Oval construction forging ahead despite storm damage
Posted Nov 2, 2011 04:53:17 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The first of four concrete pours begins today on the speed skating oval at the Halifax Common.
HRM is warning nearby residents the pour means that trucks will be hauling concrete to the site continuously for about 16 hours, starting at 8 a.m.
There will be three similar pours over the next month.
Construction on the oval has been set back by about a week, thanks to damage caused by Sunday’s windstorm.
Coun. Dawn Sloane (Halifax – Downtown) tells News 95.7 high winds caused quite a mess on site.
“Unfortunately, they’re using hard styrofoam out there, which is like insulation, and it blew all over the place, so they had to go assess the situation, see what was damaged, clean up the area and now they’re going to be getting back to work.
Sloane says the wind tore up rebar, piping and welded steel under the insulation – but in spite of the setback, she says she’s confident the oval will be open for use on Christmas Day, as planned.
“I have great faith in our guys and gals working on this,” she said. “There’s a lot of pride going into this, I know the workers have been very diligent in getting things done and trying to make sure they’re on time. I’m pretty sure they want this done just as bad as everybody who wants to skate.”
Sloane says it’s not clear yet how much the damage will cost.
