A topping out ceremony has been held at The Hydro, to mark the completion of the main structure.
The final roof bolt in The Hydro, Glasgow's new 12,000-capacity
entertainment arena, has been put in place in a traditional
"topping out" ceremony.
The honour of tightening the last bolt fell to 20-year-old
apprentice civil engineer John McLaughlan, who has been on site
since work began in April 2011.
John, from Knightswood, Glasgow, was joined on a platform high
in the roof of The Hydro by Glasgow City Council leader Gordon
Matheson, SECC Chairman Sir Ian Grant, SECC Chief Executive John
Sharkey and Gordon Anderson, executive general manager of Lend
Lease, the main contractor.
The young apprentice, who combines his shifts at The Hydro with
day release at Stow College, said: "Working at The Hydro has been a
fantastic opportunity for me and has given me a foot in the door in
the industry, one for which I am very grateful. My long-term plan
is to study for a degree in civil engineering at Glasgow Caledonian
University."
Gordon Anderson, executive general manager of Lend Lease, said:
"The completion of The Hydro's roof structure is a highly complex
feat of engineering, and today's topping out is a major step
forward in The Hydro's construction programme. Over a million man
hours have been safely completed in the construction process to
date and this is a testimony to the dedication and commitment of
the whole supply chain and workforce. We can take great pride in
their achievement. It is a fantastic safety record and an example
for the industry to follow."
The Hydro, which is designed by Foster + Partners and will open
in September 2013, is a purpose-build, 12,000-capacity
entertainment arena which will play host to around 140 events each
year, and has the potential to inject an additional £131m into the
local economy. It will add to the SECC's events portfolio, and be
in the top five busiest indoor entertainment arenas in the world,
alongside such venues as Madison Square Garden in New York and The
O2 in London.
It is the latest addition to the SECC complex, together with the
SECC itself and the Clyde Auditorium.