Winnipeg's Rapid Transit System

Public Open House

A project that had its first inception as far back as the late 1970's now appears as if it will finally come to pass. Consultants and planners along with representatives from Winnipeg Transit were on hand at the public open house at the University of Manitoba on April 28, 2004 to answer questions and offer additional insight into the deliberated Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system that has been slated for our fair city. Similar systems have been implemented in other Canadian cities such as Ottawa, Vancouver and Quebec City and internationally by Brazil, Columbia, Japan and Australia .

The BRT will benefit all Winnipeggers by affecting a positive influence on the environment and its formation equals more work for the construction industry. With construction of Phase One slated to begin as early as this time next year and completed by Fall 2007, it doesn't allow for time to waste. Phase One of the project consists of design and construction of all rapid transit infrastructure for what has been dubbed the Southwestern Corridor. This initial part of the project includes a Busway which is a new 3.4 kilometre grade-separated transit-only roadway extending between Pembina Highway & Jubilee to Queen Elizabeth Way & Stradbrook. As part of Phase One, project planning involves new stations at Harkness, Osborne and Morley, an overpass of Osborne Street, and an underpass of the CN main line, as well as a recreational pathway which runs adjacent to the busway. Pembina Highway Diamond lanes will reserve one lane in each direction for transit and cyclists between Pembina & Jubilee and Pembina & Bison. Also penciled in are upgrades and possible reconstruction to all transit stations at major stops from the Pembina & Bison station continuing northward, to meet the needs of the new system. Phase One also includes upgrading Main Street transit stations.

Terminals at the University of Winnipeg (Balmoral & Ellice) and the University of Manitoba (Dafoe Road) will be upgraded as well. The Graham Mall downtown strip which is already a high priority transit, cyclist and pedestrian area, will have station upgrades along its nine block route. Existing shelters will have heating and esthetical updates to suit the urban landscape. Stations and major activity centres that are served by the BRT will be equipped with Real Time schedule information technology. Other Project spin-offs may also include additional bridge and roadwork.

The project is being funded as part of the Federal Canada-Manitoba Infrastructure program along with the other two levels of government, Provincial and City. Total cost for the first phase of the Bus Rapid Transit system is estimated at $50 million.

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WAA Announces Major Airport Improvements

What's in store?

Winnipeg Airports Authority Inc (WAA) officially announced its plans to proceed with a phased airport site redevelopment program at an event attended by community participants and aviation industry leaders on Monday, April 26, 2004. Winnipeg's role as a major transportation centre will be enhanced by a new airport terminal building approximately 60,000 square meters in size, located northeast of the existing terminal facility with its completion date set for 2009. Other project components include a new 1,200 stall parking structure scheduled to be completed in 2006 along with groundside site services and an additional aircraft parking apron.

The above mentioned description represents the largest portion of construction as a whole. More development will occur as future conditions dictate and so that financing can be managed over time. The WAA also has a contracting/procurement policy in place, as their web site indicates, to ensure the best value based on quality, qualifications and cost. Tenders for construction with the end target date set for 2009 will occur during this year and into the future.

The new terminal building is expected to cost approximately $200 million with the total redevelopment program cost in the $350 million range; funded through the Airport Improvement Fee. The WAA receives no government funding and is a not-for-profit 100% self-sufficient community based corporation. The WAA will also hold its Annual General Meeting, Wednesday, May 5th, 2004 at ten in the morning at the Fairmont Hotel Midway Ballroom. Along with 2003 operations, airport redevelopment activities will also be part of the review.

