Soft strip over; demolition about to commence.
Demolition crews are set to begin ripping apart Dundee’s old Olympia as early as next week, site managers say.
After spending weeks stripping the iconic building of its excess metal and wiring, the initial stages of demolition will finally begin next Thursday, when the footbridge leading into the pool will be brought crashing down.
According to site manager Jamie Casselles, of Central Demolition, the entire building will be reduced to rubble by mid-April.
“Every building is different, but we’re not expecting any hold-ups,” says Casselles, who’s been on-site overseeing the demolition for almost two months. “But the first order of business with this particular job is asbestos removal.”
In fact, Casselles and his nine-man team are devoting the majority of their time this autumn to the removal of the dangerous substance, which sent 109 Tayside residents to hospital last year.
Although planners say the Olympia’s walls don’t harbour a particularly large amount of asbestos, its removal is still a top priority.
“We’ve six men focusing on its removal, under the supervision of a specialist. That should continue on until Christmas, and disposal is all handled in-house,” said Casselles.
Meantime, Central Demolition will continue dismantling the building’s exterior, beginning with the removal of the pedestrian bridge.
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