Oakville Trafalgar Hospital

OAKVILLE, ON
PROJECT SERVICES
Abatement, Asset Recovery, Demolition, Recycling
PROJECT CATEGORY
Government / Institutional
PROJECT DATE
2017
CLIENT NAME
Town of Oakville
The project
Originally constructed in the 1940s, the main hospital building, which was expanded and renovated several times over the years, had a gross floor area of approximately 41,810 m2 with five-stories and a multi-level basement. The secondary office building was a three-storey above-ground structure with an area of 1,860 m2.
The primary construction material for both buildings was concrete for the framing and floors, while the exterior walls consisted of brick, terracotta, concrete block, and glazing. The hospital had a boiler plant, which included a 3.7 m diameter, 48 m high steel-lined, brick chimney.
Delsan-A.I.M. entered into a contract with the Town of Oakville to undertake the decommissioning and demolition of the main hospital complex and a secondary office building located at the former Oakville Trafalgar Hospital Site. The project required careful planning and execution to ensure the protection of the neighbouring community.
Delsan-A.I.M. retained an environmental consultant to undertake a pre-construction survey in order to document the existing conditions of neighbouring properties adjacent to the site and to monitor vibration levels using seismographs. The vibration levels, along with noise and dust levels, which were monitored by the Town of Oakville, were not exceeded during the course of the project in accordance with the parameters specified in the contract and the applicable regulations.
In order to prepare the buildings for demolition, Delsan-A.I.M. obtained all the required permits for the project and arranged for the disconnection of all the associated utilities. In addition, Delsan-A.I.M. was responsible for abating the designated substances and hazardous materials in accordance with the applicable regulations. This work was undertaken over an 8-month period and included the removal of asbestos-containing materials, ozone depleting substances, polychlorinated biphenyls, and radioactive materials that were found in various architectural finishes as well as equipment associated with the mechanical and electrical systems.

During the course of the project, Delsan-A.I.M. also undertook the remediation of ground water and soils where localized contamination had been identified.

The buildings, along with the footings and foundations were removed by conventional means using several large excavators equipped with specialized attachments, such as shears and hydraulic hammers. A high-reach excavator with a range of up to 28 m above grade was also used during the course of the project in order to safely descend the highest of the building structures.




Due to the height of the chimney, however, which extended beyond the safe operating range of conventional equipment, Delsan-A.I.M. utilized mechanical methods to safely control-drop this structure in a pre-determined direction. This work was undertaken in accordance with detailed engineering procedures in order to ensure the safety of the workers, the public, and the adjoining properties.

All the concrete rubble from the project was reused to backfill the below-grade voids. Delsan-A.I.M. crushed the concrete on-site using a mobile crusher. The material was then placed and compacted in order to comply with the contract specifications.