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Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Three Finalists Announced April 29, 2004

In an auditorium room at the Planetarium with the walls upholding mounted plaques stating the Canadian Museum for Human Rights' Vision, Mission, Mandate and Program Goals, an enthusiastic Gail Asper readily announced the three winning designs at the invitation only press conference hosted by the Friends of The Canadian Museum for Human Rights Incorporated. Event speakers included Theresa Oswald, Legislative Assistant to Premier Doer, and Winnipeg City Mayor Glen Murray. Mayor Murray reflected back to the project's beginnings when he donated his “last five dollar bill” toward the museum and was proud to see the concept developing as “part of the renaissance of our [Winnipeg's] internationalism as a cosmopolitan city.” Murray also commented that it was refreshing to see a project of such integrity being developed outside of Ottawa. Current Chair of the North Portage Partnership and former Winnipeg Mayor, Mr.Bill Norrie also spoke at the press conference and went further back in time to describe the emotions that were involved in the creation of the Forks site when it was first acquired as a former railway yard and the excitement in seeing the possibilities surrounding the development of the site at that time to its current reality.

In their own personal style, each of the three architectural firms expressed their philosophy and thought processes behind the design. The structure's physical impact on the site was a concern stressed by each team in their presentation. Exterior and interior design was also a source of much intensity and debate for team members regarding the effect created by physical appearance and emotional experience for museum visitors. Each architect also stressed their own reasons of interest in the project and desire to be involved in its creation. Without further ado, the three firms chosen by the museum's Architectural Review Committee are:

1 - Antoine Predock, Architect, New Mexico, USA

An energetic and inspired Antoine Predock presented his firm's interpretation of the future Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Predock explained how the drawings began as a clay model in which the design calibrates to wind direction, building insulation and even the solstice. Described as a work in progress by Predock, the “Stone Mountain” which would be made with Tyndall Limestone is a metal structure formed with a cloudlike crystalline material. The “roots” of the structure would lead to the museum's "Great Hall" and galleries. Visitors would proceed through the museum, finishing at the top of the structure's illuminated “Tower of Hope.” The Predock design blends with the natural landscape and also mentioned was the necessary yet careful intrusion into the earth plane for the structure's roots, to be done in such a way that preserved the original artifacts of the site. Predock also described the museum as a building with a wintry aspect and/or winter garden apart from its powerful contents.

Dan Hanganu Architects & the Arcop Group, Montréal, Canada

An intensely emotional connection to the project was expressed by Dan Hanganu who was born in Romania. Hanganu associated his firm's design to a Joan Adams opera which has a “gradual intensity” just like the basis of the shape of his design, the triangle. Dan Hanganu Architects & the Arcop Group of Montreal visualize a structure with three faces, in a triangular shape. The theory behind the design is seen as an opportunity to transform and create emotions, starting at the base of the triangle and intensifying as visitors enter and pass through the main entrance and "Great Hall," walk and climb through the four galleries which include a holocaust gallery and the “innocent” Canadian crisis gallery, always ascending as the climb to the top ends at the axis of the “Tower of Hope,” a metal structure built to signify a Tipi. The roof will be constructed of the same type of concrete beams that can be seen as a connection to the rest of the city but is also made of transparent glass. The structure's prominent feature is that it appears as a large glass canopy where from inside you can see the world in the presence of the past and receive encouragement for the future from the outside. The outside connection to the surrounding landscape goes back to the three sided triangular design of the edifice. Outsiders can go in and see through the museum which creates a human approach described by Hanganu as not an invasion on the site but a part of it. Each of the three sides of the museum display very different views of the city, one being the present Provencher bridge & Esplanade Riel, the other representing the past of 1872 and the third side offers a view of the future, represented in downtown Winnipeg.

Saucier + Perrotte Architects, Montréal, Canada

The firm of Saucier and Perrotte presented their design to the audience in a systematic and easy to understand manner. As one commentator expressed which sums up the design's philosophy almost to a tee is that in this simple stark exterior structure is a very complicated interior; to which Saucier agreed was the intent of the project's design. The design mirrors life in that what appears to be black and white is most often full of grey.

