This is the first installation
in Canada using this type of
equipment and the second in
North America.
“Trying to shoehorn a trans-
former station into that very
small site has been the most
challenging aspect of the
project,” Odell said. “Because
of its location in one of the
busiest, most highly populat-
ed areas of the city, building
the station underground is the
only option. Housing every-
thing underground reduces
the station’s overall footprint
and allows it to blend-in with
the neighbourhood.”
Toronto Hydro began by com-
pleting pre-construction work
to prepare the site, including
rerouting an access roadway,
relocating current tenants
Leon’s and Steam Whistle’s
services to the roundhouse
to reduce inter ference, and
undergoing
environmental
remediation of the interior of
the Machine Shop ahead of its
disassembly.
“We expect that moving for-
ward with pre-construction
work probably saved us six
months of our schedule be-
cause we got that completed
ahead of time,” Odell said.
Following the April approval
from Toronto Hydro’s regu-
lator, the Ontario Energy
Board, to proceed with the
project, construction activi-
ties ramped up. Working with
Carillion Canada, the com-
pany has been undertaking
shoring and excavation work
JULY 2013
H
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