1996-97 Photos - Demolition of the Balloon Inflation Tower

(above is what it looked like in action in 1977 as captured by Stu Harris,
and here's an interior shot with Lloyd Anderson getting a balloon ready.
In 1977 the main floor was one large room, but the back portion was par-
titioned off a few years later, originally to house the hydrogen generator)

When did the construction of the "new station" begin? Perhaps it was with MAPO and the other science facilities on the far side of the runway...or perhaps it was when ARO replaced Clean Air. Or perhaps it was when the first demolition of the main portion of the domed station began, in 1996-97, as the BIT...followed by the helium/cargo arch...were removed to make way for the new garage arch. What follows is a sequence of photos by Chris Rock of ASA (unless otherwise noted) as the removals got underway.

First, a couple of final interior shots. The top of the spiral stair...


The interior wood paneling (visible in the 1977 interior shot) and insulation has been removed.


One corner of the main room, showing some of the roof framing unbolted


Getting ready to pull the dome


Removing the guy wires


Positioning the sled


Rigging up...


It's loose...


looking up inside


Swinging it away


Down easy


Down easy


On the sled to get hauled off to...(stay tuned)


The next step, getting ready to pull the roof off


It's loose


Coming down....


With the roof off, the inside stuff has been pulled out.


Demolition of the main tower room continues (I think the
foundation in the foreground is for the new cargo building)
 

After all of the remains of the BIT were removed, it
was time to start digging out the arch (photo from
Frederick MacDougall)


A bit later, here's the arch all dug out, ready for the
next part of the project.


Remember the radome? Here it is on the berm along
with the extra buildings and fuel tanks (photo
from Scott Smith).
 

Next...the removal of the arch itself.