September 27, 2012

PETER KENTER

Engineers determined that it was more cost effective to excavate and replace Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square rink than to just repair its refrigeration tubes.

FEATURE | Concrete & Masonry

Nathan Phillips Square skating rink overhauled

PETER KENTER

correspondent

A reflecting pool in the summer and an ice rink in winter, the dominant feature of Nathan Phillips Square at Toronto’s City Hall has fallen victim to age. The square was designed by architect Viljo Revell and completed in 1965. Almost 50 years later, some of the refrigeration tubes running underneath the concrete have significantly deteriorated, resulting in a rise in operating expenses.

Engineers determined that it was more cost effective to excavate and replace the rink than to attempt a repair of just the refrigeration tubes. The rink replacement was just one component of the overhaul of the entire square undertaken by PCL Constructors Canada Inc., although not specified as part of the original project.

The sub-contract for the removal of the old concrete was awarded to The Graff Company ULC, a subsidiary of Penhall Company.

Completing the contract required working with excavators in a public place constrained to tight quarters. Work continued through all of the regularly scheduled summer events, including the Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival, an art festival, a twice-a-week farmer’s market and regular street vendor sales of french fries, ice cream and popsicles.

PETER KENTER

Concrete work on Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square rink rolled out in a confined public space.

“It’s always a challenge to safely construct without disrupting the public use of Nathan Phillips Square, which remains open to many diverse events,” says Richard Coveduck, director of Design, Construction and Asset Management at the city’s Facilities Management Division. “However, we know that these improvements will benefit all future users of this important public space.”

Noise limits were in force for the demolition during all major events, limiting the scope of the work.

Effective removal required the concrete to be cut into sections, then gently broken up with excavators, mindful of the existence of the city parking garage located directly below the excavation project.

Debris was moved from the site using an exit at the northwest corner of Bay and Queen Streets.

All told, the project was completed in a window of under five weeks, allowing for the installation of a new refrigeration system and a fresh concrete pour to ready the square for a currently scheduled November completion and re-opening, in time for the city’s annual Cavalcade of Lights.

While the rink change rooms won’t yet be in place, trailers will accommodate skaters until the work is finished.

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