Hours before I began to write this column, I was backing my car into a parking spot at church. Just ahead of me was an older garage on the church campus that was being remodeled. New vinyl siding is being installed, and my guess is all of the trim is going to be wrapped in pre-painted aluminum coil stock.

New trim boards had been installed around the garage door because the remodeler had enlarged the opening. I was aghast to see he had placed the bare cedar trim boards in direct contact with the asphalt paving and the soil at the building corner. In his defense, this garage had been built too low to the ground decades ago.

I think the original builder has just poured a concrete slab just an inch above the ground around the garage. Such a sad mistake (as Queen Cersei says to Lord Stark in "A Game of Thrones").

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My sweet wife had walked ahead to get out of the blazing sun as I stopped and took photographs and looked closely at what was going on. As I turned and walked across the macadam driveway, my tiny gray cells started to fire off, asking all sorts of rhetorical questions:

My mind then drifted to how lucky I was to grow up in Cincinnati, surrounded by older homes built by builders and carpenters who treated their trade as a vocation, not a job. They passed down to apprentices decades of building experience and what they knew about how to prevent wood rot.

One building technique you'll often see in older homes, and I'm referring to ones built it the late 1800s and early 1900s, is the top of the foundation was often two or more feet above the ground. This kept the wood siding well out of the splash zone of falling rain.

This technique also saved money on excavation, as the basement holes didn't have to be as deep. Tall foundations like this also had room for operating windows to be incorporated into the foundation, allowing ventilation and light into the basement spaces.

By the time I was at the church door, I was relating all of this to the current building code. I then thought about the great writing of J.R.R. Tolkien in his "Lord of the Rings" book series. He wrote, "And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the ring passed out of all knowledge."

So much accumulated building knowledge is taking the path of the ring. The current building code allows wood siding to be extremely close to the grade around homes. I constantly do phone consultations with people that have water streaming into their homes because the top of the foundation is far too close to the ground. When this happens, it can be hard to achieve great sloping positive drainage away from a foundation.

I thought about some landscapers and clueless homeowners who pile mulch up in planting beds, creating dams that allow water to leak into homes.

I pondered why grade schools and high schools don't teach home improvement and the basic science of what is going on inside and outside your home. Can you imagine the magic of doing a year-long experiment in grade school where children just take untreated pieces of lumber and lay them on the ground for months? In the spring they examine them and note how they've started to rot.

If you feel the same way I do about all of this, it's time for you to get active. Once a month you need to attend your school board meetings and speak about this void in the curriculum. Give real-life examples of why boys and girls all need to be taught how things work in and around homes. This knowledge is invaluable.

It's unacceptable that all of this cumulative knowledge might shift from history, to legend, to myth. This is why every word I've ever written is stored on my AsktheBuilder.com website. It's there for you and for all those unborn in the future so what I know does not pass out of all knowledge.

Subscribe to Tim's free newsletter at AsktheBuilder.com. Tim now does livestreaming video at 4 p.m. Monday thru Friday at youtube.com/askthebuilder.

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Ask the Builder: Lost building secrets that prevent wood rot - Citrus County Chronicle

In a sobering trend for homeowners, natural disasters are getting costlier, stronger and more frequent. Eight of the nine costliest wildfires on record have blazed since 2017, the Insurance Information Institute says. In Hurricane Alley, five of the six most devastating hurricanes to hit the U.S. have made landfall in the past decade. And three of the six nastiest tornado outbreaks on record have occurred since 2019.

Why is the toll from wildfires, storms and other catastrophes rising? Disaster experts point to a combination of changing weather patterns warmer waters in the tropics mean more intense storms, while drier conditions in fire country feed wildfires and to development patterns that bring more people than ever to live in disaster-prone areas.

In California and other parts of the West, soaring home values have pushed more people to seek out affordability by living in fire country. Historically, these areas were prone to burn, but more people are living there, says Robert Hartwig, director of the Center for Risk and Uncertainty Management at the University of South Carolina.

The trend is similar in hurricane-prone areas. Florida and other coastal states have seen continued population growth for decades. That simply means more people in harms way, Hartwig says.

