TOPPING OUT CEREMONY AT THE NEW YORK COLLEGE

LSC Chair, Chris Banks, used a golden
spanner to tighten the final screw in the new
atrium of York College

Work on the £60 million York College reached its full height at a celebrity ‘Topping Out’ ceremony in November 2006. Chris Banks, national Chair of the LSC, used a golden spanner to tighten the final screw in the college’s atrium, whilst distinguished guests toasted the building’s good health. Topping out is a time-honoured tradition intended originally to drive out evil spirits and to pay tribute to all those working on the building.  Although Chris wasn’t able to drive out the spirits, he did pay tribute:

“York College, Balfour Beatty, the Learning and Skills Council and all those involved should be proud of the considerable progress that has been made to reach this milestone. This major investment will provide an environment of excellence in which high quality learning can take place. It reflects our commitment to invest in Further Education and its vital role in delivering skills for employment and economic success.”

Chris added, “I am certain that the great colleges we are creating will build business confidence and help us to engage employers more than we ever have before. I’ve been to many colleges and heard lots of examples from students who have benefited from an improved learning environment and I’m sure York College will be yet another shining example in the community.”

Dignitaries inspect York College's atrium during
the Topping Out ceremony

The new college, on the south western gateway to the city, is one of the biggest in the country.  The building is scheduled to open in September 2007 and has been financed by a major grant from the LSC and significant funding from York College. It has also been financed by the sale of the college’s Tadcaster Road site, which is to be now used for housing.

Mike Galloway, Principal, York College said: "The Topping Out ceremony marks another milestone in this exciting and hugely important project. A massive amount of interest has been generated by the building, both inside York and beyond, and we look forward to fully exploiting the opportunities it will offer the College to provide world class education and training in a world class environment.”

Since its establishment, the LSC has supported over £4billion pounds of investment in new buildings, renewing over 50% of the estate – an extraordinary achievement. The new £60 million York college - the biggest of its kind under construction in the country - is on schedule to open in September 2007.