Speakers back up at Tim Hortons Field

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Workers were busy at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton today re-installing 8 speakers after one of them came crashing down into the stands last month. Fortunately, the 150-pound speaker fell while the seats were empty, but you can just imagine the tragedy that could of ensued if it had happened during a game.

“The difference between this bracket and the original bracket is there’s three points of contact.  Compared to the original one, you have one point of contact and that’s what let go.” Rom D’angelo, City of Hamilton.

The city believes once the bracket gave way the speaker was suspended by wire, which was supposed to be “fail-safe” until it too snapped.

“We’re going to a more robust cable and this will be wrapped around the centre of the bracket three times.”

The new design has been inspected by three separate engineers.

“The city does feel 100% confident that the system that they’re putting up today, the bracket system is going to be perfect.”

Within the next two weeks, the city is bringing in a building science engineer. They’re going to look at everything that hangs overhead from the smaller speakers, to the brackets that hold up the piping system. The city took ownership of the stadium after the Pan Am games were completed. D’angelo says they never did they’re own inspection of the building because it came with signed documentation saying that it was up to standard.

“At this point in time we’re evaluating all the paperwork and the quality control documents and inspection sheets to determine where the liability lies.”

Infrastructure Ontario was the stadiums project manager and is picking up the tab for now, until liability is determined.