How do you craft a capital that representsour differences? Besides managing properties and organizing parties, Ottawa’sNCC reaches across the country to getanswers and build a plan.

[ PAGE 12 ] LEATHER MAN EG Forge designs and produces bags and cases from a Calgary studio.

[ PAGE 14 ] BAREFOOTING Merrell’s Montreal designoffice helps build a globalsport shoe collection.

CAPITAL IDEA

THE ALLIED PROPERTIES REIT TENANT MAGAZINE

VICTORIA • VANCOUVER • CALGARY • EDMONTON • WINNIPEG • KITCHENER • TORONTO • OTTAWA • MONTREAL • QUEBEC CITY

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+• In Kitchener: Allied and the Lang Tannery project• In Toronto: Telanet knows the future of the office telephone

• In Montreal: CM Labs builds simulators for NASAmissions, tower cranes and bulldozers

With more than 500,000 square feet of empty space andsome restrictions over how it can be leased, the CBCentered into an interesting arrangement with Allied, which has decided to lease space at the crown corporation’sheadquarters at 250 Front Street West in Toronto toexpand its telecommunications infrastructure.

Allied expects to invest approximately $30 million inthe 168,000-square-foot space with a view to establishingit as a premiere telecom facility in Canada.

On completion of the upgrade, which is expected tooccur in 2013, the space will be leased to the type of tenants served by its facilities at 151 Front Street West,905 King West and 60 Adelaide West.

151 Front is one of eight key internet hubs in North America and the leading telecommunication interconnection point in Canada. 905 King and 60 Adelaide are connected by fiber-optic cable to 151 Front, Canada’s premier technology hub, offering the tenants of these buildings a secure environment withample power, cooling and fibre optic connectivity.

The three properties include approximately 340,000square feet of specialized space for telecommunicationsand information-technology tenants. n

Développement d’espaces de télécommunications au siège social de CBC à TorontoAvec plus de 500 000 pieds carrés d’espaces libres et certaines restrictions quant à la façon de louer ces espaces, CBC et Allied ont signéune entente des plus intéressantes, alors que cette dernière a décidé delouer des espaces au siège social de la société d’État au 250 rue FrontOuest à Toronto pour y élargir ses infrastructures de télécommunications.

Allied prévoit investir approximativement 30 000 000 $ dans les locauxde 168 000 pieds carrés en vue d’en faire l’une des plus grandes installa-tions de télécommunications au Canada. Au terme de ce réaménagement,prévu en 2013, les espaces seront loués au même type de locataires queceux desservis par ses installations aux 151 rue Front Ouest, 905 rue KingOuest et 60 rue Adelaide Ouest.

Le 151 Front est l’un des principaux carrefours Internet en Amérique duNord et le premier point de connexion en télécommunications au Canada.905 King et 60 Adelaide sont reliés au 151 Front par câbles à fibresoptiques, offrant ainsi aux locataires de ces édifices un environnementsécuritaire doté d’une puissance, d’une capacité de refroidissement et d’une connectivité à fibres optiques inégalées – ainsi qu’un accèsdirect aux locataires et aux services du 151 rue Front Ouest, carrefourtechnologique de premier plan au Canada. Les trois propriétés offrentapproximativement 340 000 pieds carrés d’espaces spécialisés pour leslocataires qui œuvrent dans le domaine des télécommunications et destechnologies de l’information. n

INCOMING...Developing telecom space in CBC’s Toronto headquarters

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FSC LOGO HERE

www.alliedreit.comSend your company info, events and story ideas to

news@alliedpropertiesreit.comEditor: Yvan Marston • Design: Gravity Design Inc.

Allied buildings and management teamcelebrated at Toronto awardsThe Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) cited several of Allied’s Toronto buildings for excellence in overall management and one building was lauded in a national category for its significant efforts to address environmental issues.

In May, members of the Allied property management team attended a Toronto awards ceremony to receive BOMA certificates of Excellence for 469 King Street West, 257 AdelaideStreet West, 204-214 King Street East, 193-195 Yonge Street and 72 Victoria Street.

Buildings were awarded points for management and operations,community impact, tenant relations, energy and environment management, emergency preparedness and the training of buildingpersonnel. An additional national award for sound environmentalpractices went to 469 King Street West.

Des édifices et l’équipe de direction del’entreprise Allied célébrés lors d’uneremise de prix à Toronto

L’association Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA)a décerné à plusieurs édifices de l’entreprise Allied situés à Torontodes prix d’excellence en gestion globale et un édifice a même été

nommé dans une catégorie nationale pour les efforts de tailledéployés afin d’aborder des enjeux environnementaux.

En mai, des membres de l’équipe de gestion immobilière d’Alliedont participé à une cérémonie de remise de prix afin de recevoir des certificats d’excellence de l’association BOMA pour les édificessitués aux 469 rue King Ouest, 257 rue Adelaide Ouest, 204-214 rueKing Est, 193-195 rue Yonge et 72 rue Victoria.

Les édifices ont reçu des points pour la gestion et les opérations,les impacts sur la communauté, les relations avec les locataires, la gestion de l’énergie et de l’environnement, la planification d’urgence et la formation du personnel de l’édifice. Un prix nationalsupplémentaire pour de saines pratiques environnementales a étédécerné à l’édifice sis au 469 rue King Ouest, qui a été jugé selon ladescription et le résumé de l’édifice, la réduction des risques pourl’environnement. n

Merci de nous avoir fait part de vos commentaires! La rénovation de bâtiments ou l’amélioration de services se font toujours plus efficacement avec de bons commentaires. L’équipe d’Allied remerciesincèrement tous ceux et celles qui ont participé au Sondage national récemment mené auprès des locataires d’immeubles. Avec l’aide de la firme de recherche indépendante en immobilier Altus Insite, nous pourrons bientôtprésenter une mise à jour sur les initiatives que nous mettons actuellement au point selon les commentaires fournis par les locataires. Félicitations aux 25 gagnants régionaux qui ont reçu chacun une carte cadeau Visa d’une valeurde 100 $ pour avoir participé au sondage.

Thanks for the feedback!Conducting any kind of building or service improvement is always more effectivewith good feedback. The Allied team is sincerely grateful to all individuals whoparticipated in the recently conducted National Tenant Survey. With the help ofindependent real estate research firm Altus Insite, we will soon be able to providean update on initiatives we are designing based on feedback provided by tenants.Congratulations to the 25 regional winners who each received $100 Visa giftcards for participating in the survey.

Allied Head Office on the MoveAs of July 23rd, Allied has a new address with the management team taking up space at 520 King Street West, Suite 300, Toronto ON M5V 1K4.

Le siège social d’Allied déménage Dès le 23 juillet, Allied aura une nouvelle adressealors que l’équipe de gestion immobilière occuperales lieux du 520 rue King Ouest, bureau 300, TorontoON M5V 1K4.

COMMUNIQUÉ

ST. LAWRENCE AREA, TORONTO / - With festive yellowlights strung casually about its space, giant paper maché geckosclinging to the wall behind the bar, Agave cacti cut-outs at theback and Dos Equis on tap, there’s little mistaking Habanero’sfor anything but a Mexican restaurant.

Still, owner Helen Mark says what most people commonlyrefer to as Mexican food is actually Tex Mex. And Habanero’s,she explains, is California-Mex.

