Feature Article September 18, 2002
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Pioneer Museum roof-raising beeby Karyl Waldie Cloyne - You had to see it to believe it. It was roof-raising time at the Pioneer Museum in Cloyne, and members of the community had turned out in force to do just that.
On Friday a huge low-bed truck had arrived carrying the roof trusses and delivered them, hydraulically, to the top of the building - quite an event in itself. So there were the trusses, and the green steel sheets of roofing, all waiting to be put in place.
Early on the morning of Sep. 7, the museum parking lot was suddenly inundated with cars, trucks, people and equipment, all arriving in clouds of dust and friendly chatter, and with just one idea in mindto help raise the roof on the brand-new extension to the museum. Ladders appeared from nowhere, were thrown up all around the new log walls, and 13 men with belts full of roofing equipment swarmed up to start work. Like squirrels, a ground-worker said.
The Cloyne and District Historical Society, after much debate, had decided this year, with some trepidation because of costs, that it really must expand the present facility in order to properly display its amazing collection of artifacts, many of which have had to be held in storage because of lack of space.
Historical Society member and project contractor, Ian Brumell, drew up plans, and with the help of student and volunteer labour, worked throughout the spring and summer to erect the new extension to the point where lots more help was needed in order to get the roof on before winter. So the call went out for volunteers, and did the community ever respond!
So Saturday it happened. Within minutes of their arrival, these men organized themselves, hitched up their tool belts and went to work. They were laughing and joking, but totally professional. Before I knew it a team of six brawny fellows, feet on the new floor and standing in a row, reached way over their heads, latched onto a truss and carried it like a wave on the ocean to its pre-positioned place on top of the log walls. Likewise with the rest of the trusses, which are the pointed wooden things that make up the point of the roof, I learned. I was taking photos and found out very fast that I should not stand in the way of this determined group.
As the trusses were placed, other workers nailed them in and soon that part of the job was over. It was about then that they gave themselves a well-earned break and poured out of the building and off the ladders for the cold drinks and warm muffins served up by a small army of providers. And lots of chit-chat. Then back to work to the tune of a compressor, the zap zap of electric drills, much pounding, and someone singing The Crystal Chandelier . They worked hard but had fun, and by noon were ready for the barbecue served by Marg Axford, Historical Society Chair and chef for the day, and her hardy crew.
Lunch was a great affair, with workers and servers perched all over the piles of logs and chatting up a storm, but it was soon over, and back to work they went. We watched in amazement - indeed the word of the day was amazing - as they hoisted the sheets ofgreen steel from ground to roof-top and zapped them into place. Throughout the afternoon these hardy fellows didnt take a break at all, but stayed up on the roof, in searing heat, and by 3 pm, to our utter amazement, the roof was on and many other necessary tasks completed.
Work was done and it was time to go. Just as quickly as they had appeared, it seemed, the ladders and equipment disappeared into trucks, good-byes were said, and the parking lot was again empty, except for a few of us doing clean-up. The pristine new building sat there looking wonderful, a testament to the kindness of the men who had pitched in with their equipment and expertise to make it so.
What was accomplished today went beyond my best hopes. I had hoped that we would get the steel on, which we did, but there were many, many other things accomplished that went above and beyond even that. Everyone worked really well together, said the project contractor.
The Cloyne and District Historical Society is extremely grateful to all these men who volunteered their time and expertise to help make our dream come true: Norm Morrow (who helped out all summer, as well); Stephen Calnan; Lloyd Schneider; Guy Forcier; Brian Kay (B. Kay Building Co.); Ken Neely; Tom and Steve Blackwell (Blackwell Construction); Steve and Morgan Alcock (Steve Alcock Construction); Peter Rasenberg; John Bolton; and, of course, member and project contractor, Ian Brumell, who is seeing the project through from start to finish.
Next summer, watch for the Grand Opening Celebration of this new expanded facility.
