1:00pm Saturday 19th November 2011
By Rachael Burnett
Preparation work has begun for the new Weymouth Tower ready for laying the foundations in January.
Concrete piles are being sunk 17 metres into the ground to create a watertight area for the main excavations of the observation tower.
Members of a world champion sailing team will be attending a ceremony in January when work will officially begin on the foundations.
The £3.5million attraction from Weymouth Sea Life Park, owned by Merlin Entertainments, is set to open in July 2012.
Mark Oakley, a spokesman for Merlin Entertainments, said: “It’s going well, our plan is to be ready to start work on the foundations for the New Year and we are on track for that.
“Fingers crossed for the weather keeping mild because we could be ahead of schedule.
At the ceremony, on January 4, a huge mechanical digger will begin on the seven-metre deep hole for the tower’s foundations.
GBR Match Race Girls sailing team members Annie Lush and sisters Kate and Lucy Macgregor, will be coming along to officially break the soil.
The team are the current world champions in women’s match racing and will be competing in the Olympic 2012 sailing events in Weymouth.
Mr Oakley said: “We also want to get cranes in place shortly so we can get our special guests up to the height of the tower.
“Hopefully we can give a few people a preview of the tower’s views at the groundbreaking event.
“We are excited to confirm what can be seen from up there,” he added.
“The views over Portland and Weymouth Bay and the Jurassic Coast will definitely be visible but the mystery is what can be seen looking back in land.”
Standing 53 metres high on the corner of the pier, the revolving observation pod will offer dramatic views over the Olympic sailing arena, into the English Channel and over Dorset countryside.
Craig Dunkerley, manager of the Sea Life Park and of the tower, said: “We’ve been really encouraged by the very warm reception the tower plans have received from the local population.”
Recently a decision was made to officially name the attraction ‘The Weymouth Tower’.
Constructed and shipped to the UK in sections by German company, Huss, the tower’s total weight will be 130 metric tons. The pod can carry 70 passengers at a time.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/trade_directory/