Indeed, more than a quarter of Americans live in three states California, Texas and Florida that are nearly synonymous with natural-disaster risk. Here are some of the most catastrophic events that can strike a home, plus strategies for protecting your property.

Unfortunately, devastating wildfires have grown common in recent years. The worst was Northern Californias Camp Fire in 2018. That inferno killed 85 people, destroyed 14,000 homes and caused insured losses estimated at more than $10 billion.The map of fire-prone areas overlaps with many of the nations hottest housing markets: California, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho and Nevada all have experienced sharp increases in home prices in recent years. The housing affordability squeeze has boosted demand for properties in new suburbs and exurbs. Increasingly, those developments are in fire-prone canyons.

California officials have responded to the risk of fires by making building codes stricter. The new rules require such features as double-paned or multi-paned windows with tempered glass, metal screens over vents and fire-rated roofs. During the Camp Fire, 51 percent of houses built to the tougher standards remained standing. Only 18 percent of homes not built to the new fire code survived, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Homeowners in fire country should be sure to have ample space between their homes and clear any vegetation in their yards, Hartwig says. That sort of maintenance makes it harder for a wildfire to reach the house. Meanwhile, insurers have begun to avoid wood-shingle homes, and new houses are being built with more metal and less wood.

For older homes not built with fire safety in mind, the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes offers this list of upgrades:

Tornadoes are especially terrifying for homeowners because they can materialize so suddenly, and destroy so thoroughly, packing winds in excess of 100 or even 200 miles per hour. The most powerful storms can have gusts as high as 318 mph, according to the Fujita Scale, which measures the intensity of tornadoes on a scale of EF0 to EF5.

In 2021, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recorded 1,376 tornadoes in the United States that claimed 103 lives, up from 1,082 storms and 76 deaths in 2020.

Tornadoes can happen just about anywhere, and almost without notice wide swaths of the Midwest, Southeast and Mountain West have been hit by damaging twisters. Insured losses from tornadoes in the U.S. average about $17 billion each year, nearly equal to the losses incurred by hurricanes, the Insurance Information Institute reports.

Its practically impossible to build a home that can withstand an EF-4 or EF-5 tornado, Hartwig says. Youre talking about winds approaching 200 mph and a tremendous amount of flying debris. Its more about protecting your life and your family at that point.

The risk that any given house will be leveled is low enough that homeowners in Tornado Alley typically dont harden their homes with impact-resistant windows and roof tie-downs. But one thing you can do to protect yourself is build a safe room in the house. These structures are bunkers built of concrete or steel and located away from windows and exterior walls. The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes estimates the cost at $3,000 to $9,500.

Unlike tornadoes, hurricanes give homeowners plenty of advance warning. Property owners in coastal areas of Florida, Texas, Louisiana and the Carolinas know theyre at risk, and the storms themselves typically form days before hitting land.

Property insurers, building officials and homeowners were put on alert three decades ago when Hurricane Andrew struck near Miami. Andrews $16 billion in damage ($30.8 billion in 2021 dollars) made it the costliest storm ever to hit the U.S. Andrew ushered in a new era of costly storms six major hurricanes since 1992 have eclipsed its toll, according to the Insurance Information Institute, most notably the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.In the days and weeks after Andrew, photos of wrecked, shoddily built suburban homes spurred local and state officials to harden building codes. These days, new homes in Florida are built with a variety of hurricane-resistant features the shells are concrete block rather than wood, windows are either impact-resistant or protected by storm shutters, garage doors are heavily reinforced, roof lines are designed to be aerodynamic.

Over the past 30 years, Florida has made enormous strides, Hartwig says. More recent homes built to more stringent standards do indeed withstand hurricane winds better than older homes.

Meanwhile, soaring premiums for windstorm insurance in Florida all but force owners of older homes to make upgrades. Homeowners can earn discounts on their windstorm policies by installing shutters or hurricane-rated windows, by adding roof tie-downs and by upgrading to garage doors and sliding-glass doors that meet the high standards of Floridas building code.

The U.S. has been spared a major earthquake since 1994, when the Northridge Earthquake caused $44 billion in property damage in Southern California. But severe earthquakes have continued to devastate other parts of the world, serving as a reminder that this risk remains very real.

