What should the cranes building the CIT Woden campus be called? “Sir-Lifts-A-Lot”? “Iron Monster”? Canberra children have suggested 10 creative names, and Canberrans can pick their favourites.

The two names receiving the most votes will be chosen for the cranes.

The community can select their preferred names from this shortlist:

1.    Educrane – Adele, 11
2.    Sir-Lifts-A lot – Phoebe (age not provided) 
3.    Ruff & Tuff – Samarah, 5
4.    Iron Monster – Matias, 12
5.    Moon Lifter – April, 10
6.    Starbright – Oscar, 6
7.    Cranicorn – Eloise, 10
8.    Giraffe – Gadget, 5
9.    Craneantula – Zavi, 10
10.    Velocir Lifter – Alfie, 4

The names were proposed by students from Curtin Primary, Hughes Primary, Lyons Early Childhood School, and Malkara School, and by children who live in Grand Central Towers.

Visit www.yoursayconversations.act.gov.au to read how the children came up with these names and to vote.

One tower crane was installed last month, and a second will arrive in October.

The cranes are ‘luffing’ cranes: seven storeys tall, they lift loads of up to 24 tonnes by moving the arm vertically.  The cranes operate quietly and with minimal pollution due to their electric power source. A safety feature prevents them from swinging loads beyond the construction site boundary, avoiding neighbouring buildings and public spaces. The cranes are expected to remain at the site for about a year.

“We’re going to see a significant amount of construction of the main CIT building over the next 12 months,” Chris Steel, ACT Minister for Skills, said. 

“These cranes will move heavy loads within the site. One of their key tasks in the coming months is to support getting the main timber structure out of the ground.

“We look forward to seeing construction at the site move full steam ahead to deliver this state-of-the-art educational facility for Woden.”