“We do more sauces and we don’t do the rib and steakthing,” says Mark of the difference between the two styles. She says the sauces also tend to focus on the use of fresh ingredients and that the emphasis here is on burritos andchimichangas you have to eat with a knife and fork.

Not to say there isn’t steak (the steak tampiquena is donetopped with chipotle sauce) and Mexican inspired burgers

and poutine for the more gringo of the crowd, but this is really about regional Mexican cooking – getting the flavoursand authenticity derived from serving tamales and enchiladasbaked with cheese and doused in a tasty sauce.

“People also love our fajitas and guacamole,” adds Mark who has been serving Mexican fare to St. Lawrence market area patrons since 1999, though only recently under theHabanero’s banner.

Formerly known as Hernando’s Hideaway, the restaurant was part of what was once a 30-location chain started out of Ottawa by the original draft-dodging American who opened Mexicali Rosa’s in 1979 out of a yearning for goodMexican food.

Mark says the appetite for Mexican food has been steady in the last 15 years but that the confusion over real Mexican

Classic MexicanNo fancy fusion food-truck warps here. Habaneros is traditional, sauced-up,knife-and-fork-required burrito country. By Yvan Marston

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[ R E S T A U R A N T ]

and the Tex-Mex style items often served in pubs has madeHabanero’s more for the Mexican-savvy foodies.

“Some people think of a taco or burrito in terms of thefancy designer food truck stuff, and that’s not what we servehere,” says Mark with a characteristic irreverence for foodtrends. Instead, she and her crew deliver Mexican classics, not to mention the refreshing drinks that go with them.

“I think we have the best margueritas in the city – barnone,” she says. “I used to be shy about saying it – but themargs are really good here because unlike most people wedon’t use an overly sweet mix. And we use a lot of alcohol.”

One trend Habaneros did pick up on is the rising consumerinterest in sipping tequilas. Not to be confused with the gasoline-like substance abused all too often in one’s youth,varieties of Jose Cuervo, Don Julio and Cabo Wabo go downsmooth and subtle like single-malt scotches.

With space for 100 seated and 195 if running a capacityevent (which means taking out half the tables to clear a dancefloor), the Wellington Street East dining room tends to caterto patrons attending nearby performances in the evening.Lunchtimes can get busy and there’s a solid attendance at the end of the workweek, which always tends to bring outmore diners.

Summer in the city is especially nice at this location, acrossfrom the Flatiron building, and patrons lucky enough to get a window seat can enjoy a view of the park from the openfront of Habanero’s second-storey dining room.

“We don’t have a patio, but with the windows open in thesummer it’s like being on a balcony,” says Mark. n

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Habanero’s cheerful space isbrightly dressed with the colourfulart of the late Lupe Rodriguez,artist, arts reporter and educator (she and her students also crafted all the paper maché geckos).

TORONTO

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RUE ELGIN, OTTAWA / - Les Canadiens aiment leur capitale.Quatre Canadiens sur cinq ont une opinion très positived’Ottawa et les trois quarts d’entre eux veulent avoir leur mot à dire sur son avenir. Heureusement, la Commission de la capitale nationale, la société d’État chargée de la planification dela capitale, qui a mené ce sondage, est ouverte aux suggestions.

« Lorsque nous avons entrepris de planifier la vision à long termepour la capitale, nous avons décidé de parler aux Canadiens et j’aiété étonnée de constater à quel point ils tenaient à leur capitale »déclare Marie Lemay, première dirigeante de l’organisme vieux de53 ans et dont les bureaux sont situés dans l’édifice Chambers, àl’intersection des rues Sparks et Elgin, où 429 des 513 employés de la CCN occupent huit étages.

LA GESTION DES TERRES C’est de cet endroit que la société d’État s’occupe de l’aménagement et l’utilisation de terrainsfédéraux, gère les biens patrimoniaux dans la région de la capitale,organise des événements qui célèbrent la capitale et le pays et planifie l’avenir d’une région qui couvre deux provinces, des territoires des Premières nations et 13 municipalités.

Plus grand propriétaire foncier de la région de la capitale, la CCN semble à première vue avoir pour tâche de gérer de l’immobilier. En effet, au-delà de son portefeuille composé de1300 bâtiments, qui comprend 30 bâtiments patrimoniaux et 40 ponts, elle est responsable d’une bande de terre de 200 kilomètres carrés en forme de croissant qui constitue laCeinture de verdure de la Capitale nationale. Celle-ci comprendla Mer Bleue, une zone humide reconnue à l’échelle mondiale,une dizaine de parcs urbains ainsi que le parc de la Gatineau quis’étend sur 361 kilomètres carrés.

La Commission est également responsable de plus d’une centaine de kilomètres de promenades panoramiques aménagées,de quelque 236 kilomètres de sentiers à usages multiples et deplus de 200 kilomètres de sentiers pour la randonnée et le ski.

DÉFINIR L’IDENTITÉ CANADIENNE Mais au-delà de son mandatd’intendante de biens nationaux, tels que le 24 Sussex, le parc de la Gatineau et la patinoire du canal Rideau, et au-delà du rôle qu’elle joue dans l’organisation des célébrations de la Fête du Canada et du Bal de Neige, la CCN se trouve dans la position de tenter de définir l’identité canadienne. Qui plus est, elle devra planifier et concevoir une capitale nationale quireflète cette identité.

L’année dernière, la Commission a organisé huit forums publics dans des grandes villes canadiennes et a mené un sondagenational afin de recueillir des renseignements sur l’image que lesCanadiens et Canadiennes voulaient que leur capitale reflète. Bien que la plupart aient fait montre d’un vif intérêt à se sentirreprésentés par leur capitale, comme l’explique Mme Lemay, cela s’est traduit de différentes façons.

« Les commentaires recueillis se résumaient au fait que ce n’était pas tant une question d’ethnicités ou de géographies différentes mais plutôt de qui nous sommes et ce en quoi nouscroyons : nos valeurs. Cela constitue donc un plus grand défi,celui de trouver la façon de représenter ces valeurs » ajoute-t-elle.

Alors que la CCN est encore en train d'étudier les données et commentaires recueillis lors des forums et par le biais desmédias sociaux et des divers partenariats (des travaux menés avec la revue Canadian Geographic, par exemple, ont permis

Une réflexionMandatée pour planifier l'avenir de la capitale du Canada, la CCN élabore un plan en vue de bâtir un lieu qui reflétera qui sont les Canadiens et ce en quoi ils croient. Par Yvan Marston

[ G O U V E R N E M E N T ]

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(Suite à la page 8)

The NCC is planning a capital thatmeans as much to Canadians as itis representative of who we are.ELGIN STREET, OTTAWA / - Canadians love their capital. Fourout of five have a very positive view of Ottawa and three quarters want to have a say in its future. Luckily, the NationalCapital Commission, the crown corporation in charge of planning the capital, and which conducted the survey, is opento suggestion.

“When we engaged in planning the long term vision for thecapital we decided to talk to Canadians, and I was amazed tosee how much Canadians care about their capital,” says MarieLemay, CEO of the 53-year-old agency, housed in The Chambersbuilding at the intersection of Sparks and Elgin where 429 ofthe NCC’s 513 employees occupy eight floors.

