March-April 2009
The lift was opened on 26 March by Wade Noonan MP - Member for Williamstown and Angela Altair - Deputy Mayor of Hobsons Bay City Council.
It was a wonderful morning tea with representatives and participants of many organisations that supported our successful grant in attendance. Everyone enjoyed riding in the lift and the art exhibition.
The lift was made possible by a Community Support Fund Grant through the Department of Planning and Community Development.
Other major achievements over the last month include:
- Café doors installed
- Multipurpose room doors glazed
- Level 4 toilets progressing
- Fire hydrant service being connected
- Fire detection system being installed
February 2009
All those fortunate enough to have attended The Substation opening in November, or the exhibitions held in December, will have seen the tremendous progress achieved by our builder, Sandy Richardson, over the last few months.
The major achievements have been the installation of the main performance floor, the new corridor floor outside the café, and the multipurpose room above the performance floor. With the stairs to all these areas now complete and fitted with glazed balustrades, the exciting potential of The Substation is fully revealed. With the multipurpose room glass curtain wall completed, the view down into the performance floor is breathtaking!
The other significant step forward is the lift, which is now nearing completion. With its glazed side wall, it not only fulfils an important function, but also adds to the aesthetic experience of a Substation visit.
Other items completed that are not necessarily obvious to the visitor, but nevertheless important to the function of the Substation, include:
- Fire hose services installed
- Glazed doors to the performance floor installed
- Toilets on Level 3 complete and functioning
- Performance floor change rooms
- Cleaners cupboard, disabled toilet and kitchenette on Level 2
- Emergency and exit lighting in foyer and on Level 3
Now that a lot of the major construction work is nearing completion, we are focusing on the design of some of the important services, including:
- Architectural and exhibition lighting
We have some exciting design proposals from respected lighting suppliers, but need to “de-tune” these to meet our significant budget restrictions. Main gallery and corridor lighting will be sensor activated to reduce energy costs.
- Heating, cooling and ventilation
We have a novel design for a ventilation system that will utilise the extensive masonry “tunnels” under the lower floor to provide cool air and duct it up into the upper floors. If anyone has been down to this level during the last heat wave and felt the cool breeze from under the floor, you will have seen how effective this could be.
- Stage lighting system design
We have engaged a few people experienced in this area to help us with a proposal for the stage lighting system, and will be finalising the design over the next few weeks to enable us to apply for a special grant available for this purpose.
Come along to an upcoming event to see the results of a dedicated builder and a tremendous team effort! |
