By Dan Markin, Site Superintendent, Farmer Construction Ltd.
Although Farmer Construction Ltd. constructs buildings and facilities, we also pride ourselves in taking on projects that challenge our abilities and improve the communities in which we live. Working with Peninsula Streams Society on the Millstream Creek Fishway Project allowed us to further our understanding of how to use urban building knowledge to create salmon enhancement habitat.
Our main challenges for this project were accurately placing the concrete and baffles inside the culvert to match a varying radius and custom forming the concrete weirs into the stacked boulders. Utilizing the existing bolts in the culvert, we were able to adequately anchor in our formwork so nothing could move during placement and finishing. We coordinated the culvert pour very closely with Western Grater, as we had to have a total of 15 workers moving in sync to maintain the pour rate of the concrete, while still having our concrete finishers be able to float the surface with trowels before it hardened.
Installing the concrete weirs between stacked boulders required experienced carpenters who were able to cut plywood to match the odd shapes of the boulders accurately and efficiently. Since we had the right talented individuals already employed, we reduced the possible cost of the project and were able to meet a tight deadline with the rainy season fast approaching.
We are very proud to be involved in the Millstream Fishway Project. Hopefully, with each year we will see more salmon return to spawn at Millstream Creek.
Want to learn more about the Millstream Creek Fishway Project? Register for our Webinar, Nov 12th Thurs at noon. And to learn more about other PSS projects, check out our November Webinar Series!
Farmer Construction Ltd. constructs buildings and facilities, and believe it is their people and those extraordinary relationships that make them strong. These relationships have allowed them to continue building and developing urban landscapes and community for greater than 60 years.
As a team of creative and innovative General Contractors and Construction Managers, Farmer Construction Ltd. is an industry leader that has completed many institutional, commercial, residential and industrial projects. Their special projects include heritage restorations and tenant improvements.