From here, the agency orchestrates land-use and managesheritage properties in the capital region, organizes events that celebrate the capital and the country, and plans the futureof an area that covers two provinces, First Nations territoriesand 13 municipalities.

The largest landowner in the capital region, the NCC’s role at first blush, appears to be one of land management.Indeed, beyond its 1,300-building portfolio, which includes 30 heritage buildings and 40 bridges, it is responsible for the200-square-kilometer crescent shaped band of land thatmakes up the National Capital Greenbelt (including Mer Bleue,an internationally-recognized wetland), a dozen urban parks as well as the 361-square-kilometre Gatineau Park.

There are also more than 100 kilometers of scenic landscaped roadway corridors for which it is responsible and some 236 kilometers of multi-use pathways and 200 kilometers of walking and skiing trails.

But beyond its mandate as a steward of national assetssuch as 24 Sussex, Gatineau Park and the Rideau CanalSkateway, and beyond its role of organizing Canada DayCelebrations and Winterlude, the NCC finds itself currently trying to define Canadian identity. Moreover, once it hasdefined it, it must plan and design a national capital to reflect it.

Last year it hosted eight public forums in cities acrossCanada and launched a national survey to gather informationon what Canadians wanted their capital to be. And while mostindicated a keen interest in feeling represented by the capital,what that meant, as Lemay explains, took different forms.

“What we gathered was that it was not necessarily a matterof different ethnicities or geographies, it was about who we areand what we stand for: our values. So really that’s even morechallenging as to how you would represent that,” she says.

While the NCC is still sorting through the data gathered atthe forums, from social media and through various partnerships(work with Canadian Geographic magazine, for example, yielded additional media impressions) there is some initial

24 Sussex

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Rideau Canal Skateway

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National Capital Commission by the numbers:

6: Number of official residences it manages including Rideau Hall (Governor General of Canada), 24 Sussex (Prime Minister's residence) and Stornaway (residence of the leader of the opposition).

11: Percentage of the land area in the capital region over which it has authority.

236: Number of kilometers of multi-use pathways it manages (also more than 200 km of walking and skiing trails).

1,300: Number of buildings in its real estate portfolio, including 30 heritage buildings and 40 bridges.

1959: The year crown corporation NCC is formed.

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de recueillir d’autres impressions médiatiques), les résultatspréliminaires indiquent déjà que les répondants aimeraient avoir plus d’endroits où les gens peuvent se réunir et échanger,comme des places publiques ou des boulevards pédestres(Barcelone a été citée en exemple à plusieurs reprises).

LE PORTRAIT D’UNE VISION « Certains répondants ont indiquéqu’ils voulaient mieux connaître le pays, peut-être par le biais de mets et de musique par exemple, » explique-t-elle, ajoutantque la première tentative en vue de dresser le portrait d’une vision et de déterminer certains objectifs stratégiques étaitactuellement en cours.

Les résultats permettront d’élaborer un plan d’action décennal, qui fait partie d'une plus vaste initiative intituléeHorizon 2067. Cette initiative établit une politique de planification et de développement physique de la capitale pour les 50 prochaines années.

Ainsi le plan d’action décennal fera véritablement avancerHorizon 2067.

« Nous avons obtenu beaucoup de bonnes idées et senti uneénorme énergie dans les commentaires recueillis » nous confieMarie Lemay « mais il faut maintenant décoder tout cela ». n

capitaleducanada.gc.ca

indication that respondents want more places where people can meet and interact, such as public squares orpedestrian boulevards (Barcelona was mentioned as anexample on several occasions).

“Some said they want to experience the country,maybe through food and music, for example,” sheexplains, adding that the first attempt at crafting a visionand some strategic objectives is currently underway.

The results will direct a 10-year action plan, which ispart of the larger Horizon 2067 initiative which establishesa policy for planning and the physical development of thecapital over the next 50 years.

The ten-year action plan will drive the initiative forward, explains Lemay.

“There were a lot of good ideas and a lot of energy,”she says, “but now we have to figure out what it allmeans.” n

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(continued from page 6)

Que pensez-vous de votre capitale?

Le sondage mené pour l’Association d’études canadiennes etla Commission de la capitale nationale en automne 2011 aramèné ces derniers résultats:

• 75 % des Canadiens sont d’accord qu’ils devraient avoir leur mot à dire quant à l’avenir de la capitale du Canada.

• 82 % ont une opinion positive à l’égard de la capitalenationale.

• Les Canadiens ont choisi « refléter le pays en entier »comme étant la qualité la plus importante à être reflétée par la capitale nationale.

• Les Canadiens affirment que le rôle le plus important de la région de la Capitale nationale est de « représenter leCanada à travers le monde », suivi par « représenter leCanada auprès des Canadiens ».

• En réponse à la question « afin d’être une grande capitale,lesquelles des caractéristiques suivantes aimeriez-vous voirplus présentes dans la Capitale nationale? », les Canadiensont choisi leurs 5 réponses les plus importantes :

1. Célébrations et festivals nationaux

2. Musées/Galeries d’art/Patrimoine bâti

3. Parcs, espaces verts et installations de loisirs

4. Lieux de rencontres

5. Monuments et commémorations

What do you think of your capital?

A national poll conducted for the Association ofCanadian Studies and the National CapitalCommission last fall found that:

• 75% of Canadians agree that they should have asay in the future plans of Canada's Capital.

• 82% Canadians have a positive view of Canada’sCapital.

• Canadians ranked “reflects the entire country” asthe most important quality to be reflected inCanada’s Capital.

• Canadians ranked representing Canada to theworld as the most important role for Canada’sCapital Region, followed by representing Canada toCanadians.

• When asked: “in order to be a great Capital, whichof the following features would they like to seemore of in Canada’s Capital”, Canadians rankedtheir Top 5 responses as follows:

1. National Celebrations and Festivals

2. Museums/Art Galleries/Heritage Buildings

3. Parks, Green Spaces and Recreation Facilities

4. Gathering Places and People Places

5. Monuments and Commemorations

With the summer grilling season in full swing, impromptu gatherings can catch you off guard. Here’s a three-step guide to hosting a small gathering with confidence.

CALPHALON CUL I NARY C ENTER

SUMMER GRILLING: PART 2

TORONTO

1. AIM SLOWIt’s hard to beat the convenience of a gas grill but real barbecuing isn’t about speed, says Susie Reading, ExecutiveChef at the Calphalon Culinary Center on Toronto’s King Street West.

Seeing a growing interest in using real charcoal and smokers, Reading says these slow methods are the ones thatyield the best flavours using a tougher cut and a dry rub.

“A simple steak is always wonderful, but cheaper, toughercuts like brisket, pork butt and whole flattened chicken are where the flavour is,” she says. Whether it’s over gas orcharcoal, she says it is best to cook low and slow and use adry rub (usually made of a sugar, salt and pepper base with any number of other spices added).

2. GRILL YOUR SIDESTo keep the culinary action outside, consider making a pizzaon the grill as an appetizer or accompaniment. Reading saysany kind of crust will do - whether handmade or storebought. Just toss it on the grill, as is with a bit of olive oil tomake flat bread or grill it one side, flip and garnish with afew favourite toppings then close the lid until the toppingsare warm and the cheese bubbly.

