The huge progress made through December has given the National Rugby Training Centre a flying start to the next construction phase at Ballymore.
The installation of four light towers, on deep concrete footings, is part of the transformation of Field 3 into a quality day-night training facility.
What was once the ugly duckling of the three fields at Ballymore when used as a car park on match days in the 1980s, will now rise as a laser-levelled new surface with full, underground drainage system.
The capacity to have three quality fields in operation is all part of creating the NRTC as an elite home for women's rugby, the Wallaroos and the Queensland Reds' men's and women's squads.
Since lead contractors Buildcorp laid the ground-floor slab last June, progress has been striking on the $26 million project to build the NRTC and the new McLean Stand.
In December, a number of key construction milestones were completed.
Plant and equipment on the roof was 90 percent complete. Pipework for the recovery pools commenced. Painting and glazing continued.
See below for the full list of major works completed in December:
- Field 3 lights Installed
- 4 light towers- professional grade lighting standard, approx. 20 meters high.
- 2 weeks to put together on site arrived in 3 different sections then pulled together.
- Cross arms then bolted on top which the lights are fixed on.
- Footings 4.5 meters deep 900mm diameter, 4 cubic meters of concrete each footing.
- 40-tonne mobile crane was used to install them into position.
- Field dissected into 40 grids- 4 lights cover the whole field- rifle scope installed to align light to each of the grids for accuracy.
- Main Switch Board delivered with installation commenced.
- Recovery pools pipework install commenced.
- External glazing is 90% complete.
- Plant and equipment on the roof 90% complete.
- Tiling to ground floor game day amenities commenced
- Pre-paint to ground floor 50% complete
- Ground floor services rough-ins complete
- Grandstand soffit cladding install commenced
- Ground floor internal wall sheeting complete
- Level 1 internal wall framing commenced
- Roof safety system to the upper roof installed
- Field 3 inground stormwater works commenced
- Façade southern side cladding commenced
Vista of the new Mclean stand and NRTC from the Northern end.
Wide Main Concourse at the back of McLean Stand with the Soffit installation advancing.
Installation of Main Switch Board underway.
Pipework installation underway for recovery pools.
Main entrance layout.
Indoor skills area and gym floor space.
Field 3 Light Installation (CU2 Electrics)
