A massive mobile crane, on huge metal tracks, slowly trundled into place the first pre-fabricated, 170-foot-long, 75,000-pound arched Douglas fir roof trusses at the new Langley Events Centre Tuesday.
Work crews then began to anchor the truss to an identical arched structure, which had been built in place earlier. The arches are attached horizontally with fir beams called purlins, which are dropped into steel brackets on the arches, and bolted in place.
Once all the large purlins secure the two arches, the process will begin again, until the other six wooden arches, 23 feet in depth, are erected over the arena floor of the $56 million events centre.
Raising the roof was expected to take the rest of the week, said Doniel Lorenz, construction safety officer with Ventana Construction, the prime contractor on the project.
The new events centre is located between 200 and 202A Streets, in Willoughby Community Park, adjacent to R.E. Mountain Secondary School, 7755 202A Street.
Langley Township Mayor Kurt Alberts, who with other Township council members and administrative staff, attended the raising of the first arched truss, said the banquet room will be completed in time for the 150th B.C. anniversary Douglas Day celebration Nov. 19.
The entire facility, including the arena, is expected to open in March.
Alberts said he was very pleased with the progress on the new facility. "This is one of the best examples of how we are building communities through partnerships," said Alberts.
While he said the focus of the new events centre will be fitness and sports, the centre will be used for much more than that.