Welcome to the COVE, or Nova Scotia Community College’s Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship. Once home to the Canada Coast Guard Facility, the space now serves as an ocean lab and research center.

To help reduce construction waste, we repurposed and restored elements of the old Coast Guard building in the new structure, including existing cargo elevators, overhead hoist and track systems and wharf access.  

We were extremely cautious of critical schedule deadlines throughout construction, therefore we found creative solutions to overcome obstacles. One challenge was addressing the damaged and dropped slab on grade. To evade additional costs and rework, we avoided removing the concrete and addressed the void by using a structural foam injection product. This was able to lift the slab in certain dropped locations and provide the structural reinforcement required. 

The project isn’t off the rails, but rather on the rails of the CN Railroad tracks. Due to our proximity to the operational train, we worked closely with the transportation company to maximize our work times around train schedules.  

We also worked together to line drill and install new water and sanitary lines below the active railway line. It required extensive, innovative planning sessions, but we completed the project with no safety issues or costly downtime for the railway.