12,000-capacity Glasgow Hydro tops out

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The final roof bolt in The Hydro, the 12,000-capacity arena being built in Glasgow, was put in place, 30 October, 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.

The act saw the completion of the main structure by integrated property and infrastructure company Lend Lease on the banks of the Clyde, adjacent to the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC).

McLaughlan, 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 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.”

SECC Chairman, Sir Ian Grant, said: "The topping out ceremony today signifies just how close we are to the completion of a world class entertainment arena for Scotland and it has been inspiring to watch the progress that has been made by the project team to date.”

Gordon Matheson, Glasgow City Council leader, said: “The Hydro takes Glasgow’s global offer for entertainment and events to an even higher level. It’s going to be as iconic as its neighbour the Armadillo, and it will play a key role in Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games in 2014.”
 
The project is a public and private partnership designed by Foster + Partners and will open in September 2013. The purpose-built arena, the SECC claims, will play host to around 140 events each year, and has the potential to inject an additional £131m into the local economy.
 
Pictured L-R: Gordon Matheson, Leader, GCC; John Sharkey; Gordon Anderson; Sir Ian Grant and John McLaughlan
 
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