Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
• Lots of that going on here
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Enlarge This Photo | Photo by GNG Gazette |
Now you see it.....
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Enlarge This Photo | Photo by GNG Gazette |
.....now you don't!
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Enlarge This Photo | Photo by GNG Gazette |
The journey to a new use.
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Enlarge This Photo | Photo by GNG Gazette |
At home....
Video by GNG Gazette
The Journey.
Oct 15, 2009 – Thanks to the generosity of Walter Hebold of Enercon Technologies, the Town of Gray is the recipient of one of our community's historic relics. The little building located across from McDonalds on Brown Street has had a varied history in the community.
We have information dating back to 1978 when Mike Liberty leased the building from Dan Prue who used to own Prue's Hardware in the big red brick adjacent building. Liberty, 17 years old at the time, paid $180 per month rent. "Liberty's Arcade + Sandwich Shop" had a fooz ball table, three pinball machines and a lunch counter. The menu: Italian sandwiches, meatball sandwiches and fried dough. Liberty worked 20 hours a day until the Valentes convinced him to go into real estate. The building was later the home of a barber shop, then a sports memorabilia shop, and lastly until just a few years ago it was the home of the Monument Newspaper. It has been vacant since the Monument was purchased by Current Publishing.
When we asked Mr. Hebold about future intentions for the property, he explained that there really aren't any at this point, but explained that since the building was not being utilized, and that there were no plans for its future, "Why have it sit there vacant if someone else might get some good use of it, why not recycle it", thus his offer to Gray. The structure met the approval of Gray Building and Community Development Administrator, Doug Webster and Code Official, Ryan Keith. Other than the relatively simple replacement of the sill plate and some paint, the building is in sound shape.
JP Beote won the bid to move the building and, along with a Sheriff's Deputy and Gray Fire and Rescue Staff as escorts, made the move at 9:00 AM, after all the school buses were done with the morning routes.
Since the load was too wide to use the northbound lane of Shaker Road near the median, the entourage traveled on the southbound side until it cleared the median. Overall the short trip up Route 26 was uneventful. Maneuvering into the yard at the transfer station was a sight to be seen. The movers backed the building into its new home with only inches of clearance at the gate. They made it look simple.
We met Transfer Station Manager, Randy Cookson and asked what his plans for the building are. He said that once the sill repairs are made, the building will become a swap shop where citizens will be encouraged to deposit their reusable cast-offs. Cookson plans on staffing the shop with volunteers. He emphasized that there will be no selling of items, that the building will simply serve as a way to keep swap--able items out of the elements in order that they can be re-used.
So, the little building made its journey to a new location at the Transfer Station where it will be 'recycled' and renewed to serve as a swap shop. With the help of volunteers, the swap shop will allow residents to recycle re-usable items for use by other members of the community.
