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Ceremony performed on TBTA building

News Photo by Jason Ogden Members of OakCity Contracting use felt-tipped pens to sign their name and date on the last piece of the new Thunder Bay Transportation Authority building Monday. The piece was erected on the building as part of the “topping off” ceremony.

ALPENA — In the rain and fog Monday the last structural girder of the new Thunder Bay Transportation building was set by the OakCity Contracting “topping off” crew in a special ceremony.

According to Craig Froggett, vice president of business development, the ceremony is one that has been held at construction sites for hundreds of years and signifies a safe building period.

Members of the construction crew, TBTA board and others associated with the construction of the building gathered to sign the girder with felt-tipped pens before it was lifted to the peak of the building and bolted to the structure.

The girder in place, a Christmas tree was then bolted to the location near the girder and the American flag was placed atop the structure by crew member Ryan MacKinnon, a veteran of the U.S. Navy. Both will remain on the building for as long as construction allows, Froggett said.

According to Froggett, the ceremony is the first introduction to the public. He said the tree is a key element of the ceremony.

“In the steel trade it signifies construction has reached the sky without loss of life or injury and it bodes well for the future inhabitants of the building,” he said.

Now that the building is erected, Froggett said the public can expect to see it looking more like a structure.

“The building will get skinned, the siding and roof will go on the building as well as the insulation,” he said. “It gets decorative dormers. The mason will be able to go in and a block facia will be included on the building.”

Construction worker Steve Kinsel said it was a great feeling to get to this point working in the cold and snow.

“It’s good to know that we accomplished it safely and on time,” he said.

That said, workers still will have to face the elements working on the project.

TBTA member Daryl Peterson was on hand for the ceremony and said the building has been a long time coming.

“We’re not done with the building yet, but so far so good,” he said. “We went out on a limb to try to get this money and it’s just like with the trolleys, we lucked out. Everything came out in a year and a half for this.”

Peterson said the building, being paid for with grant funding from the Michigan Department of Transportation, has been in the works for more than three years.

Jason Ogden can be reached via email at jogden@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5693. Follow Jason on Twitter @jo_alpenanews.

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