Page 34 - A_View_Of_Their_Own_the_Story_of_Westmount

Version HTML de base

Of Bricks and Mortar
After the accident, work was stopped in the
Findlay building until an engineering report was
obtained to determine its cause and evaluate the
stability of the ceiling in the north reading room.
While the report of Nicolet Chartrand Knoll Lim-
itée, dated February 2, 1995, drew no conclusions,
it suggested that the continuous pounding of pile
driving for the new building may have magnified
inherent weaknesses in the old ceiling causing its
nails to gradually loosen from the attic joists, its
only means of support. It further noted that the
ceiling bore the weight of four inches of insulating
material. As well, screws attaching electrical wires
to the ceiling had been removed prior to the
pile driving.
As a result of the report and as a precaution,
the ceiling of the north reading room was reinforced
at an unexpected cost of $21,800 which the city's
insurance did not cover. Damages, as well as the
cost of replicating the collapsed ceiling, a total of
$63,000, were covered by the general contractor's
insurance. The new decorative coffers were crafted
off-site and put up separately.
Fortunately no one was hurt in the incident and
only one other mishap was reported during con-
struction. According to Mr. Frenza, a brick fell on a
worker gutting the tower but he was not reported
injured.
Later, as part of the general renovations, work
was carried out to bring the old building up to
provincial earthquake standards as far as budget and
architectural strengths allowed. Costing $125,000,
the seismic reinforcement involved construction of
massive concrete shear walls in two locations from
the basement to the attic floor as well as installation
of three-quarter inch metal plates at one comer. In
the attic, metal grids were placed between joists and
girders that were tied in to the lower support
system. A new east-west beam between the lobby
and south reading room provided another brace.
Below this beam, a new colonnade of arches would
later be built.
In April, the tall chimney was rebuilt and the
new roof installed. Double-glazed thermal windows
were added in June.
Despite a two-week work stoppage from July 17
to July 28 for the annual Quebec construction
holiday, most of the construction work was com-
pleted on time by August, leaving interior finishing
and decorating to be carried out in the next three
months.
At the historic Findlay building, the final
stage of restoration would prove to be the most
interesting.
Work begins at the Findlay
building with foundations
for the new entrance facing
Sherbrooke Street.
33