Recently I have received several emails to let me know that Scotia Plaza has been put up for sale for a cool one billion dollars. The reason for me receiving the emails is that I was part of the project management team that built this project. It is the Bank of Nova Scotia’s Head Office and is a 69 storey office tower. I started my career with PCL Constructors on that project, and was the longest serving member of our team as I was there just over 4 years.
I am pointing this out on my blog as it has reminded me of a very special day on the project. In the fall of 1985 after several months of demolition and excavation we were about to pour the first load of concrete on the project. This was for the footing of the elevator that takes the CEO of the bank from his secure parking spot onwards into the building for his days’ work.
Duncan McGregor was the Senior Superintendent on the project at the time. Duncan was a Scotsman teaming with what seemed like an infinite amount of wisdom to a young man just starting his career. After all he had been the Project Superintendent on Commerce Court just across the street that stands at 57 storeys. It was hard to believe that we were going to surpass that as it sure looked a long way up, especially from a footing pour 85 feet deep in the ground. Duncan generally seemed jovial most of the time, but on this occasion he said that we had to absolutely stop what we were doing as there was something we had forgotten. With such a serious tone, we were unsure what we had forgotten. Was the rebar wrong? Was the footing at the wrong elevation? NO, it seems that we had missed the most important step for the first pour of the project. Apparently it was customary in Scotland to place a coin in the first pour and it will bring the person good luck. Duncan decided that as I was the youngest person there, that I should be, selected to make a wish and place my coin under the first footing.
My wish all those years ago was to have a career that would let me SEE THE WORLD. I must admit that I was quite skeptical of Duncan’s proclamation of good luck from this gesture, and I really thought I had lost my coin.
So here I sit in Herzogenaurach Germany remembering this storey and realizing that I have traveled some of the world just like my wish I made on that day in 1985.
I pass this storey along so we all realize that we have the opportunity to help some young person in their life to make their wish and it really can come true.
I send a special thanks to Duncan wherever he is today!
I don’t think you should pass this onto the bank as when they realize that they have my 25 cents on deposit and the value that I have received from it, they will be sure to find a way to charge me a user fee for the safe keeping of my coin J