Saucier + Perrotte chose to see the site of the museum in a North, South, East, West division, as a comparison to Canadian culture and society with the structure's base (the ground) as a horizontal plate that extends infinitely. From this writer's understanding of the design, the Montréal firm proposes to build the museum upward versus outward which would keep the ground intact and reduce the human impact on the original landscape. The building would be elevated approximately four meters from the ground, creating a pure ground totally empty with the museum as a large glass object leading to the “Tower of Hope” or “Space of Hope” as Saucier referred to this conceptual aspect. Aside from allowing the continuing horizon, the building's shell would be perforated with translucent glass to create the effect of snow on the building; fully transparent in some spots and opaque in others; similar to the photo of a chain link fence after a snowstorm as Saucier used to illustrate this feature. The exterior would be three meters thick, allowing natural light to penetrate the building and also leaves actual space for changing technology. The upward movement through to the top of the museum follows what Saucier called the Angle of Scale and carves itself up to the “Garden of Contemplation.” Before descending back through the museum, visitors reach a viewing gallery which offers a view of Winnipeg in its current real state.

The three architectural firms have almost two months to complete the design that will win the competition and the announcement is anticipated on July 1, 2004.

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Follow up to The 'Rising Price of Steel'

More information @... 

Further to the Rising Price of Steel, published in the April 8, 2004 newsletter is the link www.wpgca.com/pdf/T13.pdf containing Technical Bulletin #13, Material* Payment Provisions on the WCA website.

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Manitoba's Apprenticeship Awards

2003 Trade Graduate Winners...

The province's top journeypersons of 2003 were honoured at Manitoba's twelfth annual apprenticeship trades awards ceremony on April 23, 2004. Minister Diane McGifford, Advanced Education and Training, recognized the important role education, industry employers and the government play in developing and acquiring a skilled workforce. The selected winners are considered to be the overall best in their respective trades. The selection criteria is based on academic and on-the-job performance as well as recommendations from their apprenticing employers and instructors over two to five year training periods.

WCA is pleased to highlight the following industry related winners:

Boilermaker, Ted Hryhoruk, Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting Co. Ltd., Flin Flon

Bricklayer, Kent Kroeker, A. M. Masonry Ltd., Winnipeg

Cabinetmaker, Gerard Vanwoudenberg, F. C. Woodworks Inc., Winnipeg

Carpenter, Andrew Buhler, J. Basaraba Construction, Winnipeg

Construction Electrician, Gerald Klassen, IBEW, Local 2085, Winnipeg

Crane & Hoisting Equipment Operator-Mobile Crane, Adam Morin, Operating Engineers, Local 987, Winnipeg

Heavy Duty Equipment Technician, Corey Bardarson, Central Lift & Equipment, Winnipeg

Industrial Electrician, Marcel Frechette, Tolko Industries, The Pas

Industrial Instrument Mechanic, Leo Huibers , Manitoba Hydro, Brandon

Industrial Mechanic (Millwright), Frayne Harder, Granny's Poultry Co-op, Blumenort

Industrial Welder, Davin Penner, Procor (BC) Inc., Winnipeg

Machinist, Emery Berezowski, Polycast Industrial Products Ltd., Winnipeg

Painter & Decorator, Aaron Anderson, Painting Industry Joint Trade Board, Winnipeg

Plumber, Ronald Pfeifer, Mikkelson-Coward Co. Ltd. and the Piping Industry Training Committee, Local 254, Winnipeg

Power Electrician, Kristy-Lee Tremblay , Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg

Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Mechanic, Travis Foste, Grand Valley Mechanical Ltd., Brandon

Sheet Metal Worker, Kyle Klepatz, I.V.C. Ltd., Winnipeg

Sprinkler System Installer, Jason Hlatky and Jason Leronowich, Piping Industry Training Committee, Local 254, Winnipeg

Steamfitter-Pipefitter, Ryan Mushumanski, Piping Industry Training Committee, Local 254, Winnipeg

Steel Fabricator, Doug Car, Canadian National Railway, Winnipeg

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