Reformed

   Yes, "Reformed" is part of our theological background, but it also points to the fact that HHJ is getting ready for another concrete pour on Monday (April 1st). Forms were removed from the footing pour and things have been "reformed" for the slab pour. Although machines help in this matter, there is also much human labor involved.

   When you come to worship this Easter Sunday, take a look around and see what is being accomplished. The next few weeks will be a combination of construction and on-going destruction. Never a dull moment!

The forms are no longer void

    By the time I arrived at the office this morning (8:00 am) most of the concrete had already been poured into the footing forms--front and back. By this afternoon, workers were removing some of the boards on the footing. The rest of the week, new forms will be built for the stem wall and slab that will be poured next Monday (April 1st).
   It is exciting to see a work in progress.

They are not restrooms yet...

   As we were getting our Project Team meeting underway on Wednesday evening, the concrete saws were still humming away in the rooms formerly known as kitchen, restrooms and nursery. As you can see, old pipes have been removed and some of the new pipes are beginning to appear.

   The forms for the footings on the outside of the building are almost complete and they are hoping to do a concrete pour on Tuesday. That should be fun to watch. In order to get to the back side of Fellowship Hall, they will take out some of the windows and pump the concrete through FH to the forms out back.

   This might be a good time for me to video some of this and try to post it to the blog. It would only be a few minutes of video. You don't want to watch an hour of concrete pouring.

No longer "formless and void"

   Postal workers have nothing on the HHJ crew and contractors. Through rain, sunshine, wind and cold, the trench between the parking lot and Fellowship Hall is no longer "formless and void", to use an expression from Genesis. Footing forms went in today, in spite of some nasty rain. Welcome to the first day of Spring in the NW. They are hoping for a concrete pour on Monday (3/25).

   As I wait for our evening meeting of the Wayside Project Team and HHJ folks, I'm hearing the rumble of a concrete saw down by old restrooms. Getting the old plumbing out and preparing the way for new pipes and lines. This really is a project!

First you dig the hole, then you fill the hole...

   Remember the pipes you saw in the last blog? Well, as of Monday afternoon they are covered up with fill dirt. The next step will be to construct forms for the footings. The footings on the other side of Fellowship Hall are in place and ready for the concrete when that time comes.

   The plywood you see in the bottom picture is where one of the doors to Fellowship Hall usd to be. They were able to remove the door and its framing in one piece and will re-install it into the new structure. The door facing the parking lot is still in place at this point.

Downhill from here...

  
   Yesterday they move and electrical line, today it is the sewer line. The workers are giving thanks that the rain is holding off. It is muddy enough without adding new water. Later today or by Monday, they should be able to start building forms for the footing, then the concrete begins.

Re-Route

   For orientation purposes, these pictures were taken from in front of the office looking down toward the kitchen door. The muddy mess is area between the parking lot and Fellowship Hall.  

This morning, I'm hanging out at the library and our office manager is working from her home. The electricity and water to the church office is shut off while workers re-route the lines. The conduit for the electricty can be laid under the footings, but the sewer pipe has to be moved closer to the parking lot so it is under the new sidewalk. Details! Details! Things may be up and running again by 2:00 pm, so I will check back in at the office then.

   For those of you who have been having problems accessing Eric Johnson's photos on the Wayside UCC Face Book page, I posted a the site link on my FB time line yesterday. If you are "friends" with me, you have access to the link. If you are not "friends" with me, I would be glad to add you. Just search of Dennis Hollinger-Lant.

Link to Wayside UCC on Face Book

How Firm a Foundation

   Wouldn't you know it! The electrical lines that go to the Chapel are right where a footing is supposed to be. Well not any more--they moved it.  HHJ said that when the project is complete, we get a blue print of where our electrical, water and sewer lines are located. That is always helpful. Between the parking lot and Fellowship Hall, there are issues with the sewer and electrical lines to the office area. Such is life.

   The bottom photo is what's left of the kitchen. Most of the walls are now out, dry wall off, etc. HHJ is going to "re-mill" some of the wood from the cedar wall in Fellowship Hall to use as trim for the project. It won't really save any money (it's a wash), but it is one way of incorporating some of the old into the new.

   I'm going to post this before they disconnect our internet for a while. Maybe more tomorrow.

More Stability

   This Sunday, there will be a more stable entrance to the Chapel. The ramp is all on one level, plus it has hand rails. Even this will be temporary because during the coming week they will pour footings and before two weeks is up, we should have new sidewalks.

   The bottom picture is the room formerly known as the kitchen. The abatement crew was here on Thursday and Friday to remove the vinyl and mastic in the kitchen, plus vinyl, tile and mastic in the restrooms and back hallway. We will put a new floor covering over the tile in Fellowship Hall, so those tile do not have to be removed.

Moving the Meter

   Moving a water meter is no simple task. They use folks with shovels, chainsaws and a big vacuum truck, but move it they did!! We still have water to the office area and the Memorial Lounge restroom is functioning. No water to the kitchen and the other restrooms are being de-constructed. Meanwhile, kitchen cabinets are coming out.
   Eric Johnson stopped by after work to take some more photos which he will post on the Wayside UCC Face Book page.
   The Wayside Men's Fellowship will meet tonight, but we will gather in the Memorial Lounge rather than the back youth room. All of the "old" sidewalks are now torn up.
   Our Tuesday Study group met for the last session of our study about Paul. As we watched the final video session, we had to turn the volume up and down depending on the construction (or destruction) noise. People are excited as things are being transformed.

Monday Morning

   Things are humming today! As you can see by the pictures, the roof eave is coming off. The lower photo shows that there is no more gable on the roof to the parking lot canopy. I hear the steady rumble of saws and the skidsteer (aka Bobcat).
   Yesterday, Eric Johnson, Tricia Gabriel and Steve Guy, coordinated the efforts of many Wayside volunteers to move "stuff" from areas that will be under construction to our storage shed around the corner. I had to leave before everything was complete, but Eric reported that the storage shed is FULL.
   Eric also captured several good pictures yesterday and has posted them on Face Book at the Wayside UCC site. Please feel free to go to the site and "like" us if you haven't done that already.
   The electrician is also on-site today, deconstructing the electric baseboard heat in Fellowship Hall and working in the kitchen.

"Upon the Roof"

More work is being done today on the roof. Tile have been stripped back and they are removing a section of the eaves for the new roof slope. Most of the roof will stay intact. Now I'm going home and enjoy the rest of my "day off".
   Don't forget, on Sunday morning (after worship, not during) we will move stuff to our rented storage shed around the corner on 312th. Many hands make ligh work.