The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes and the Insurance Information Institute suggest these improvements to homes near fault lines:

Flooding is tricky: If your house is in a flood zone, theres not much you can do to harden it. In many beach communities, homes are built on stilts to raise the living areas out of harms way in case of storm surges.

But there is something homeowners should do: buy flood insurance. Private insurers long ago stopped insuring against rising waters, outsourcing that responsibility to the federal government. The National Flood Insurance Program is the only provider of flood policies.

Yet many homeowners are unaware of this reality, realizing only after a flood that they arent insured. The biggest mistake people make is not purchasing a flood policy, Hartwig says.

If your property is in a high-risk flood zone and you have a mortgage, the lender will compel you to buy coverage. If youre in a lower-risk area, flood insurance is optional, but definitely worth considering.

Thunderstorms might sound like small potatoes compared to the disasters listed above. But lightning strikes are no joke. Homeowners insurers paid out $1.3 billion for lightning damage in 2021, per the Insurance Information Institute.

The costliest damage comes from fires caused by lighting. However, homeowners can also suffer losses from power surges caused by lightning. New homes are equipped with a type of surge protection known as a ground fault circuit interruptor, or GFCI. If your house has an older electrical system, its worth hiring an electrician to add one.

It can be installed relatively inexpensively, Hartwig says. You should have a surge protector to protect your electronics. Thats become even more important as more people are working from home, and have even more electronics.

Natural disasters like wildfires, hurricanes, and earthquakes can be devastating for homeowners, and climate change is making them ever more destructive. But there are ways to protect yourself, and your real estate investment including specific insurance policies and home upgrades that make a home better able to weather the storm.

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Homes that can withstand hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters - Bankrate.com

American Framing, an exhibition now on view until July 30 at Wrightwood 659 in Chicago, is on a missiontwo, to be preciseit concisely tells the history of softwood construction in the United States and through its original installation triggers our imagination for how this ubiquitous building system that rarely deviates from reliable building industry standards could be diversified and reinvented by architects and homeowners. In late June, while visiting the city, I had a chance to attend this beautifully assembled provocative show.

Right upon entering this Tadao Ando-designed private gallery in Lincoln Park, which since 2018 consistently has been staging the most photogenic exhibitions focused on architecture and socially engaged art, visitors are greeted by a full-scale exposed wood-frame structure made up of standard studs and beams. The frame, a trapezoid in its plan, takes much of the perimeter of the gallerys soaring three-story atrium formed between a gorgeous amber-colour brick window wall on one side and an object-like exposed concrete stair on the other. The frame is topped by an inverted gable roof that either did not fit in its traditionally upright position under the buildings own roof or intentionally was turned upside down to try something extraordinarily novel.

What looks like an unfinished single-room house can be entered through a wide portal. A few pairs of Shaker-inspired chairs designed by Chicago-based design collective Norman Kelley and made from2 x 4 (5 cm x 10 cm) wood studs with varying degrees of finish and assembly are congregated in corners and provide a welcoming repose for visitors and a chance to calmly inspect the frame from within. Lit from every direction, it appears to be airy and graceful, even though it is unpretentiously rough in how its parts are nailed together. Look up and you may think you are looking down on what could be a typical American house right before being covered by amundane asphalt shingles roof. And when you look down at it from the top of the stair it may seem as if you are looking up to the ceiling from the inside. This ambiguous playfulness encourages us to think not merely about what meets the eye but what a typical house potentially could be if we were not as conservative when it comes to building a family house.

The exhibition continues on the third floor, adjacent to the top of the stair, and is sandwiched between other simultaneously held exhibitions on the floors directly below and above. The third-floor gallery features several structural scale models of historical wood-framed buildingsa round barn, a church, a suburban house, and a tiny doghouseall reproduced by students at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Architecture (UIC), benches designed by local architect Ania Jaworska, and a series of photographs by visual artist Daniel Shea and photographer Chris Strong. These process-depicting photos illustrate various wooded scenes in North America; they document the techniques, contexts, and labour that typically goes into fabricating the wood framing.

