & Taylor Ltd. for the Highway 405 Widening and Queenston-Lewiston International Bridge Fifth Lane Project.

“These are the Oscars of the province’s engeering industry.”

Ian Williams, CEO

The client was the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission.

The ambitious project involved the widening of Highway 405 and the widening, strengthening, seismic retrofit and major upgrading of the Queenston-Lewiston International Bridge.

“The challenge of unacceptable traffic queues and delays, with associated economic, environmental, safety and security impacts at one of the busiest Canada-U.S. border crossings, was met by highly innovative and cost effective designs,” CEO said. “As a result, this project was completed in record time and under budget.”

Noting the highly complex aspects of the $ 57 million bi-national project, MRC project manager Roy Skelton, commented that “a major contribution to the success was the teamwork displayed by the Bridge Commission, the design consultants, the Canadian and U.S. contractors, and the contract administration teams.”

The Willis Chipman Award is the highest distinction in Ontario’s consulting engineering community. It is presented by CEO to recognize a project that best demonstrates the valuable contribution that consulting engineers make to the social, economic and/or environmental quality of life in Ontario.

The award was presented at the 2006 Ontario Consulting Engineering Awards luncheon Friday.

“These are the Oscars of the province’s consulting engineering industry,” quipped newly elected chair Ian Williams. “We don’t have Billy Crystal but we do have (CEO president) John Gamble.”

Awards of excellence were presented as well as an award of merit. Projects were judged in one of four categories based on the size of firm by a panel of eminent professional engineers.

Award of Excellence winners were:

• MIG Engineering Ltd. for the Sarnia emergency hydrogen feed pipeline. After Hurricane Katrina damaged its largest hydrogen facility in New Orleans, client Air Products & Chemicals Inc./Air Products Canada Ltd. was required to find an alternative liquid hydrogen supply. In response, Air Products, with MIG Engineering as its lead consultant, constructed an eight-kilometre temporary pipeline connecting two new feed gas sources to its Sarnia plant, enabling liquid hydrogen production in 11 days.

“Normally, such a project would require a year,” CEO said. “However, the many participants worked around the clock on this unprecedented co-operative achievement.”

• Adjeleian Allen Rubeli Ltd. for the Canadian War Museum. CEO said the creative design of the dramatic building structure played a major role “in conveying to visitors an appreciation of the destruction and suffering of war with the message that the aftermath of war brings regeneration, hope and peace.” The museum opened in May of last year.

• KMK Consultants Ltd. for the Georgina water and sewer servicing project. The project provides communities from Keswick to Sutton with high-quality drinking water and sewer services. CEO said the “ambitious and extensive” project consisted of 48 kilometres of water mains, 49 kilometres of sanitary sewers, nine kilometres of sewage force main and nine sewage pumping stations. The project was completed at a cost of $50 million.

• Marshall Macklin Monaghan Ltd. for explosive detection system deployment. Since 2002, the firm has assisted the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority with the deployment of explosive detection equipment at 89 airports across Canada. Services included the drafting of program guidelines, review of airport applications and assistance with development. Design assignments related to specific deployments and testing and evaluation of explosive detection equipment.

Winner of an award of merit was Giffels Associates Ltd. for a security optimization program. In response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Ontario Power Generation commissioned Giffels to engineer security facilities at the Pickering and Darlington nuclear stations.

Some 20 submissions were received this year. CEO represents more than 250 engineering firms across the province.

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