April 4, 2003

A bittersweet moment

It is the kind of event that most construction crews look forward to. Called a "topping-off" ceremony, it signifies the completion of the phase of construction when the final beam is placed on a building's steel framework. A small tree and a U.S. flag traditionally sit atop the beam. But for members of the construction crews and the MGH community, the topping-off ceremony for the hospital's new ambulatory care center, held March 26, was a bittersweet occasion.

While the informal event marked the completion of months of hard work during an unusually difficult winter and offered congratulations to all of the crew members, it also was a solemn tribute to Christopher MacInnis, an ironworker who was tragically killed on the construction site. MacInnis, who was part of the team erecting the frame of the building, died March 5 when he was struck by a steel beam that fell from above him.

For this topping-off event, which took place on a sunny spring day, construction and ironworkers stood alongside project managers and MGH senior leadership and signed their names to the beam that also bore the emotional message "RIP Chris MacInnis" along with his dates of birth and death.

Work crews then joined the MacInnis family, representatives of the MGH Planning Office, senior hospital leadership, and architects and planners for the ceremony that included brief remarks from Joe Breen, project manager for Walsh Brothers, and a moment of silence for MacInnis.

"We want to take this opportunity to thank the hospital for asking us to be a part of this project and to thank the men and women who have worked so hard under tough conditions this winter," said Breen. "We also want to take a moment to remember Chris, who was such an important part of our family."

As the final beam was hoisted hundreds of feet by a large crane and placed with precision on top of the steel frame of the building, the small crowd applauded the symbolic act that marked a milestone for the project and a tribute to a dedicated and much-loved collegue.