Forfar’s new £39 million community campus in Forfar has passed an important milestone with the topping out of the building.
Contractor Robertson Tayside celebrated completion of the highest point of the structure, with the next stage of construction now focusing on making the building wind and watertight, before finally moving on to fitting out the interior.
The new campus will replace the existing Forfar Academy, Lochside leisure centre and Forfar swimming pool, as well as providing enhanced community facilities such as a performance space and accommodation for adult learning and youth activities.
The project is being led by hub East Central Scotland in partnership with Angus Council, Robertson Tayside and Scottish Futures Trust, and is due to be completed in 2017.
Staff from Robertson Construction were joined by Angus Council’s convener of children and learning, councillor Sheena Welsh, councillors and Forfar Academy head teacher Melvyn Lynch for the topping out.
Derek Shewan, chief executive of Robertson Group, said: “Forfar Community Campus is an ambitious project that will bring fantastic facilities to the town. Reaching this stage of the build means we are on schedule to complete the first phase of the project which includes completing the campus building, car park and initial sports pitches in early 2017.
“Reaching this important stage in the project, you begin to see its true scale and appreciate just how big this will be for the people of Forfar.”
Councillor Welsh said: “The progress in the build has been remarkable and is testament to all the planning and hard work that continues to be put in by the council and our partners, which will create a facility of which everyone in Forfar can be proud.
“The campus approach allows us to bring together a range of enhanced services and spaces designed for use both during and outwith the school day by the whole community.”
This month 16 teenagers from Angus and Dundee enjoyed a hands-on demonstration of what it is like to work on the site as part of the Future Starts programme, run jointly by Robertson Construction and the Prince’s Trust
Mr Lynch got a bird’s-eye view of the site near the current school when he was rescued from a 25-metre crane as part of an emergency services training exercise last month.