The 2011 Riverview Community Centre Project

The Skills PEI Project is now over. Amazing changes have taken place. There are some final touches to be made and then there will be an opportunity for all to view and admire.

The slide presentation will highlight some impressive aspects of this project. Seeing the changes over the past year has been very rewarding. Both the New Horizons spring project and the fall Skills Project has greatly enhanced this Community Centre making it a safer, brighter and more efficient building.

The partners for Clyde River for this project were the Clyde River Women’s Institute and the Clyde River Community Council. These groups express special thanks to outside partners of this fall project – namely Nancy Murphy, Community Development Officer, Queens County representing the Dept. of Fisheries, Aquaculture & Rural Development and the Island Communities Fund; Patrick Perry, Program Officer for Skills PEI as part of the Labour Market Agreement; and Mike Randall, Economic Development Officer for the Queens Central Development Corporation Ltd. Regular meetings were held for months. There was enthusiasm, co-operation and assistance in all aspects of this project.

Special thanks to David Smith, the supervisor for this project. He constructed and guided and taught and “tweaked” every step of this project. His carpenter helpers, Chris Field, Danny Stanley, Matthew Smith and Mark Gillespie worked hard and learned many skills during the weeks they spent at the Community Centre. The overseeing committee consisted of Bruce Brine, Administrator for the community, Emily Bryant, Thelma Gillespie, Carol Richards from CRWI and Vans Bryant, Harold Richards and Gordie Ross from the community. They kept a close eye on the project visiting the project every day and making many trips to town for materials. They were delighted with the positive work atmosphere that David was able to maintain and the extras that the “crew” did to help along the way.  The CRWI representatives hosted a turkey dinner this week as a way of acknowledging the workers’ contributions and to celebrate the success of the project.

Briefly this list explains the work the Skills PEI crew completed.

1.Built a Baby barn for storage and as part of the community’s Emergency Plan.

2. Completed the kitchen renovation, levelling the floor, painting the new kitchen cabinets, and painting the walls and ceiling and installing and painting the baseboard.

3.Completed the front entrance including wrapping the posts and trimming to match the main building, staining the deck, spindles and railing, and installing a new storm door.

4. In the Basement, they painted or covered the ductwork,installed a dropped ceiling and fire door, created a half bath, put gyproc on one wall and the 1/2 bath and painted as needed.

5. In main rooms, painted all the trim, and installed a new ceiling in the first large room.

6. On the exterior, replaced all damaged shingles on sides of centre and shingled the entire back and front of building including priming and finish painting.

7. Built Outside structures including picnic tables, a bench, picnic shelter, sign, and side ramp and repaired and enhanced the fence.

Contractors were hired to help with specialty aspects of the project. Clyde River’s own Norman Frizzell built awesome kitchen cupboards. East Coast Doors and Spray-All Painting added the finishing touches for the cupboards. Barney Fullerton and his crew built a portico and veranda that created an attractive entrance to the Community Centre. Keith Ford installed heavy duty eaves and downspouts. Kenny Richards looked after the plumbing for the project and Bloyce MacRae completed the electrical work. Philip Clark dug the trench to the new building. GWG Flooring supplied and installed the kitchen flooring. Kent Building Supplies was helpful as the main supplier of materials.

The project had donations as well. Lance Syvret made and donated a stainless steel top for the cabinet between the stove and fridge. Oliver and Phyllis MacDonald donated three gently used sinks and Kenny Richards donated a deep sink. Wayne Gillespie donated use of a trailor for construction wastes. David Smith and several of his construction contacts offered use of tools or equipment. The Dixons let the Skills crew start work in Andrew’s new building until they could move to the Community Centre. Some of the contractors gave discounts since it was a community project. And if anyone ever put a dollar figure to the volunteer hours that the Project Committee spent planning and overseeing this project, the price tag would be high indeed.  A job well done ! Merry Christmas to ALL who participated and to all who read this posting.