Our contractors have been making good progress and members walking up Spring Passage will have seen the steels for the new mezzanine level changing room being erected. Approximately 75% of the steel frame is now in place and it is looking very good. The remaining steelwork for the frame, consisting of the trusses and beams that will support the gym roofs, will we hope be underway by the time this update is published. The changing room floor sub-structure has been completed; the walls for the changing room are being formed and the design for accessing the changing room level from the stairs in the common parts has been agreed.

As part of the redesign of the steel frame, the wall that used to form the west side of what was the old gym and men’s changing room is being replaced with steel columns. As a result we have been able to increase the size of the heavy weights area.

After the construction of the steel frame, the next main phase is the fixing of a lattice of galvanised metal purlins. These are smaller pieces of steel that attach to the frame and to which the cladding panels are attached.

The design of the purlins is complicated because it has to take account of the position of the windows, doors, ventilation units and ventilation louvres and each purlin has to be cut to a precise size. The cladding is then fixed by a specialist sub-contractor. With the cladding fixed, the windows and ventilation units can be fitted and the building can be made weathertight to enable internal fit out work to progress.

We recognise the our members are eager to be provided with a firm completion date, but the reality is it is impossible to anticipate the challenges we may have to work through with the contractor as the project progresses. We would like to reassure our members that the gym sub-committee continues to work very hard with the contractor with a view to completing construction this side of Christmas. It is then anticipated that the gym flooring and fitout will take place early in the new year.

For more information, contact Peter Halford, Simon Harris or Eddie Markes