Despite a fall 2011 deadline, the University of Ottawa’s Vanier Tower will now open next spring after delays related to ground quality and wet weather.
Problems began when building engineers discovered part of the ground consisted of limestone and the other of shale, which didn’t provide the carrying capacity required for the foundation, said Claudio Brun del Re, U of O’s director of physical resources.
“The construction of buildings isn’t a linear process,” Claudio Brun del Re said. “The rock beneath the building wasn’t behaving the way it was expected, so its foundation had to be redesigned.”
The recent wet weather also played a role in the delay, he added.
The university received $30 million from the federal government and $50 million from the province for constructing the new tower and renovating the older Vanier Hall.
The federal funding comes from the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, a two-year, $2-billion economic stimulus package designed to support the development of new infrastructure on university campuses across Canada, according to the program’s website.
Although Vanier Tower won’t be completed on time, renovations to Vanier Hall met its deadlines, which is important because its renovation was putting much needed classrooms out of commission, according to Brun de Re.
Carleton University also received $52.5 million from both levels of government to build two new buildings, the single largest capital investment in Carleton’s history.
An opening ceremony for the Canal Building was held in January, but classes weren’t scheduled in the building for another nine months. The River Building is expected to be completed by November, according to Darryl Boyce, Carleton’s head of facilities management and planning. The building originally had a June 2011 deadline, but it has also faced delays related to ground stability.
The discovery of poor rock composition put the project back three months, in addition to wet weather in the winter and spring, Boyce said.
“We’re looking to have the building completed by November, and have people move in by December,” he said.
