Public Is Invited this Week to Sign Steel Plates to go on Beams
The staff at Shawano Medical Center and ThedaCare Physicians-Shawano and the general public are invited this week to sign one of the uppermost steel beams of the new ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano before they are hoisted into place later this month. This topping off ceremony is traced back to ancient Scandinavians who placed a tree atop a new building to appease tree-dwelling spirits displaced in its construction. Although the new hospital is constructed with steel beams, the modern custom marks a milestone for major construction projects.
“Putting those top beams in place is always a big moment, and we like to stop and celebrate the achievement with our crew and our customers,” said Matt Peterson, project manager at The Boldt Co. of Appleton, the project’s general contractor and construction management firm. “Our goal is to fully enclose the building before the cold weather so the medical center’s interior finish and most mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems can be installed during the winter.”
Dorothy Erdmann, CEO of Shawano Medical Center, sees the milestone as an opportunity to invite the public into the process in a tangible way. “This is your chance to attach your name, quite literally, to Shawano’s new hospital. After so much discussion and planning, it feels good to pause and appreciate all the hard work that’s been completed thus far. We are both grateful and re-energized for the exciting year ahead.”
- Plates that will be affixed to the uppermost steel beams, along with markers, will be available in the main lobbies at both Shawano Medical Center and ThedaCare Physicians-Shawano from Sept. 15-19. The beams, with the signed plates attached, are will be raised into position beginning in the morning of Sept. 24.
The forthcoming ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano will replace the 81-year-old Shawano Medical Center and is slated to open in fall 2015. It is under construction adjacent to ThedaCare Physicians-Shawano at County B and State 22. The center will also house ThedaCare At Home-Shawano and ThedaCare At Work-Shawano.
ThedaCare™ is a community health system consisting of seven hospitals: Appleton Medical Center, Theda Clark Medical Center, ThedaCare Medical Center-New London, Shawano Medical Center, Riverside Medical Center in Waupaca, Berlin Memorial Hospital and Wild Rose Community Memorial Hospital. ThedaCare also includes ThedaCare Physicians, ThedaCare Behavioral Health, and ThedaCare At Home. ThedaCare is one of the largest employers in Northeast Wisconsin with more than 6,175 employees. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