This open-plan gallery, distinguished by an elegant stair in the back that leads to the top floor, is now enclosed and framed by a straight open-stud wall that brings here the aesthetics from the structure in the atrium. The see-through wall contextualises the material on display and, in a way, brings closer the refined gallery space and the construction industry matters that are questioned here. Some images are attached directly to the studs. Being visible from both sides they are turned into curious artifacts. Many other photographs that hang on white walls are uniquely framed and can also be viewed as three-dimensional objects; one has a corner that splits open, another has a corner missing, and yet another one has its bottom edge peeling down. These provocatively artistic frames send a messageexpect the unexpected and although all building components in the show are standard, they can be put together in a myriad of distinctive and artistic ways.

A few annotations throughout the gallery provide a bare minimum of factual information about the wood-frame construction that originated in the early 19th century and is still widely used today. In fact, this method of wood-house building technique represents more than 90 per cent of all single-family house construction in the United States. An abundance of southern pine and Douglas fir forests and simplicity and speed of construction make it possible to assemble wood framing easily, quickly, and economically, particularly because its construction relies on unskilled labour and the most readily available building components in the country2 x 4 (5 cm x 10 cm) and 2 x 6 (5 cm x 15 cm) wooden studs.

Yet, however, ingenious, egalitarian, and so emblematic of one-to-three-story America, this building technique is quite banal as it typically falls into a very limited and predictable range of formal expressions and is entirely covered by tiresome vinyl siding that comes in a selection of colours thats just as dull. By removing all these layers of finishes, the shows curatorsarchitects Paul Andersen and Paul Preissnerfocus our attention on the hidden beauty and the potential of this overlooked but very flexible and potentially handsome building system, if only more creativity was applied. It is necessary to mention that both curators head their own practicesAndersen in Denver and Preissner in Chicagoand they teach at the already mentioned UIC, which cooperated with Wrightwood 659 on putting together this show.

The exhibition in Chicago was originally made possible by The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the US Department of State, and the University of Illinois Chicago for presentation at the US Pavilion at the last years 17th Venice Architecture Biennalewhere it was curated and designed by the same team. Having visited that exhibition as well I would add that it was among my favourite national pavilion presentations, both for its bold visual impact and the ambitious goal of the curators to revitalise Americas huge home-building industry. The wood frame there transformed the building by obscuring it entirely from its familiar neoclassical faade and the exhibition itself declared its intention to transform the most common building practice in the curators home country. This was the premise for both shows. In Venice, however, the result was more refined, both in its striking design and execution. The curators installation was built as a building addition that could be climbed extensively, reaching different levels and enabling visitors to see the original pavilion and territory around it in entirely new ways.

In contrast, the Chicago iteration is about the object itself and interacting with it purely visually. Still, it succeeds in making quite an impression due to the gallerys own layered design. It is a building within a buildinga newly constructed interior placed within the shell of a historical building. This means that the new frame is inserted within two other buildings; all three are wonderfully intertwined. Both in Venice and Chicago, the temporary interventions radically transformed their mother buildingsin Venice from the outside and in Chicago from within. It may be suggested that the curators used these two historical buildings as metaphors, meaning that what they really intended to challenge was the wood-frame building industry itself. And they have done it from two different endsby transforming these buildings and by exposing the structures that they used in the process.

However, what remains unexplored in both exhibitions is the analysis of relevant precedents of engaging with standard wood frames by architects. We are not presented with any such interventions other than by the curators themselves. Yet, it is an array of examples from different times and regions that could provide a meaningful cross-section for potential directions in terms of challenging the expected geometry of forms, the solidity of walls and roofs, or, for example, mixing wood with other materials. It is by comparing and contrasting these unorthodox case studies, either subtle or cutting-edge, that the building industry can be truly reinvented. That challenge is the curators homework for all practicing architects, which is to work creatively around all standards, whatever they may be.

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'American Framing' challenges the wood-frame construction traditions by exposing it - STIRworld

Dom Construction is a specialty contractor firm specializing in siding installation. In a recent update, the agency shared the benefits of hiring professional siding contractors.

SeaTac, WA In a website post, Dom Construction has shared the benefits of hiring professionalSeaTac sidingcontractors.

Contractors help save time on remodeling projects because they use a team to complete the job quickly. Further, they already have all the tools needed to install your siding and the professional training to utilize them effectively. Experienced contractors know the best time of day to install the siding and what to do in cases of inclement weather.

