Submitted photo All but one wall of the Dry Fork Recreation Center’s new community building is now standing. Workers installed insulation throughout the interior of the metal structure and the final wall will be placed after the floor is finished. Once operational, the building will contain a gymnasium, kitchen, bathrooms, bathrooms and other facilities.
HARMAN — After hitting a minor bump in the road when it came to construction of the Dry Fork Recreation Center, officials said things appear to be falling into place for the major project.
Ongoing construction of the center’s new community building was recently postponed due to the unavailability of companies to install the 90×100 steel structure.
But in early August, Dry Fork Recreation Center President Rex Vance identified a company in Pennsylvania that could do the work. Now the steel building is nearing completion.
“Most of the structure is standing now, but we had to leave one end open so we could get in there and tidy up the floor.” Vance told the Inter-Mountain on Monday. “It’s going to be a beautiful building when we’re done with it. It cost us a little more because we couldn’t find anyone to do it and we had to go out of state to get someone.”
Trust Steel Erectors of Zelenople, Pennsylvania, is working on the facility, which has an estimated total cost of $350,000. The Randolph County Commission supported the project with $250,000, while the center raised $100,000.
“In the spring we put up the footer and put up the walls to get it out of the ground.” Vance said. “We got all that done and laid the stones to pour the concrete, but we decided to heat the floors, which created wrinkles in what we were doing. Suddenly, he had someone to build the structure, so we had to stop the floor plan.
When completed, the new building, located on the center’s land behind the old mill off Route 32, will use ground heat to heat the facility, something Vance said will save the organization money.
“They say it’s the cheapest way and it’s better in the long run because it’s more efficient and everything.” Vance said about the heating. “We are going to give it a try and now we just need to try to raise more money to help complete it.”
Once operational, the building will be home to a new health and fitness centre. It will contain a gymnasium, kitchen, showers, bathrooms and many other facilities.
Ground was broken on the Dry Fork Recreation Center in 1997 and began with a baseball field, softball field, and concession stand. Each year something is added to the center, which is a fall location on Dryfork every fall.
This year’s event will take place on October 14 and will include a pork roast and a chicken roast. The ever-popular apple butter and cider at this event will be made on site and will be available for purchase.
For more information about this fall on Dryfork, call 304-227-4124.
(tags for translation) Local News