Tree with real character

The old twisted tree that will live on top of the mountain in the Cultus Lake Adventure park is the old lady tree. About seventy feet away in the Giggle Ridge Adventure Golf the old man tree lives on Giggle Mountain where he's been for almost fourteen years.

As I reported previously Peter has been busy welding the new tree and this past week the crew has been busy applying the mesh with a little still to go. Peter had a little time Friday afternon and so started the application and carving of the fiberglass reinforced concrete. He started with the face of the tree as the style done there will determine how the rest of the tree is done. We were looking for a realistic texture with an over the top feel and a definite cartoon bent. I think we are on the right track! As you come into the park from the east gate this is the view you will see.

The old lady tree will be facing the old man tree and so this view will be seen from the north. The face will peek between the roots which flank the face like an unkempt hairdo. Those who are observant will be rewarded with this toothless smile.

I can hardly wait to see this whole thing come together! Stay tuned...

 -grampa dan

Moving a mountain

We finished the mountain top piece just after we installed the ligthouse on Friday. The mountain top was the biggest and heaviest piece we ever finished inside the shop. I knew it would be a big challenge to move. We hooked up the tractor to give it a tug and sure enough it wouldn't budge. It was time for plan 'B'. We jacked up the rear of the feature and slid a pallet jack underneath. Our reasoning was that the wheels on the back of the massive piece would cut the drag resistance by half. But it also raised the piece enough to make it a very tight fit through the door. Brando steered the pallet jack at the rear while I would do my best to guide it up front.

Hailey and Sarah were spotters on both sides to make sure we cleared the doorway and I began to pull once more. Slowly we eased it out of the shop with fractions of an inch of clearance on both sides. I love it when a plan comes together!

The piece will stay in the criveway just out of the shop until the tree is also done. Both pieces are too large to lift with the neighbor Gord's little forklift. Instead we'll use a crane and lowbed to do the task as soon as the building is up. It shouldn't be more than two weeks before that happens. With the giant piece now out of the shop there was suddenly a whole lot more room inside. That meant we could rearrange everything and also bring in another structural frame. We'll begin the process of welding up another armature for another sculpted piece. We now have the balloon, the old lady tree and the balloon basket under way as well as an assortment of attraction signs. It is going to another very busy week! Stay tuned...

-grampa dan

Light house install

When I arrived at the worksite this morning the crew was eagerly awaiting. The zoom boom was warmed up and the snorkel lift was ready to go. It was the long awaited install day for the light house. We unhooked the straps from the trailer and began the lift. The bottom section was lifted and carefully aligned with the base and the crew inside bolted it down.

Then the top section of the light house was hooked up and lifted into position. I was in the basket of the snorkel lift to help align the sections.

The final task was to unhook the zoom boom, twist out the lifting eye bolt and twist in the goose weather vane.

With the addition of the light house, the site instantly changed. It was transformed from a normal construction site to the beginnings of a theme park. 

As I left the site I stopped on the road for an instant and took this wide angle shot of Cultus Lake Adventure Park. It looks pretty cool as the various elements are beginning to come together. Just behind the blue bumper boat pool the island is now almost ready for us to begin the theming magic. That will start next week. To the right you can see the sloping walkway that houses the caves we are currently working on. In the background the framing for the concession is quickly being assembled. This will all be hidden by the mountain when we are done. The mountain top and giant tree that will sit on top are currently being polished off in our shop. It is only a couple of weeks more before the giant ferris wheel begins to rise behind the building.

Although the weather was not pleasant today it was still a very good day!

-grampa dan