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Wednesday, December 20, 2006
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Rocked to its foundation Renovation of historic Gregory Park etched in stone Senior Reporter The historic Gregory Park fountain in Brainerd had its foundation rocked - literally.
Renovation efforts brought together generous donations of material as well as city and neighborhood funds. The joint goal covered the blue-painted cement fountain bowl with natural rock.
"It was the closest we could come to the river rock that is in the archway," said Laurie Murphy, president of the Brainerd Northside Neighborhood Association.
Mykel Barthel, owner of Erickson's Greenhouse in Brainerd and Cornerstone Quarry, cut his labor costs for the project. Al Steiff, owner of Northland Brick and Fireplace Supply in Baxter, donated all the stone, mortar and materials for the project.
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This month, the historic Gregory Park fountain in north Brainerd benefited from a renovation effort, which resulted in natural rock being used to cover the blue-painted cement bowl.
Brainerd Dispatch/Nels Norquist
» Purchase reprints of this photo.
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"That was a huge donation," Murphy said.
Donations of $2,500 from the city of Brainerd and $1,000 from the northside association and other miscellaneous funds from northside residents paid for installation costs.
"We wanted to do something that would impact the park and our neighborhood and show people we are not just a group that gets together to socialize," Murphy said. "We are a group that wants to give back to the community."
For more than two weeks earlier this month, scaffolding on wheels covered in a protective tarp traveled around the fountain's bowl. Weather marked by unseasonably warm temperatures took an unfortunate plunge below zero when the fountain work began. The cold temperatures doubled work times. The wind-whipped cold was so bitter materials froze at the edge of the tented sections.
The public nature of the work had neighbors peeking under the tarp.
"Nobody brought us any cookies, though," Barthel said with a laugh.
One caller, worried that vandals were drilling into the fountain, prompted a night-time visit by the Brainerd police. Slow drying times with the cold weather sometimes had workers from the small crew at the park until 9 p.m.
"It was a fun project," Barthel said. "It is always fun doing one right in the community."
But working on a historic landmark tends to add pressure.
"It's a little scary because you know you are on exhibit," Barthel said. "You really want every little part of it to be perfect. It was a fun project. I'm glad we did it."
Chipping rock to get it to fit just right sometimes left the workers wanting to pull their hair out.
The rock has colors of silver and gold. Barthel said they found a heart-shaped stone and placed it in front, where the fountain faces the park entrance.
"I think it really changed the whole entrance into the park there," Steiff said, adding it toned it down a bit and made the fountain more eye appealing.
Every year, Steiff's business donates materials to different causes. When the request came from the northside association, Steiff said he wholeheartedly agreed that the blue fountain bowl was not the best complement to the natural stone arches nearby.
Steiff said he expects the rock to last a long time.
"It's a great park," Steiff said. "Downtown, central core city parks are great things. You look at whoever designed that into the cityscape way back when, they didn't give in to the pressure of developing that and that is a great thing. We have to keep that in mind as we keep growing around here."
RENEE RICHARDSON can be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
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