Infrastructure Rehabilitation

WalterFedy’s civil and mechanical engineering teams completed an infrastructure assessment for the mechanical plumbing and underground servicing infrastructure for the housing and residence facilities at the University of Waterloo. The infrastructure assessment took a holistic look at the current infrastructure and prioritized replacement needs, but also incorporated infrastructure planning for future expansion. 

Our team also provided consulting engineering services to rehabilitate underground utility tunnels on the campus as a separate project. The two projects overlapped in a critical area where the tunnel was rapidly deteriorating and the existing servicing infrastructure could not reasonably be expected to provide servicing without the potential for significant disruptions in the near term. The impacted areas for the rehabilitation and replacement were significant enough to warrant a re-think of the exterior space. In collaboration with numerous University stakeholders, our team reimagined the space to provide larger, more functional communal spaces, outdoor gathering areas, and provide better pedestrian connectivity to the main campus.

In close collaboration with GSP Group, who provided landscape and urban design services, we developed a re-envisioned and reinvigorated outdoor space with significant new landscape enhancements at Village 1 North and West. The project also included the replacement of deep underground infrastructure as well as structural restoration and new waterproofing for the tunnel. The design services included in-depth, detailed investigations to ensure that no surprises were encountered during construction. This was to ensure that construction could be completed within a four-month window in order for the site to be operational for move-in and orientation in September. 

The successful implementation of the enhanced landscaping and urban design shows a cohesive design language between previous collaborative projects completed by WalterFedy and GSP Group on campus, notably the redevelopment of South Commons at the entrance to the University from Seagram Drive.