The signed beam signifying a milestone of the Regional Care Pavilion project at Canton-Potsdam Hospital has been set in place. SLH photo.
POTSDAM – The names of over 100 people are officially a permanent part of the Regional Care Pavilion at Canton-Potsdam Hospital (CPH).
Signatures of CPH staff and board members, along with Rochester Regional Health leadership, local political representatives, and members of Pike Construction Services, LaBella, and Jeffords Steel & Engineering teams cover the beam that is now part of the fourth floor of the project.
A beam signing ceremony was held on Feb. 27, and over the following weeks the beam was made available for additional staff to sign.
The beam was raised and became part of the permanent structure on April 11.
Affixed to the signed beam are an artificial evergreen tree, along with the American and Canadian flags. Pike Construction Services personnel explained the Topping Off Ceremony is a historical part of any major construction project.
“The last steel beam placed is a major milestone in the evolution of a building project,” noted Pike Project Manager II Alex Wightman. “The beam is typically adorned with a small evergreen tree and an American flag. The Canadian flag was also added to the CPH project due to Potsdam’s close proximity to Canada.
“The Topping Off Ceremony custom celebrates the construction process. It uniquely honors the accomplishments of the construction crew, and is reminiscent of old-fashion barn-raising celebrations,” he added.
“The tree really is the key symbol. In the steel trade, it signifies construction has reached the sky without loss of life or injury, and it bodes well for the future inhabitants of the building,” Mr. Wightman stated. “The evergreen symbolizes positive things – good luck for future occupants of the building, new or continued growth in concert with the environment, and a safe job well done. It is about taking satisfaction in getting the hard part of the…
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