The story below is by Kay Heggie.
It’s an exciting time at the Old Cathedral downtown, as Naseth Construction from Fargo begins construction this week. The project is sealing the roof structures from the elements. The scope of work includes reconstructing the two flat sacristy roofs, inspection, and replacement of lost shingles, flashing’s, mortar, and steeple reinforcement. Dale Hulst Electric quickly got the temporary service installed last week so Naseth can start. The reconstruction of the sacristy roofs will start now, and the rest will start in spring. Safety will be our number one concern, so please stay out of harm’s way while watching the work.
The project which was to start last spring was delayed because of several roadblocks, which we, (Prairie Skyline Foundation) overcame. These included insurance negotiations, finding a new architect, and changing the bidding documents as we changed from our retired Architect to the new one, Michael J Burns Architects from Fargo. The project has been financed in part with funds provided by the State of Minnesota from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the Minnesota Historical Society. “This project has matching funds from the City in terms of sewer and water and building permits which is a big reason why we were fortunate to receive this grant,” said Kay Hegge, Board Chair of Prairie Skyline Foundation and serving as Project Director for the roofing project.
We also have committed to matching funds for restoring the oak flooring, although most of the work will be done by volunteers and possibly Sentence to Serve workers in the spring. Kay is no stranger to floor restoration having done Kay’s Attic’s floor in 2005 with Crookston Paint and Glass donating rental time on the sander. This time, however, we will be taking up the floor after sanding. “We want to get to the crawl space to clean it and fix any damage.” Said Kay. Some of the boards are damaged near the walls, so we need to find old oak replacements. And we will need to find some vintage fir boards for the balconies. We welcome donations of time and/or material plus committed volunteers who are willing to work on this project. It’s a big project and it will take a big-hearted community like Crookston to complete.
In the meantime, the project which is for a Community Center with Art and Heart will continue to proceed with raising funds for replacing and repairing windows. Dee, Inc. is one of our first $5,000 pledges towards “Adopting a Window.” Dee, Inc. has a reputation for innovation, and we wanted to let you know about their giving spirit. We thank them for their pledge! We will be acknowledging their gift by putting a bronze plate under the window of their choice. We hope many more businesses will be like Dee.
There are still many reasons to donate to the project. One of the main reasons to donate now is the fact that we need to replenish our contingency funds for problems that may arise during the roof inspection and for general operating funds as well.
Because every little bit counts, we have set up a website where you can text to donate. Check out our new sign in front of the Old Cathedral which says: “Text Castle to 44321 to Donate.” We will also be participating in “Give to the Max Day,” on Decem ber 3. Watch for it on facebook/CrookstonCathedral as you watch the construction.
