Photography by Doug Nicholson
A mandatory co-op requirement in his civil engineering degree from the University of Waterloo led Anton Rabindran to health care, and he never looked back. He began his career at Sunnybrook as a project co-ordinator, and just a few years later he became a project manager.
“With large-scale construction projects, it helps to remember that it’s a systematic process from beginning to end. You break it down into bite-sized pieces. That perspective helps prevent you from becoming overwhelmed.”
Anton equates his role to that of a quarterback on a football team. “I create the common ground with all members of the project team, from contractors to consultants to the hospital team. I make sure that everyone is on the same page in order to reach the overall vision. A strong team makes for a strong end result.”
Anton is always building and engineering, even in his downtime. “I love watches, but I wasn’t finding styles that appealed to me. So I design my own watches, as well as rings and furniture. I have the bigger picture in mind and work with artisans who do the craftsmanship. Funnily enough, I’m not as interested in home renovations.”
One of the projects at Sunnybrook that remains a proud accomplishment for Anton is the Imaging Research Centre for Cardiac Intervention (IRCCI). It was one of the first facilities of its kind in Toronto and also one of his first Sunnybrook projects. “The Cyclotron Facility was also a real achievement for me. The machine makes radio isotopes used in cancer treatment, so it was a technically challenging job from a safety perspective,” he says.
The next major project on his list is the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre, not a small undertaking by any means. However, Anton takes it in stride with his trademark optimism. “Working on the physical space at Sunnybrook is very fulfilling,” says Anton. “I get to make the best even better.”
