New sound system installation begins

In the current Cathedral News, Monsignor Gier writes:

While it is with fear and trepidation, I announce the coming of a whole new speaker system which should be in working condition for the Christmas holidays. This has been a very long project beginning with a professional acoustician and his recommendations for improving our sound system. Several months ago we had a demonstration of the new system and the sound was incredible. We are looking forward to clear sound in every corner of the Cathedral.

Ford Audio of Tulsa, the installers, are going to spend this week installing many cables. Within a few weeks, we will see two large magenta speakers placed on two columns in the apse of the Cathedral. The speakers are magenta because the columns will eventually be painted the same color.

The New Roof?

Roofers are pulling down the old wood & aluminum roof. Are they replacing it with a shiny new aluminum roof?

No!

The new metal layer serves as "decking," much like the wood used to do. The old wood is quite rotten. The nails that held the old aluminum shingles could easily slide out of the rotten wood. That is why so many shingles fall to the ground after any particularly windy storm.


A new copper roof will eventually go over the aluminum. For now, Holy Family Cathedral will have the shiniest spires in downtown Tulsa.

"Going up?" "23rd Floor, please."

Anyone who has walked by the front of the Cathedral on a weekday knows that there seems to be a constant stream of construction workers carrying metal beams up the scaffolding into the Cathedral spires.

What are they doing?

They're building floors inside the spires. The all-metal floors will make it easier for the roofers to install the new copper roof on the Cathedral.





Each metal beam enters the south "little spire" above the front facade of Holy Family.










Workers have already completed the floors in both of the little towers. Monsignor Gier and Father Matt have climbed from floor to floor all the way to the top of the little towers.





The construction workers are currently building floors in the central tower. The photo on the right shows the area at the bottom of the spire. From the outside, it's the point where the brick ends and the conical spire begins. In the photo, you can see the inside of one of the clock faces.







This is likely to be the last photo of its kind. Soon, the workers will build floors all the way to the top of the central tower.

Update: Lift Platform Installed

When you walk into the Cathedral this weekend, you'll be greeted by a large gray platform. This is the new lift platform. It's capable of carrying a person in a wheelchair up to the Cathedral or down to the basement.

The wall-mounted controls looks pretty easy to use.

Update: Lift Chair Rail installed

Here are some photos of the lift chair's rail. You can see the "interim" lift chair in the background. [As always, click on an image to see a larger version.]

Return of the Lift Chair

Our able handyman, John Dzurilla, repaired minor termite damage to the wall near the stairwell that leads to the basement. He replaced the wooden wall with a drywall one. It will match the rest of the basement. The "mud" is drying now.


On June 20, 2006, I promised to let you know when the new lift chair would be installed. Today's the day.

The Oklahoma City company that sells heavy-duty lift chairs sent two men to install rails upon which the lift chair will ride. [Click on the photo to the right to see the men unpacking the rails.]

Once completed, a parishioner with a handicap will enter the south foyer and may choose to go up to the church or down to the basement. Perhaps the best feature is he may travel from the church level to the basement non-stop.