Grilled corn is another summer favourite not to overlook,adds Reading. If you’re grilling it with the husk on then thecorn should be soaked in water for 15-30 minutes beforegoing on. Alternatively, peel the corn and grill it as is and a have butter at the ready to rub on at the finish (usuallyready after 10 minutes).

3. EXPAND YOUR SALADSAdding a grain like quinoa, couscous or wheat berry for bulk can dramatically change a basic salad. Just be sure to step up the dressing to accommodate the addition of the grain.

A three-bean salad is also easy to do, especially if you use canned beans. Rinse the beans and combine them in a bowl, adding ingredients that you might have on hand, like sections of orange, lemon or lime as well as juice, green onions, grape tomatoes, red or yellow peppers, freshcilantro, a bit of ginger and some pressed garlic.

Six most common BBQ mistakes

1. MOVING THINGS AROUND TOO OFTEN: Let thefood sear or caramelize. A good indication proteins are ready to turn or move is when they don’t stick to the grill.

2. COOKING AT TOO HIGH A TEMPERATURE: Thisway the outside looks cooked but inside it’s raw. Keep an eye on the BBQ thermometer or use aninstant read thermometer for internal temperatures.

3. ALWAYS LIFTING THE LID: this lowers the temperature of the grill dramatically.

4. OVERCROWDING: If you have a lot of food, cook in batches.

5. ADDING BBQ SAUCE BEFORE GRILLING: The sugars in the sauce caramelize and burn before thefood is cooked. Start with a dry rub and baste BBQsauce on the food when it is almost done cooking.

6. USING CHEAP TONGS: Look for tongs that are sturdy and can easily pick up heavy cuts of meat without bending.

9 • SUMMER 2012

For details, visit Calphalon.com/centers

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What is Expressive Arts Therapy?

Expressive Arts Therapy (EXA) is a way of using the arts to help people with a variety of challenges; whether they are psychological, emotional, behavioural, orchallenges associated with life traumas,relationships or transitions. By engaging in play and the arts, clients are taken into the world of the imagination, wherepossibilities can be seen that are not evident in their daily lives. Instead of focusing on deficiencies and dwelling on problems, the EXA approach is resource-based and solution-focused.

source: isis-canada.org

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QUEEN STREET EAST, TORONTO / - In expressive artstherapy, one learns more through the journey than at the destination. The work is important, explains Stephen Levine,but only insofar as it contributes to the experience of the clientin an effective way.

“The role of the therapist then is to help the client gothrough a process of play and art-making that will give them a sense of aliveness and open up new possibilities for self-development.”

Besides being poet, actor and clown, Levine is EmeritusProfessor of social science and social and political thought atYork University, and Dean of Doctoral Studies in ExpressiveArts Therapy at the European Graduate School in Switzerland.He has written extensively on expressive arts therapy and is co-director of Toronto’s ISIS Canada – the International School of Interdisciplinary Studies, a training program in expressive arts therapy, located at 468 Queen Street East in Toronto

A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE ISIS teaches expressive arts therapy,which differs from traditional art therapy by involving all kindsof arts, not just visual arts. When ISIS started 21 years ago thefaculty had to solicit clinics and agencies to take on students forpracticums, but now, Levine proudly notes, ISIS is receivingcalls requesting students.

He attributes the interest of clinics and agencies to the factthat ISIS students are versatile and can work with different typesof people. “The arts are really a universal language,” he says.

A professor emeritus at York University in Toronto, Levinewas training to become a psychotherapist when he attendedLeslie College Graduate School in Cambridge and engaged in a post-doctoral study of using the arts as a form of therapy. Apoet and theatre practitioner with doctorates in philosophy andanthropology, Levine had always had an interest in the arts.

While training to be a therapist in Toronto he had alreadyused creative kinds of therapy, tapping into the imagination ofhis patients through games and play.

INSPIRED TO OPEN A TORONTO SCHOOL “When you enter the world of the imagination through arts you enter thepossibility to go beyond your literal real-life situation and youcan use your imagination to explore alternatives with surprisingresults,” he explains.

When Levine finished his fellowship at Leslie College he wasinspired to bring a similar program back to Toronto. It waswhile travelling in Europe that he came upon the InternationalSchool of Interdisciplinary Studies (ISIS) in Switzerland.

Upon his return, Levine, along with his wife Ellen, a trainedart and child psychotherapist, and Fran Harwood, also a practicing psychotherapist, established ISIS Canada in 1991.

KNOW THYSELF Earning an ISIS diploma is typically done overthree years with classes one night a week as well as one intensiveweekend a month from September to May. In addition to this,each student has to be in their own therapy for 90 hours, as wellas doing a total of 600 practicum hours over the three years.

While it is considered to be a half-time program, Levine saysit really requires students to give a lot of themselves.

“You have to look at yourself and at your own issues through the arts as well as having the practical and theoreticalexperience.”

He also notes that students and practitioners derive tremendous satisfaction from the work. While it can be easy to burn out in most ‘helping’ professions, with expressive artstherapy, he explains, practitioners are engaged in work that isitself fun and that engages creativity and the imagination.

In the future, ISIS is working towards satisfying the forthcoming regulations in Ontario concerning psychotherapy,which to date remains an unregulated profession. ISIS is following this change closely, and adapting the curriculum to the new regulations.

ISIS is also affiliated with the European Graduate School(EGS), and its students can receive advanced standing towardsan MA degree from EGS. n

isis-canada.orgexpressivearts.egs.edu

ARTS & MINDToronto’s ISIS Canada teaches students to develop the skills they need and theself-development that is key to being a good expressive arts therapist. By Micayla Jacobs

[ E D U C A T I O N ]

TORONTO

BAGMANWith a degree in business, a passion for design and a background in motorsports, Eric Goodwin handcrafts bags, cases and accessories from his Calgary studio.

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7th AVE. SW, CALGARY / - EG Forge is a relatively new addition to the Art Central building. The studio waslaunched just a year ago by owner/operator/designer EricGoodwin as a business focused on handmade bags and cases. But with his spring / summer collection this year,Goodwin has branched out into accessories, such as belts, notebooks, watches and wallets.

Goodwin isn’t a trained designer. In fact, he went to Mount RoyalUniversity for a business degree.But he has always had a passion for design, and has pursued thatpassion by working with a varietyof materials.

“I started out working in carbonfiber for the motorsports industry,designing dash accents and otherinterior work for cars,” Goodwinexplains. “It was in the process ofdesigning leather wraps for steeringwheels that I started working withleather.”

In Calgary, with such a longwinter, there wasn’t a lot of oppor-tunity to expand his motorsportinterests, but Goodwin quickly saw the value of developing a lineof quality bags and knapsacks.

“There are plenty of nichedesigners in New York andToronto for bags, but there wasreally nothing in Calgary,” saysGoodwin. “It seemed a wide-open market.”

FASHIONABLE & DURABLE As Goodwin also loves the mountains, he was keen to create a line of bags that would beboth fashionable and durable. “I want my customers to feelcomfortable using my products wherever they go,” he says.

To make that possible, Goodwin uses quality canvas and vegetable tanned leather.

“Many leathers are cured with chromium salts, which actuallymakes it more porous and more likely to get damaged in wet

weather,” Goodwin explains. “With the leather that I use, it iscured with tree bark, which allows it to maintain its strength.”

