Seen on Preston: large crane at site of future condo tower Soho Italia:

And the reason for the crane? Here is condo-naught William McElligott, author of the best-selling photo book Ottawa. He’s going to be hoisted up 260′ on the end of the crane to take photos on a clear Ottawa today, so that condo buyers will know exactly what their October views will be like.

The crane revs up its mighty motor, and the boom starts to extend higher, while the hook descends towards the ground. There is a safety rope hooked to Mr McElligott, so he could slide back to earth if the main hook falls off. But both are tied to the same end of the crane … what if that bit falls off?

The hook is attached to a wire basket, and its  flimsy looking gate:

And up he goes:

Propelled ever higher by the intoxicating fumes of condomania:

And finally, at full extension, our condonaught is 260 feet up — about 26 stories — only the snout of his camera visible from the ground as he frames the views in every direction.

I once worked on the northwest corner of Place de Ville on the 28th floor. While the views are stupendous, one gets used to them. I seldom looked straight down. Eventually I yearned to be at street level. At the elevation shown, Mr McElligott is at the same altitude as the civil servants in the nearby NRCan building.

The condonaught’s vehicle:

His latest show of photographic art “Love Ottawa” opens later this week at Michael Gennis’s Westboro gallery located just west of MEC and runs for a month.

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