Ensuring Calgarians have safe, warm connections through the downtown core.

In a city that drops well below the freezing mark for several months of the year, a well-connected and sheltered pathway system for pedestrians in the downtown core is a must. Calgary has one of the most robust +15 networks in Canada, and it serves thousands of people on a daily basis. But like anything that’s built to withstand the elements, repairs are eventually needed.

CANA recently delivered repairs and renewals to five +15s over the last six months. Work included concrete repair, glazing replacements, re-painting, new flooring, roof work, drain work, and some asbestos abatement to remove lead paint.

With every project, small or large, there are always challenges, and this job was no different. On a few of the +15s, our project team noticed issues not included in the original scope of work once they got to site. This meant going back to the consultants and the client and adding this additional work to the job, or changing the design.

Other challenges included changing material requirements. For one of the +15s, the stair nosing had to come from the United States, and because of the pandemic, the lead time was longer than anticipated.

But at CANA, we take great pride in being a true partner on any project we’re involved with. By maintaining transparency and communicating early, we resolved these challenges with the client. We focused our efforts on areas where we could make up time in the schedule by executing additional work concurrently and looking at other options for materials where appropriate.

Working with engineering, architecture, and design firm EXP was very successful. From shop drawing reviews to adjusting the design, our teams worked seamlessly together. We had onsite meetings to discuss problems and make decisions quickly, and everyone knew the tight timeline for the project and the importance of ordering materials promptly.

Next time you’re making your way through this sheltered downtown network, see if you can spot the revamped +15s and how they add to the vibrancy and efficiency of our city.