Superlift Crane – Of all the things I expected to see in the middle of Golden, a massive crane of that size parked on the riverbed—gearing up for the new bridge build—wasn’t one of them. And the guy operating it? Someone I went to high school with. Talk about a small world.
A few weeks ago, we got an email from a local resident letting us know her brother was returning to town to operate the newly delivered crane for the new bridge construction. Lo and behold, the name rang a bell, taking me back to the early 2010s and our days at Golden Secondary School.
We didn’t share many classes—he was in English, and I was in French Immersion—but at a school the size of GSS, of course, we knew each other, especially since we were in the same graduating class. Thanks to the wonders of social media, I was able to look him up and reach out.
Graham Gallacher, son of Ren and Diane, grew up in Golden and has been working as a crane operator with Mammoet, a global leader in heavy lifting and engineered transport.
After spending a few years in Golden after graduation, Gallacher found himself looking for something more. When the opportunity to pursue a career as a crane operator came up — along with an apprenticeship with Mammoet—he jumped at the chance, ready to explore a new industry.
“I work a lot around Alberta on oil and gas sites and wind farms, but this project – the Kicking Horse River Bridge upgrade – is definitely unique. There aren’t many like it. And it’s so awesome that I get to come home and work on it,” Gallacher shared.
Now based in the Edmonton area since 2018, where he moved to start his apprenticeship with Mammoet and begin a new chapter with his wife and son, Gallacher is excited to be back in his hometown—especially for such a significant project. In fact, they even had to bring in a smaller crane just to build the big one.
When asked how he landed the job, Gallacher said it just sort of fell into place. “They knew I was from Golden, so they offered me the chance to come work on the project. It worked out pretty well—I get to stay with my mom while I’m here and catch up with people I haven’t seen in a while,” he said.
I got the chance to catch up with Graham while he gave me a quick tour of the Superlift crane. We both graduated in 2012, and it was fun to reminisce about the past 13 years—turning 30, getting married, and for him, becoming a proud (and slightly exhausted) dad to a rambunctious little guy. He showed me the intricate system of screens, levers, and controls he uses to operate the crane. Honestly, watching it in action made me feel like a kid again.
This Superlift crane is here to handle the heavy-duty steel components—the next big building blocks of the new bridge—and it’ll be around until approximately the end of May.
