Demolition crews ready to pull the plug at Olympia

Demolition crews are set to begin ripping apart Dundees 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 were not expecting any hold-ups, said Mr Casselles, whos 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, Mr 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 Olympias walls dont harbour a particularly large amount of asbestos, its removal is still a top priority.

Weve 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 Mr Casselles.

Meantime, Central Demolition will continue dismantling the buildings exterior, beginning with the removal of the pedestrian bridge.

Alan Hutchison, a senior engineer with Dundee City Council, explained this first phase of the removal should be straightforward.

What will happen with the bridge is well bring in machinery to cut it into chunks, he said. Then, the crew will be able to chain it off and carry it away using a crane.

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Demolition crews ready to pull the plug at Olympia