Calgary Central Library project sees final steel truss installed

Construction of Calgary's new Central Library reached another milestone Tuesday as theproject's second phase was completed with the installation of the final steel truss.

To commemorate the installation of the final beam, Calgarianswere invited to sign and write on the massive piece of steel.

Calgary's poet laureate, MichelleMaylor, inscribed it with a work created for the occasion, titledSomeday Look Up To This: A Library,while Mayor Nenshi wrote"Let this place help us all build community."

The library's foundation, three vertical concrete coresand most of its exterior cladding havealready been completed, said Calgary Municipal Lands Corporation president Michael Brown.

"Now we are finishing the installation of the system of massive steel trusses that form the library's structural skeleton," Brown said.

Weighing over 9,000 kilograms, the final truss measures 13.4 metres long by half a metre wide and 1.2 metres high. Each beamis one of five, cross-braced steel trusses which form part of the building's skeleton.

While that may seem gigantic, the largest beam used on the project is nearly double thatlength, 25.3 metres, and more than five times the weight, nearly 46,000 kilograms.

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"We are now set to launch into the next exciting phase of construction development:the interior finishing," Brown said.

Starting from the bottom and working their way up, workers will next begin installing the mechanical and electrical systems, followed by drywall, millwork, flooring and paint.

Construction ofthe new $245-million project is now scheduled to be completed by fall 2018.

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