With his new spring/summer collection, Goodwin has alsostarted to cut and dye his own leather, creating an uniqueopportunity for EG Forge.

“I dye a full hide at a time right here in my studio, whichmeans I can choose my colours and create something unique for my customers.”

In July, Goodwin added to the EGForge line to include product for one of his other passions – cycling. The newbiking collection includes panniers, more ergonomically-designed messengerbags, and leather handlebar wraps.

BLACK LABEL DESIGN And asGoodwin’s talents have become morerefined, he is planning the release of newall-leather bags to add to his collection,as well as an exclusive EG Forge BlackLabel design.

“Up to this point, I’ve wanted to produce all of my products in welcoming, earthy tones. The EG ForgeBlack Label will be released as part ofmy fall collection as a more exclusive,limited edition black leather line.”

The Art Central Building has been a perfect location for Goodwin to buildEG Forge’s presence. “I make all of myproducts here in my studio, and with the building being so central, I get lots of great walk-in traffic.”

Walk-in traffic is still the majority of Goodwin’s business,although with the growth of his accessories line, his online business is developing apace as well. With a semi-regular updated journal on his website, customers can easily keep upwith new developments in design and product offerings. In fact, on occasion Goodwin also holds contests on the site, where customers can win EG Forge gear.

Watch for updates about the fall line on the EG Forge web site. n

Egforge.com

EG Forge owner/designer Eric Goodwin has apassion for all of the arts and a knack for videoproduction. Visit his web site to see a video heproduced highlighting his new cycling collection.

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What is vegetable tanning and what is so great about it?Vegetable tanning uses the tannins that occurnaturally in the bark and leaves of many plants.Tannins bind to the proteins in the hide and coatthem, causing them to become less water-soluble,and more resistant to bacterial attack. Theprocess also causes the hide to become moreflexible. The primary barks, processed in barkmills and used in modern times are chestnut, oak,redoul, tanoak, hemlock, quebracho, mangrove,and wattle. Hides are stretched on frames andimmersed for several weeks in vats of increasingconcentrations of tannin. And given vegetabletanned hide is flexible, it’s ideal for luggage and furniture.

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SHOE LABFrom high adrenaline outdoor pursuits to minimalist running Merrell’s Montreal contributor to building a global sport shoe collection. by Yvan Marston

ST. LAURENT BLVD. MONTREAL / - For Merrellshoes, the conceptual rubberhits the road nine stories abovethe pavement of Montreal’s St.Laurent Blvd. where a team ofdesigners is housed as part of aglobal network of productdesign studios for one of theworld’s largest brands in outdoor athletics.

“What we learn here in this office informs our entireglobal approach to our productline,” explains Bill Dodge, vice president of product development for the outdoordivision of Wolverine WorldWide, a Grand Rapids,Michigan-based company that designs, manufactures,markets, and distributesfootwear and apparel in 190 countries – and of whichMerrell is a key brand.

And while part of Wolverine’s massive reach includes thesourcing and licensing of a number of other brands (CatFootwear, Hush Puppies, Sebago, Harley Davidson, and mostrecently acquiring Sperry Top-Sider, Saucony, Stride Rite andKeds brands as part of a consortium) the Merrell line stands a$500+ million player in the international sport shoe industry.

Canadian sales and distribution channels are managedthrough a larger operation in nearby St. Sauveur, and the five-person office on St. Laurent is one of three global design studios – the other two are in London and GrandRapids, MI – that are strategically located to take advantageof a cosmopolitan environment that is sensitive to wider consumer trends, explains Dodge.

The Montreal team spends most of its time developingdesigns for women’s shoes with up to 30 different designprojects happening at any given time to respond to thedemand for two launches per year.

“They work on everything from performance hiking bootsto lifestyle products for everyday use to minimalist running

shoes,” says Dodge, explaining that the ‘barefoot’ runningtrend is one of two major shifts in shoe design thinking hehas seen in his years in the business.

“The greatest shift in consumer attitude really has been the increased desire to participate in outdoor activities,” saysDodge, explaining that this was quickly followed by a keeninterest in activities that could be undertaken in the span of a day, or even an evening.

In other words, the demand for heavy-duty backpacking boots for week-long expeditionsbegan to wane as interest grew in trailrunning, fast-packing and rockclimbing.

“Fitting longer trips into a normalschedule is hard,” says Dodge, “as aresult products began to look different.There’s less of an emphasis on bigbackpacks and a greater emphasis onproduct that is much more versatile.”

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15 • ÉTÉ 2012

MONTRÉAL

design office is a key

Dodge says trail shoes moved away from their beefyhiking boot pedigree to looking more like running shoes,which has brought the industry to its next shift, a move tomore minimalist footwear where Merrell has establisheditself as a leader in ‘barefoot’ performance shoes.

“The trail shoes have a different traction than a road shoe would and have a thin thermoplastic plate thatoffers protection from puncture. Ours are closed toeshoes that look like normal footware but give you a barefoot feel,” he says.

Not to be undertaken lightly, barefoot runningengages the foot differently than a padded running shoewhich is designed for the foot to strike the ground heelfirst. Minimalist shoes are designed for the wearer toalign his body over the mid-foot by standing straightand landing the foot flat and directly below the hips,rather than reaching forward with the stride.

Merrell’s Bareform platform has expanded well beyond trail running to include, everyday use, water shoes and a kids’ collection.

While the barefoot trend has more men adopting itthan women, the number of users is almost evenly splitbetween the sexes for a line that is only a little over ayear old.

And one can be sure the Montreal market’s attitudetowards this new footwear is sure to be watched closely, as much from the ninth floor of a building on St. Laurent as it is around the world. n

merrell.com

Le labo pour chaussures Pour les chaussures Merrell, c’est neuf étages au-dessus du bitume du boulevard Saint-Laurent que les semelles decaoutchouc conceptuelles pavent la voie, là où une équipe de designers œuvrent dans le cadre d’un réseau mondial de studios de conception de produits pour l’une des plusgrandes marques de chaussures athlétiques extérieures au monde.

« Ce que nous apprenons ici-même dans nos bureaux documente notre approche mondiale en matière de ligne de produits » explique Bill Dodge, vice-président audéveloppement de produits plein air pour Wolverine WorldWide, une entreprise de Grand Rapids, au Michigan, quiconçoit, fabrique, commercialise et distribue des chaussureset vêtements dans 190 pays – et dont Merrell est une desmarques principales.

Bien qu’une partie des activités de Wolverine comprenne le sourçage et la production sous licence de diverses autresmarques (Cat Footwear, Hush Puppies, Sebago, HarleyDavidson et plus récemment, l’acquisition des marquesSperry Top-Sider, Saucony, Stride Rite et Keds dans le cadred’un consortium), la gamme de produits Merrell compteparmi les joueurs de premier plan au sein de l’industrie internationale des chaussures de sport avec sa valeur de plus de 500 millions de dollars.

Au Canada, les ventes et les réseaux de distribution sont gérés à travers une plus vaste entité située près de Saint-Sauveur et le bureau sur Saint-Laurent, qui emploiecinq personnes, est l’un des trois studios de design à traversle monde – les deux autres étant à Londres et à GrandRapids, MI – qui sont situés stratégiquement pour profiterd’un environnement cosmopolite sensible aux plus vastestendances en matière de consommation, explique Dodge.

