The Parking Dilemma

October color is here…with a temporary inconvenience, before things get MUCH better…

It wasn’t supposed to take this long.  Seriously, I thought we’d be completed a month ago.  What I’m referring to is our long-overdue parking upgrade.  You have exhibited generous patience over the years with our dusty gravel lot.  Beginning Monday, October 9, the lot will begin being transformed, over a three-day period.  This upgrade will cause some temporary difficulties.  It will be worth it…but there will be difficulties!

If you’re reading this on Thursday, October 5, and you visited us, you have already experienced the first stage of transition.  We were forced to re-route traffic from our normal entrance, through our ‘back-gate’.  This might not seem like such a big deal on the surface, but routing two-way traffic around a one-way road system is challenging. We also deal with a lot of big trucks.

We’re in this situation due to rock.  Quite a large amount of rock.  Stubborn rock.  Rock that took a month longer to excavate than anticipated.  That delay caused us to delay the new retaining wall construction. 

That process was carefully thought through, with every preparation made to secure the exact blocks for our job.  Months ago, I was assured that the style and quantity was, and would be available, and that we did not need to procure them before the needed time; so… 

When you look at the retaining wall you will notice three different style blocks.  We did our best to install them in such a way to appear to be of intentional design.  All were supposed to be the ‘stack stone’ look, as the bottom two rows are.  The ‘design change’ includes a row of ‘cobble stone’ faced blocks, topped off with ‘plain’ blocks:  Making lemonade with concrete.

Tuesday, October 10, the front gate entrance will be re-routed to the ‘back-gate’, and no through traffic for that day, as paving will occur through the entrance.  By Wednesday, October 11, new paved lot, in front of building, will be open, and the last remaining area will be paved.

David Bates