16/09/09 - A New Bridge for The Midlands Art Centre

Dorothy Wilson, Chief Executive at The MAC said:“The new pedestrian bridge is a physical manifestation of one of our key reasons for developing the building project – the desire to provide ease of access for all our audiences and participants. The new bridge enables us to make The MAC physically accessible to everyone.” The installation of the bridge has been described as a milestone in the construction of the new Art Centre and will be an integral feature to The MAC once its doors open to the public next year. Andy Hough, from Hough Engineering Ltd comments: “Fabricating and installing the bridge over the Rea is the largest single engineering project Hough Engineering has undertaken to date. It has been a brilliant experience working along side both Thomas Vale Construction and Birmingham City Council in developing and delivering this project. The logistics in constructing a bridge of this scale has thrown up a number of challenges for the project team, but now completed it has all been thoroughly worth while. We at Hough Engineering are looking forward to the re-opening of the Midlands Art Centre, and recognise the significant benefit it will offer to all those who visit it in the future.”

The MAC has always held belief in the value of lifelong learning and participation in the arts, it has brought together artists, both aspiring and professional, to create new work across a wide range of art forms whilst enjoying strong relationships with key stakeholders, Birmingham City Council and Arts Council England, West Midlands. Since it was founded, The MAC has introduced over 10 million people to the arts, and is now used by over 10% of Birmingham’s population each year. Thanks to funding from the Charles Henry Foyle Trust, The MAC have been able to expand and renew the old premises which will include a mixture of new build incorporated with sections of the existing old building.

Jon Davies, Contracts Manager from Thomas Vale Construction comments:“We are nearing completion of this challenging, yet exciting project and the installation of the new bridge is a key milestone for us. The new MAC will undoubtedly provide Birmingham and the Midlands a first class facility of which we can all be very proud” Thomas Vale Construction look to improve the facilities for Birmingham by providing larger rooms all with disabled access offering a range of activities and events as well as better positioned toilets and changing facilities.