L’équipe montréalaise consacre la majeure partie de son

(Suite à la page 16)

temps à mettre au point des concepts de chaussures destinées aux femmes,alors que jusqu’à 30 différents projets de design se déroulent en parallèle afinde répondre à la demande pour deux collections par année.

« Les concepteurs se penchent sur tout, des chaussures performantes de randonnée aux produits passe-partout pour usage quotidien en passant par lessouliers de course de style minimaliste » déclare Dodge, qui a observé que latendance « pieds nus » en course constitue l’un des deux changements majeursdans la façon de concevoir les chaussures depuis qu’il œuvre dans le domaine.

« Le plus grand changement survenu chez les consommateurs a vraimentété leur désir accru de participer à des activités extérieures » déclare Dodge,qui explique que cette nouvelle tendance a rapidement été suivie par un vifintérêt dans les activités qui peuvent se dérouler dans l’espace d’une journéeou même d’un soir.

En d’autres mots, la demande de bottes massives de grandes randonnéespédestres de fin de semaine a commencé à diminuer au profit de l’intérêt croissant pour la course en sentier, les randonnées avec le minimumd’équipement et l’escalade de parois rocheuses.

« C’est devenu difficile d’insérer de longs voyages dans l’horaire régulier »affirme Dodge; « les produits ont donc commencé à être différents. On insistemoins sur les gros sacs à dos pour se tourner maintenant vers des produits qui sont beaucoup plus polyvalents ».

Dodge confie que les chaussures de randonnée ont abandonné leur côtémassif et robuste pour prendre la forme de chaussures de course, ce qui a mené l’industrie à sa prochaine transformation, une tendance vers des chaussures de style plus minimaliste où Merrell s’est hissé au rang de chef de file des chaussures hors route de style « pieds nus ».

« La traction des chaussures de randonnée est différente de celle deschaussures de route; les chaussures de randonnée sont de plus munies d’uneplaque thermoplastique qui offre une protection contre les perforations. Nosmodèles sont à bout fermé et ressemblent à des chaussures normales maiselles vous procurent la même sensation que si vous marchiez pieds nus »déclare-t-il.

Fait à souligner, la course «pieds nus» engage le pied différemment de lacourse avec des chaussures renforcées, qui sont conçues pour que le piedtouche le sol le talon en premier. Les chaussures de style minimaliste sontconçues de sorte que la personne qui les porte aligne son corps au-dessus dumilieu du pied en se tenant bien droit et en atterrissant sur la plante du pied et directement sous les hanches plutôt que d’aller vers l’avant sur son élan.

La plateforme Bareform de Merrell va maintenant bien au-delà de la course en sentiers pédestres pour inclure des chaussures de tous les jours, des chaussures d’eau et même une collection pour enfants.

Bien que la tendance «pieds nus» connaisse plus de succès auprès deshommes que des femmes, le nombre d’utilisateurs de cette collection, qui a àpeine plus d’un an, est presque le même pour les deux sexes.

Il ne fait nul doute que l’attitude du marché montréalais pour ce nouveautype de chaussures sera suivie de près, tant par le neuvième étage d’un édificedu boulevard Saint-Laurent que partout à travers le monde. n

“« Ce que nous apprenons ici-même dans nosbureaux documente notre approche mondiale

en matière de ligne de produits »

al l iedre i t .com • 16

7 things every beginning barefoot runner should know

STAND UP STRAIGHT. Keep your shouldersback and relaxed and arms bent between 45-90° for optimum posture.

BALANCE YOUR FOOT LANDING. Your footstrike should be nearly ‘pancake flat’ andbeneath your hips rather than extended farfrom your body. Keep your knees bent and soft rather than stiff.

COUNT YOUR CADENCE. Your feet shouldtouch the ground at 180 foot strikes perminute. Running to music of 180 beats perminute is a great way to keep up yourcadence.

KEEP A LEVEL HEAD. You'll avoid heel striking when you keep your head level. Youcan also wear a necklace or item around your neck. If the item bounces, shift yourweight more over your knees.

CHECK YOUR FOOTPRINTS. Run throughsome sand or mud. Balanced foot landings will leave an equal imprint of your heels andyour toes.

LISTEN. Landing balanced on your midfootshould be very quiet. If you’re heel striking, the sound of your feet hitting the ground issignificantly louder.

KNOW YOUR LIMIT. Assess your overall level of fitness. Check out Walt Reynold's FullLength Movement Assessment on YouTube(search Merrell Bareform)

For more instruction on what Merrell calls the“Bareform Technique” visit Merrell.com.

17 • ÉTÉ 2012

Once you have tuned your radar to a training method or a nutritional plan, you’re likely to find as manycham pions as there are descenters. That’s just the way of the information era we live in. It’s also whypeople seek out expertise from fitness pros.

Rianna Alvarez has over 10 years of experience working and studying in the health fitness and wellness industry, is a registered nutritionist, has a background in kinesiology, is a certified personaltrainer and is the personal training director at Totum Life Science on Kind Street West. She also wouldlike to correct a couple of commonly held misbeliefs.

www.totum.ca

1. YOU DON’T HAVE TO STRETCH There’s a lot of controversy around the effects stretching and whether it’sneeded before during or after exercise, says Alvarez addingthat the simple answer is: Yes, do stretch. Stretching is good.

There are two types of stretching she explains, static anddynamic. If you’re training for a specific sport like track andfield, then you should use some dynamic stretching before yourevent. Typically this involves moving slowly through a sequenceof stretches similar to movements of the sport you are about to engage in. This warm up prepares the muscles for the workabout to be undertaken.

Static stretching for injury prevention or muscle recovery isbest done after your workout. “Increasing your flexibility andinsuring that you stretch properly should be just as important as the exercise itself,” says Alvarez who suggests stretchingshould be done daily. Here’s her 3-step stretching prescription:

1. Make sure your body is warmed up before you stretch to prevent stress and over stretching (stretching a coldmuscle can lead to further injury).

2. Start with a gentle range of motion and work up to 30-second holds. The hold or end position is where you feel a slight discomfort but not pain.

3. Spend five minutes every day doing it.

2. YOU CAN GET A WASHBOARD STOMACH DOINGCRUNCHES Crunches are easily one of the most overratedexercises, says Alvarez and can be particularly risky for yourspine. You can lose the love handles by ramping up your cardioand improving your diet, but a lot of what your midsectionlooks like comes from genetics, she explains, adding that doing crunches will not give you a washboard stomach.

“You can’t get rid of the fat over a muscle by repeatedlyworking out that body part,” she says, explaining that a better focus is on strengthening your core.

“Core stabilization is very important for the strength andalignment of the whole body,” she says, explaining that the body is one long kinetic chain starting from the top of your head running down your spine through your pelvis, down your thigh into your calf down the ankle and into your toes.

“The core is the area that we always have to go back and retrain and re-align. It’s where the kinetic chain comestogether. It’s our body’s foundation for posture, balanceand coordination,” she says. n

PASSIVE MOVE: A partner assisted stretch, where the otherperson provides the force, helps you achieve the range ofpossible movements around a joint and its surrounding musclesduring a passive movement.

