Although I was in information technology for the last 30 years of my working life I am nevertheless what we called in the profession a “digital dinosaur,” an endearing term that basically means born well before the digital and social media age. Why do I start with this statement? Well this is my first ever attempt at “blogging” so please bear with me, by the time the new building is finished I might be quite good at “blogging,” time will tell. So why a blog and what is it going to be about?
At just about the same time as COVID-19 social distancing started Scott Crumley announced he had the last permit we needed to start the construction in his hand and we were, at last, into the construction phase. Things moved quickly after that, as I wrote in the April Bell Ringer it was the story of the trees and for me there was no more telling confirmation that construction had begun than the felling of the white oaks, sycamores, pines and cedars that once adorned the property along Witchduck Road and gave us shelter in front of Alfriend House. Much has happened on the “construction site” since that April Bell Ringer article was published so Father Bob, no doubt assuming I was experienced in the blogger’s art, asked me if I would be willing to write a blog to keep the ODEC family up to speed on the project. I, of course, agreed and now you, my friends, are my blogging guinea pigs (I hope that means the same in the USA as it does in the UK and that I haven’t started my blogging career by insulting my prospective readership!). So here’s what’s in store, I will try and give you a short running commentary on the new building project “hot from the construction site” and when I get better at blogging I’ll even try to include some pictures, but in the meantime you can go to the ODEC Frickr page (https://www.flickr.com/photos/olddonationchurch/) to see my pictorial record of the construction - but be warned my photography skills aren’t exactly stellar. So first, like all good television series let me tell you the story so far. The trees that needed to be felled, their stumps and roots are all gone and carted off the site. An interesting aside on the trees, the heartwood in nearly every tree was decaying to the point where the tree was structurally weaker and therefore more prone to breaking in high winds so maybe we dodged a bullet there? With the trees and debris removed the site contractors (the earth movers), a company called Higgerson Inc, brought some impressive equipment on site and basically cleared and cleaned the construction site being particularly careful to move the Grace Sherwood stone to safety. With erosion control in place it was now the turn of Precision Pipe the pipe laying contrcators. Now I am not talking small pipes, these are nearly 24” in diameter concrete behemoths that will reroute the storm water drain behind Tucker Hall around what in the future will be the new rear wing. More large equipment on site, more construction workers, construction materials, concrete pipes and the carpark to around Tucker Hall to the space in front of Alfriend House all now a construction site. The earth, quite literally, started to move, go to the Flickr page if you have a moment, the earth works, the pipes and the construction workers are all featured. That brings you up to date. Today was a veritable hive of activity on the ODEC campus. At the back of the building Precision Pipes were finalizing that leg of the storm water management culvert. Out the front a man from the Higgerson Inc was contemplating their excavator that broke down early in the week and is now waiting for two new tracks and tension springs (doesn’t sound a cheap fix). By the main entrance Scott Crumley (the Crumley Group) was holding a social distancing meeting with reps from Higgerson, the civil engineers (MSA) and our architect (Ionic Dezign). At Alfriend House our maintenance contractor, JOHNCO Services, was wrapping the external woodwork in aluminum sheeting as part of the building’s renovation project having power washed the whole building earlier in the week. Over in the back field and around the Old Church our new ground maintenance contractor was doing the weekly grass cut and property tidy up having also significantly trimmed back the azalea bush “jungle” that separates the grass parking area from the back field, there are pictures on Flickr. It is quite an impressive example of pruning that should create a cacophony of azalea blooms next year. Well that is my apology for being your blog writer, the rationale for the blog and a general “get you up to date” piece written. I promise future blogs will be a bit pithier but for now, stay safe and go with peace and courage. David.
2 Comments
Jackie Murray
5/12/2020 11:45:17 am
David: thank you for your official new title "blogger" with the construction information provided. We are all blessed to see and read this exciting growth of our beloved church.
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diane m miller
6/9/2020 10:11:04 am
Thanks David!
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AuthorDavid Beach is our Building Project Manager, and has been an active part of our parish family for more than a decade. He is retired from NATO and the British Army and is a joy and blessing to all of us. Archives
July 2021
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