$30million centre at Tamworth

December 17, 2007
Construction work on the new Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre has marked another major milestone this month with the lifting of the first roof trusses into place above the main arena.
The latest work on the $30million centre at Tamworth continues to provide some spectacular new skyline shapes as construction work literally goes through the roof.
The pre-fabricated trusses are being stood in pairs on a special construction pad on the ground next to the stadium for final assembly and then lifted by crane in pairs for grouting in the air. They have rollers attached to each end and they’re wheeled down into position where steel columns are then erected and the trusses put on the columns and bolted.
The first pair of 12 trusses that will form the body of the roof for the arena were lifted into place on December 13. They have a clear span of about 60metres and a height of about 14metres. They were later lifted onto their steel columns and bolted into place. A second pair has since joined the first - setting a new skyline sight above the site.
The roofing design is the work of Sydney-based S2 Corporation, a clear span solution specialist responsible for the unique structural design, post-tensioned steel technology and assembly methodology for the stable buildings, dome selling centre and main arena.
Work on the centre is basically on track with its construction schedule with dramatic new backdrops visible along the 22-hectare New England Highway site every few days. Up to 80 workers are on the job there, including sub contractors from the Central Coast, Hunter and Newcastle areas. The centre has been designed by Timothy Court and Co Architects.
The steel works and formwork for concreting of the mezzanine level of the main arena has begun, concreting of the concourse level is complete and so is the structural steel for the selling arena.
The installation of various services like plumbing and electrical continues and civil construction contractors are completing some minor road networks.
Tamworth Regional Council wastewater operators are nearing the end of their $150,000 project to connect the equine centre to the city’s sewer system. The project has taken eight weeks and has involved under- boring of the New England Highway to put the pipeline in place so the centre can be brought online and into line with the sewer system. Until now, the sewer line has only extended along that southern approach as far as Prime Television.
A progress report to a Tamworth Regional Council meeting this week heard that there were currently some budget overruns with blow outs to seating and irrigation costings on the centre that were of concern. General Manager Glenn Inglis said he was confident savings will be made on other contract items and that in the end cost overruns can be minimised.