Alvarez

T O T U M T I P S

2 to clarify: Totum expert weighs in on two frequent fitness misconceptions

TORONTO

CORE WORK: Doingplanks on a stabilityball, exercises on aBosu ball, using thebalance boards oreven just trainingon one leg to offsetyour balance are allmethods of workingyour core.

al l iedre i t .com • 18

L’acquisition d’une ancienne tannerie de cuirfait d’Allied l’un des principaux propriétairesdu Warehouse-Innovation District de KitchenerAutrefois le lieu des plus grandes activités de tannage du cuir de l’empirebritannique, le complexe de tannerie Lang Tannery de Kitchener incarneaujourd’hui l’engagement de la région Sud de l’Ontario envers l’industriedu savoir.

Et ses 340 000 pieds carrés de bâtiments historiques rénovés afin d’accueillir des locataires de haute technologie complètent à la perfectionles autres propriétés d’Allied dans la région – l’une située au 72, rueVictoria et l’autre, le bloc Breithaupt (où Allied détient 50 % de l’ensembledes anciens entrepôts actuellement en rénovation par la PerimeterDevelopment Corporation).

« Les trois propriétés forment ensemble le cœur de la composante administrative de Classe I du Warehouse District de Kitchener, qui est rapidement en voie de devenir à la fois un carrefour des transports et de la technologie pour la région avoisinante » déclarait Michael Emory,président et chef des opérations d’Allied.

L’acquisition, qui devrait se faire officiellement en août, occupe deuxpâtés de maisons complets. Le site est délimité au nord par la rueCharles, à l’ouest par la rue Victoria, au sud par la rue Oak et à l’est parles rues Linden et Francis. On y trouve des locataires tels que Google,Desire2Learn et Communitech, l’association qui représente les entreprisestechnologiques de la région.

Bâti en 1894 et en 1904 pour y abriter des installations de production de semelles de cuir, le complexe a été réaménagé à des fins administratives et de vente au détail au cours des quatre dernièresannées. Il est formé de quatre édifices, dont deux d’un étage et deux de plusieurs étages. n

Allied a major landlord in Kitchener’sWarehouse-Innovation DistrictKITCHENER, ONTARIO / - Once the site ofthe largest leather tanning operation in the BritishEmpire, the Lang Tannery in Kitchener has cometo embody Southwestern Ontario’s commitment to the knowledge industry.

And its 340,000 square feet of historic buildings,renovated to accommodate high-tech tenants, is the perfect complement to Allied’s other twoholdings in the area – one at 72 Victoria and the other the Breithaupt Block (where Allied has a 50% share of the collection of old factories being restored by the Perimeter DevelopmentCorporation).

“The three properties together form the core of the Class I office component of Kitchener’sWarehouse District, which is rapidly becomingboth a transportation and technology hub for the surrounding region.” said Michael Emory,Allied President and CEO.

The acquisition, set to close in August, occupiestwo entire city blocks, bounded by Charles on the north, Victoria on the west, Oak on the south and Linden and Francis on the east. It is home to tenants such as Google, Desire2Learn andCommunitech, the association representing theregion’s tech companies.

Built in 1894 and 1904 as a facility for the production of leather shoe-soles, the complex wasredeveloped for office and retail use over the lastfour years. It is comprised of four buildings, two of which are single-storey and two of which aremulti-storey. n

19 • SUMMER 2012

“340,000 square feet of renovated historic buildings that are hometo tenants such as Google, Desire2Learn and Communitech.

KITCHENER

[ R E A L E S T A T E ]

ST. LAWRENCE MARKET AREA, TORONTO / - In telephony, the mobile phone hogs the spotlight. Clever apps cater to every aspect of modern life and new handsetannouncements are greeted with the zeal once reserved for state visits. And amidst all this sound and fury, where does thatleave your desk phone, toggled as it is to a wired connection?

Just like mobile devices, Internet-enabled IP phones havemore to do with features than actual voice communication. And in a feature rich environment, it’s often helpful to have a guide. That’s where Dan Silverman’s company comes in.

A boutique telephony consultancy based in Toronto’s St.Lawrence Market neighbourhood, Telanet partners withtelecommunication equipment makers such as Avaya, Cisco,Shoretel, Mitel and Polycom to provide midsized companieswith personalized service navigating the complexities of thingslike computer telephony integration, data cabling, VOIP, SIPtrunking, and local and long distance business line solutions.

GOOD TELEPHONY IMPROVES WORKFLOW “Companiesalways view telecom as an expense,” says Silverman who workedin telecom right out of school, first in his family’s businessbefore setting out 15 years ago on his own to form Telanet that services a niche business crowd – clients with 20 to 300 employees and with multiple offices around the world.

“But good telephony will improve workflow, make you moreaccessible, and if you are a smaller company, it can make youlook like a bigger business,” says Silverman, explaining that unified communication is the sphere in which Telanet has come to distinguish itself currently.

Simply put, unified communications is the ability to connectall means of communication so that you can send a message onone medium and receive the same communication on anothermedium, he explains.

A voicemail message on your office phone, for example, canbe accessed through e-mail or a cell phone, and if the senderis online, a response can be sent through text, chat orvideo call. And if not online, you can respond with anon real-time message that can be accessed through a variety of media.

“Unified communication is a billion dollarindustry and we went from dealing withclients strictly in the Toronto space tohelping them on a global level reachingoffices in Dubai, Poland, England andthe U.S.,” says Silverman whose clientlist includes concert promoter Live

Nation, talent house The Agency Group and First NationalFinancial.

“Right now, we are in the business of delivering content. Westarted out with voice, then unified communications solutionsand now that content is going to include video,” he says.

Increasingly, phone manufacturers are making devices withvideo capability, but that’s not where it ends, says Silverman.

ANOTHER BROADCAST MEDIUM At its simplest, video content such as digital signage can be seen as the dynamicmenus at takeout restaurant counters or LCD displays in building lobbies and elevators, but adding an increasingly complex array of options as to what those boards can display is a matter of managing them as delivery systems. Digital signage communications then becomes an integrated part of the network communications you can deploy, either as one-to-one communications or as broadcast communications.

“Digital signage is just another medium for broadcast information,” says Silverman whose company has partneredwith Cisco, a market leader in this emerging technology.

He explains that office building networks, for example can run news content in one area of the screen while anotherprovides updates on a building fire alarm drill. But even broader is the notion of being able to push content out to a network of mobile phone users – whether as an inter-employeecommunication or a broadcast of some sort.

“As much as we look at how telephony is changing, we’reevolving with it, and the next phase is video,” says Silverman,already girding for the revolution to come. n

al l iedre i t .com • 20

Get TogetherMultiple lines and means of communication call for unified solutions as Toronto-basedTelanet helps clients sort out the joys, complexities and future of the office telephone.By Yvan Marston

[ T E L E C O M M U N I C A T I O N S ]

21 • SUMMER 2012

TORONTOVOIP: More than a long distance savings strategy As companies continue to embrace Internet-based telephone communications, Daniel Silverman must oftencorrect the misconception that adopting VOIP is basicallyabout saving on long distance calls. “VOIP is not aboutreducing your long distance bill, it is an overall differentway to communicate, says the president of Telanet, aToronto-based telephony consultancy.

An IP telephone is essentially an internet-enabled device that is a part of your network, explains Silverman. Companies tend to upgrade from a basic

dial tone system so that they can benefit from unifiedmessaging where they can get all their messages from anywhere using phone, email or any other communication mode.

