November 4, 2006
Something very exciting is happening this weekend! The first outdoor waterslide, the splashbowl, arrived yesterday and is being erected this weekend. Crews from Splashtacular are on site and are assembling this giant red and white bowl. Watch for more slides to be erected in the next few weeks.
Third floor walls in Area B were put up this past week. Next week the roof will go on. Within the next 2-3 weeks the entire lodge building will be enclosed.
Most of the steel trusses for the roof of the indoor aquatics building (Area C) have been set. Concrete block walls for the restrooms and lockers are going up. Watch for more masonry work on the outside walls in the coming days.
The exterior siding on Area A will start going on this week.
The contractor performing the lake bank rehabilitation moved equipment in last week and will start that project on Monday.
November 11, 2006
Have you seen it yet? The shiny red and white splashbowl being assembled by crews from Splashtacular, the maker of the slides. It will be set into place next week. Some of the towers and stairs have been set, giving everyone a sense of the size of the outdoor water park. Other slides have arrived and work will continue to install them.
Most of the trusses and room walls have been set in Area B. Roof sheathing is on the north half of the roof. Trusses still need to be set over the lobby area and the on the peak of Area B.
The first strip of concrete for the parking lot was poured. The surprise snowstorm on Thursday will delay progress there.
Crews continue to install water lines, sewer lines, sprinkler lines and sheetrock in Area A. Finishing touches are being put on the steel roof framework for Area C.
Work began on the lake bank rehabilitation project. The goal is to remove all of the broken concrete pieces and replace with fieldstone. A layer of fabris is being installed under the rock to help control erosion and retard plant growth. This will result in a huge improvement in the look of the lake bank and safety.
Let’s hope it warms up a bit for a couple of weeks until the lodge gets fully enclosed.
November 19, 2006
The splashbowl was set into place last week as planned and the two speeds slides were erected. Work continues on the play features in the outdoor pool (see the article in the Storm Lake Times, November 18th edition, regarding the craftsmen doing the work). All of the concrete in the outdoor pool has been poured.
Siding of the lodge continues. There will be two styles and two colors of siding. Workmen have also started applying the stone to the exterior on the east end of the lodge.
Inside, work continues on plumbing, heating and drywall. Trusses and roof sheathing on Area B should be finished next week allowing the roofers to return soon to shingle that area. Windows and doors will start going in Area B this week as well.
Work on the Senior Center/clubhouse renovation is expected to begin within the next week or so. The City Council is expected to award that contract to Taylor Contracting on Monday November 20.
The lake bank contractor has made great progress on that work. The result is a much more attractive bank—more uniform and free of weeds and concrete chunks.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
November 25, 2006
Work progress slowed a bit this week due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, but work does continue in many areas:
Coming up:
- Installation of sheetrock, plumbing and ventilation in Area A
- Installation of plumbing in Area B
- Siding and setting stone on Area A
- Laying block walls around Area C, including the snack bar and bathrooms
- The fourth outdoor slide was placed. Watch for the longest outdoor slide (412 feet) to start going up in the next few days
- The restaurant walls were poured
- Lake bank restoration
- Installation of mechanical equipment in the lower level of Area B
Right now is a race against winter. Area A and B need to get enclosed soon so that work can continue no matter what the weather brings.
- Roofing area B
- Installing windows and doors in Area B
- Roof decking on Area C
- A continuation of all the work in progress
Mike Wilson
Project Manager, Project AWAYSIS
