RC111 MarApr 2024 - Magazine - Page 11
ReNew Canada recently caught up with Hammell to discuss her
accomplishments and her commitment to encouraging women to
explore careers in the construction industry.
What inspired you to pursue a career in the construction industry?
I was always interested in architecture, but I ultimately chose
construction as my career due to my experience working at
PCL during my co-op terms. I loved the teamwork involved in
delivering projects and being able to see the tangible results of your
hard work. There’s a great sense of pride to be able to show o昀昀
your accomplishments to family and friends.
What are some of the highlights of your career to this point?
A couple of projects that stand out for me would be our renovation
of the Observation Level at the CN Tower, as well as the accelerated
long-term care home, Lakeridge Gardens, in Ajax, Ont. The CN
Tower was such a cool project where we completely renovated one
of the levels at the top of the CN Tower while keeping the space
open to visitors. Not only that, but we replaced half of the exterior
windows 1,300 feet in the air with new 昀氀oor-to-ceiling glass panels,
which is something that doesn’t happen on regular projects.
The accelerated long-term care project was completed
during the height of COVID-19 when the province
desperately needed additional long-term care beds. Being
able to deliver a project as critical as that in a record-setting
timeframe is something that I will never stop being proud of.
What was your role with the Lakeridge Gardens LTC project
and what did you learn from the experience?
My role on the Lakeridge Gardens project was managing the
design to ensure the requirements of the facility were met while
also ensuring that the design was able to deliver the necessary
information to keep the aggressive construction schedule on track. It
was a project that seemed to have impossible goals of delivering a
complete 320-bed long-term care facility in just one year, but it was
a great example of what a shared vision and collective teamwork
can accomplish. After that experience, I’ve learned that what
may seem impossible can be accomplished with the right plan.
Why is it important to you to encourage other women
to explore careers in the construction industry?
I think it’s important that more women explore a career in
construction because there’s a lot that women must bring to the
table. All those skills and diversity of thought can bene昀椀t the
construction industry and make an impact to the change of the
construction environment. It’s an industry where no day is the same,
so it continually challenges you to think of new ways to approach
situations. You also can contribute directly to the communities
where we live and work. I think that’s something special that you
get to participate in when you choose construction as a career.
Helping Clients Manage Risks,
Disputes, and Uncertainty
For more than 20 years HKA has helped Canadian
owners, developers, contractors and counsel
navigate pitfalls that could derail large, mission critical
infrastructure projects.
We anticipate.
We investigate.
We resolve.
Employing over 1,000 experts and consultants
worldwide, HKA’s goal is to mitigate construction
problems as early as possible, from pre-construction
through delivery.
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Project Governance
Project Advisory
Dispute Avoidance
Dispute Resolution
Claims Management
Claims Analysis
Testifying Expert Witnesses
• Quantum
• Delay & Disruption
• Forensic Technical Services
• Forensic Accounting & Commercial Damages
Gordie Howe Bridge
Photo credit: Windsor-Detroit
Bridge Authority
CALGARY | MONTRÉAL | TORONTO | VANCOUVER
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MARCH/APRIL 2024 – RENEW CANADA 11