“The second reason is for mobile twinning (using the cell phone as an extension of their office phone) and cell phone call control,” he says. “And thirdly, there arenow desktop collaboration tools available so you can use these to see if other users are active or available so you can call or instant message them.”

al l iedre i t .com • 22

CITE MULTIMEDIA, MONTREAL / - Perched one hundredand fifty meters above a North Sea swell, there’s little room forerror in the tiny glass cab of the tower crane on an offshore oilrig as you lift loads from a surging supply ship.

Rookie mistakes can be costly, but as simulator trainingbecomes more sophisticated, it is increasingly less likely that any new operator will be entirely unfamiliar with the sensationof being at the controls of an oil rig tower crane.

Heavy equipment simulators are a growing global industry,not only because they have proven metrics that allow trainers toaccurately and empirically assess an operator’s abilities, but alsobecause they reduce accidents.

ACCIDENTS IN TRAINING Defense training departments, forexample, recognize that more than 60% of accidents happenduring training, says Sébastien Lozé, marketing director forMontreal’s CM Labs Simulations Inc. , a 75-person firm thatdesigns and sells a range of simulators, from desktop modelsused on a computer, to fully immersive multiple-screen turnkeysimulators that replicate a crane operator’s cab environment.

The CM Labs tower crane simulators have helped to makethe crane training program at the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario world renowned and are one of the company’s strong points.

It has inked deals in the last few years to supply simulatorsmimicking the cranes used on oil rigs in the North Sea where,given the unique wind, water and weather conditions, even aveteran land-based tower crane operator would benefit fromsimulator training.

Simulators are a fraction of the cost of the machines they simulate and likely less than the cost of the damage an improperlyused machine could inflict on a work site.

The CM Labs team has helped organizations deploy and support simulation projects in construction, mining, andforestry equipment, sub-sea vehicles, marine equipment, robotics, defense vehicles, and planetary robotics.

FOCUS ON KEY INDUSTRIES Although it does a lot of customwork, its out-of-the-box systems focus on three industries, heavyconstruction gear such as cranes and excavators; offshore oil andgas; and port container handling equipment.

At the heart of every CM Labs true-to-life simulation is itsVortex software, which puts high-fidelity behaviour into motionfor customers such as Honda, John Deere, L-3, LockheedMartin, NASA, Carnegie Mellon University.

With over fifteen years of experience in the development of simulation-based training technologies, CM Labs deliverssoftware (Vortex), solutions and expertise for vehicle, robotics or earth moving equipment virtual training applications. Vortexenables users to model 3-D worlds and simulate the interactingobjects including accurate dynamics, collision detection, jointmanipulation, and computational geometry. n

vxsim.com on Twitter @Vxsim

Reality TrainingMontreal’s CM Labs builds simulators for NASA mission rehearsals, oil rig towercrane operators, bulldozer drivers and everything in between.

• Operating EngineersTraining Institute of Ontario

• PNI training

• Liebherr Cranes

• British Petroleum

• Department of NationalDefence Canada (Defence Research andDevelopment)

• BAE Systems

• Lockheed Martin

• NASA

• L-3

• Honda Research

• Commissariat à l'ÉnergieAtomique (CEA – France)

• EADS

• Subsea7

• Carnegie MellonUniversity

• Babcock Engineering

CM Labs has delivered simulationsolutions to over 100 organizationsaround the world including:

[ T E C H N O L O G Y ]

Perché cent cinquante mètres au-dessus de la mer du Norddéchaînée, il y a peu de place à l’erreur dans la minuscule cabinede verre de la grue d’une plateforme pétrolière au large des côtes,alors que vous levez des charges d’un navire de ravitaillement enpleine tempête.

Les erreurs de débutant peuvent être coûteuses. Les formationsvirtuelles en simulateur deviennent de plus en plus sophistiquées et il devient de moins en moins probable qu’un nouvel opérateur ne soit pas du tout familier avec la sensation d’être aux commandesd’une grue de plateforme pétrolière ou de tout autre équipementlourd.

Les simulateurs d’équipement lourd représentent une industriemondiale en pleine croissance, non seulement parce qu’ils sontdotés de paramètres éprouvés qui permettent aux formateurs d’évaluer avec précision et de manière systématique les habiletésd’un opérateur, tout en permettant de réduire les accidents.

Les services de formation du domaine de la défense, par exemple, reconnaissent que plus de 60 % des accidents se produisent pendant la formation, confie Sébastien Lozé, directeur du marketing pour l’entreprise montréalaise CM Labs SimulationsInc., qui compte en ses rangs 75 employés et qui se spécialise dansla conception et la vente d’une vaste gamme de simulateurs quis’étend des modèles d’ordinateur de bureau aux simulateurs clé en main à écrans multiples entièrement immersifs qui reproduisent l’environnement de la cabine d’un opérateur de grue.

Les simulateurs de grues de CM Labs, l’un des produits phares de l’entreprise, ont contribué à la renommée mondiale

du programme de formation des grutiers de l’Operating EngineersTraining Institute of Ontario.

Au cours des récentes années, ils ont permis de conclure des contrats pour la fourniture de simulateurs imitant les grues utiliséessur les plateformes pétrolières dans la mer du Nord où, comptetenu des conditions éoliennes, maritimes et météorologiques particulières qu’on y retrouve, même un opérateur de grue à tour expérimenté qui travaille sur la terre ferme profiterait de la formation en simulateur.

Les simulateurs coûtent une fraction du prix des machines qu’ils simulent et probablement moins que le coût des dommages qu’engendrerait une mauvaise utilisation de la machinerie sur un chantier.

L’équipe de CM Labs a aidé de nombreuses organisations à déployer et à appuyer des projets de simulation d’équipement de construction, minier et forestier, de véhicules sous-marins,d’équipement maritime, de robotique, de véhicules de combat et de robotique spatiale.

Bien qu’elle mène beaucoup d’activités sur commande, ses systèmes innovants et prêts à l’usage se concentrent particulièrement sur trois industries, l’équipement de grands travaux de génie civil tel que les grues, les excavatrices;l’équipement d’activités pétrolières et gazières au large des côtes et enfin, l’équipement de manutention de conteneurs portuaires.

Au cœur de chaque simulation des plus réalistes de CM Labs, l’on retrouve son logiciel Vortex, qui place le comportement hautefidélité en action pour les clients tels que Honda, John Deere, L-3,Lockheed Martin, la NASA, et l’Université Carnegie Mellon.

Forte de plus de quinze années d’expérience dans la mise aupoint de technologies de formation axées sur la simulation, CM Labs propose un logiciel (Vortex), des solutions ainsi qu’une grandeexpertise dans le domaine des applications de formation virtuellepour véhicules, robotique et équipement de terrassement. Le logiciel Vortex permet aux utilisateurs de modéliser des mondes en trois dimensions et de simuler les objets qui y entrent en interaction, y compris des dynamiques précises, la détection de collisions, la manipulation articulaire et la géométrie informatique. n

La firme montréalaise CM Labs crée des simulateurs de formation de missions de la NASA, d’opérateurs de grues de plateformes pétrolières, d’opérateurs d’enginsde construction et tout ce qui se trouve entre les trois.

23 • ÉTÉ 2012

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