'Topping' Point

The traditional "topping out" ceremony on construction sites has centuries-old history at its deepest roots. Neal Schaefer, senior superintendent for BN Builders, elaborated before the final steel beam was secured at the Seattle Kraken's coming-in-2021, three-rink
Northgate Ice Centre
late Monday morning.
The beam, painted white to accommodate permanent-marker signatures from the construction crew and select Kraken officials, represented the "topping out" of the last piece of the ice center's outer framing.

"The Vikings topped out with an evergreen tree to signal let the celebration begin," said general contractor BN Builders' Schaefer to the physically-distanced crew of 80 on hand plus a number of vendors, subcontractors and Kraken staffers. "First Nations people used an evergreen to show no structure should be taller than the trees."

For his part, Schaefer chose for BN Builders to fasten a small evergreen tree to one edge of the white beam and a U.S. flag to the other: He noted the living tree symbolizes safety of the site's workers and the flag "shows labor supporting the American dream."
The final beam is part of a total three million pounds of structural steel to erect the home of the Kraken for its practice and training center-plus so much more planned for community ice use and engagement: youth and adult hockey, figure skating, curling, speed skating, learn-to-skate clinics, "hockey 101" fan sessions, open skating, community outreach events, youth empowerment, educational opportunities and beyond.
"We've put in more than 27,000 personal hours on this job and during a pandemic," said Schaefer, noting a clean sheet for health and safety during the last six months. "That's the equivalent of nearly two million NHL shifts for hockey fans out there. It's been a lot of sweat, tears and, yes, fogged glasses, to get to this point."

Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke said he was on hand "to honor you who come to work in these times and put masks on" to keep the construction schedule on time. Leiweke was adamant the crew "realize what's going to happen" at the future three rinks, pointing to what will be "Rink 3" and imagining a boy or girl putting on skates for the first time to glide on the ice and "eventually dream about playing in the NHL someday." Then he waved his arm toward 'Rink 1' to conjure up the Kraken's first players "who will be living their NHL dreams there.
The dreams-to-reality timeline is encouraging for all of us hoping to try out the three sheets of ice-which by the way each require five miles of pipes for its refrigeration loops or 15 miles total. Rink 1 and the Kraken's office headquarters (a two-story building adjacent to Rink 1) will be completed and ready for Kraken players, coaches, trainers, equipment managers and other hockey operations personnel by the summer of 2021. Rink 2 and Rink 3 will be ready by next fall. The planned Northgate light rail station is due for completion by September 2021 as well.
"You should all consider yourself part of the Kraken family," said Schaefer to the construction crew, a sentiment endorsed by Leiweke when he took the mic. "We are building the team's home base and on schedule. We plan to give the Kraken its first win."