Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Toronto Construction Association recognized achievements with the ‘Best of the Best’ awards last week.
PCL and partners won the Innovation Award for Lakeridge Health’s Lakeridge Gardens – the first project completed under Infrastructure Ontario’s accelerated build program in only 13 months.
The Accelerated Build Pilot Program, which leverages hospital-owned land and accelerated construction techniques to get shovels in the ground quickly, was key to building the 320-bed, six story long-term care home in record time. EllisDon officials credit rapid procurement, design/schedule innovation, lean principles and a modular kit-of-parts approach for bringing Lakeridge Gardens to life years faster than a traditional build.
“The successful outcome of Lakeridge Gardens reflects the culmination of efforts to optimize modular solutions coming together at the right time, with the right team including Lakeridge Health, Infrastructure Ontario, G Architects, Parkin Architects, all levels of the government, the workforce and all partners,” said Marc Pascoli, senior vice president and district manager of PCL Toronto. “While the means and methods utilized on this project certainly stand out, the culture and level of collaboration cultivated on this extremely fast-tracked project is something incredible. We couldn’t be more proud of what we built, and who we built it with and for.”
To provide insight into the project’s journey, PCL released a documentary documenting construction.
Symone Parera, senior project manager at EllisDon received the Sean P. McKenna Young Construction Leaders’ Award, presented annually to a “rising star” in the Toronto construction industry “with the admirable qualities that ultimately make them great industry leaders.” Winners go “above and beyond” the call of duty and by making significant contributions to the overall betterment of the industry.
“Symone is an exceptional professional, leader, and mentor. Her knowledge, vision, and dedication extend beyond her day-to-day activities on the job,” said Andrew Anderson, senior vice president, EllisDon. “She is not only committed to her team’s personal and professional development, but also to those young minds of tomorrow.”
Parera started her career at EllisDon in 2010 as a LEED Coordinator and worked on a multitude of projects, including Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex, Brock University and Mirvish Village. She has held an integral role in the work EllisDon does with Build a Dream, a specialized program that encourages and empowers female students in grades 9-12 to pursue careers underrepresented by women.
Also, Parera mentors students through the ACE Mentorship Program which aims to get young individuals into the architecture, construction and engineering sectors.
Awards were also presented to:
- Turner Construction – Project Achievement (Medium) for the Pinterest office fit-out
- Stainton Group received – Outstanding Safety Culture Award
- Aecon Group – Green Building Culture Award
- Brook Restoration – Project Achievement (Small) Dufferin Transfer Station
- Priestly Demolition – Trade Contractor Award
- Craig Lesurf – Donald P. Giffin Sr. Construction Industry Achievement Award
- Varni Tayalan, Aecon Group – Community Leader Award