The reasonably warm and dry weather Winnipeg experienced through April and the first week of May has enabled the True North construction schedule to proceed as planned and on time.

The majority of the current activity can be categorized as foundation work. More than 150 of the 221 caissons that will support to foundation have now been drilled and poured. The first of the driven pre-cast concrete piles for the ramp and tunnel and the ice floor have been hammered into the ground. The first concrete walls for the permanent foundation have been poured at what will become the Donald and Graham corner of the entertainment centre.

A number of the columns that will support the main concourse floor and the stadia of the structure have now been poured and stand in place up to the ground level. Other concrete work now being done includes the pouring of pile caps, the forming for stairwells and elevator pits and the continuing forming for the exterior foundation walls. .

Preparations are being made to erect the remaining two construction cranes (bringing the total number of cranes to four). The cranes are placed close to each of the four corners of the True North site and vary in height from 108 feet to 188 feet above the event level of the facility. The cranes will be used for the next year of construction to move steel, rebar, concrete and pre-cast columns and other large heavy pieces of the building into place. The cranes will be dismantled once the structural steel is in place in the early spring of 2004 to allow the building exterior walls and roof to be closed in.

The excavation for the 300-foot long ramp or tunnel that will start on Carlton Street and slope down under Hargrave Street to provide service access to the event floor is complete. Once the piles are placed the concrete floor will be poured allowing the permanent ramp/tunnel starting on Carlton Street to become the main entry and exit point from the belowground event level for the remainder of the construction period.

For more information contact:
Jim Millican
Senior Vice President Marketing and Communications
True North Sports and Entertainment Limited
(204) 989 - 6813

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