Siding SeaTacprofessionals will install the siding correctly without issues. Customers will need to know how to clean and maintain the homes siding after finishing the work. The better the owner takes care of the siding, the longer it will last. Most siding lasts 20 years or more with proper care.

When a client consults experts, they benefit from their knowledge and expertise. Professionals can answer customers questions and help them decide the right type of siding to install. Of course, it can be difficult to make the right choices, especially with the many choices and a limited budget. The professionalsiding contractor in SeaTacalso advises on the legal and license matters that the local authority requires adherence to.

About Dom Construction

DOM Construction is a Seattle-based specialty contractor firm focusing on siding installation. The agency is dedicated to using the finest products and artisans. They bring over 25 years of experience to every job and custom design. The team provides siding for new construction or remodeling in commercial and residential applications. And the biggest assurance is that they will deliver quality work on time.

Media ContactCompany Name: Dom ConstructionContact Person: Larry BauschEmail: Send EmailPhone: (206) 870-0329Address:19600 Des Moines Memorial Dr City: SeaTacState: WACountry: United StatesWebsite: https://domconstruction.com/

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Dom Construction Highlights the Benefits of Hiring Professional Siding Contractors - Digital Journal

Sault Ste. Maries Home Siding Shops services and expertise go far beyond home siding

A few months shy of their twentieth anniversary, Home Siding Shop has become a trusted name for home exterior products and installation in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

In 2002, Home Siding Shop was founded by cousins Rocky and Dennis Lethbridge. Over the years, Rockys children as well as Dennis, have contributed to the family business. Current office staff includes owners Rocky and Dennis Lethbridge, Bob Ralph (sales), and Dennis children Dan Lethbridge (sales) and Cassandra Lethbridge (controller) at their shop located on 471 Korah Road.

Home Siding Shop is a family run business through-and-through, with staff only selling high-quality products they would use for their own homes.

When asked if they would be celebrating their twenty year anniversary in the new year, Rocky Lethbridge shared that the focus now is to simply getting back to serving the needs of customers post-lockdown.

We have a big showroom, so were able to display a lot. Rocky Lethbridge shared. Were always keeping up with what people want as far as colours and styles. The showroom helps customers see that in person, and get a feel for what they like and are looking for. We make sure we have everything on display and available. He elaborated, when asked about new home exterior trends.

Dont let the name fool you, Home Siding Shop offers many products and services outside of their recognized and respected home siding products and installation. Windows, doors, roofing, garage doors, awnings, eavestrough, soffit and fascia, are all offered with careful, quality home installation.

When asked how she feels Home Siding Shop is viewed by the public, Controller Cassandra Lethbridge shared, We are a locally owned business that you can rely on.

The rest is here:
Spotlight: Twenty years and one pandemic later, this local business continues to put customers first - SooToday

PEG Developments estimated the innovative shell for the building would speed up construction of the nine storey, 172 room hotel by upwards of ten weeks.

Robertson said having the panels built and fitted off-site streamlines installation.

It accelerates the construction process and basically eliminates construction waste on the site as well, Robertson said the the alternative to concrete siding.

Vancouver based Nexii Building Solutions is partnering with a Vancouver Island company to manufacture their panels throughout the Island, Robertson said.

Demand for their environmentally friendly panels is high, particularly in British Columbia.

Most people dont know that buildings are even worse than transportation for climate pollution and we have to fix that, Robertson said.

The Courtyard by Marriott hotel is scheduled to be completed later this year, which the City said aligns with its 10-year property tax exemption incentive offered for new and significantly renovated hotels.

Construction crews arrived on scene late in 2019 to ensure a building permit deadline did not lapse.

A new hotel beside the publicly owned conference centre is seen is integral to maximizing economic benefits of the facility.

Several unsuccessful suitors produced plans to build a hotel near the conference centre, but none came to fruition until shovels hit the ground with the current PEG Developments project.

The $22 million hotel will include a pool, lounge and fitness centre.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes

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Innovative green technology fast-tracks long-awaited Nanaimo hotel - Nanaimo News NOW

RICHMOND, Ind. Richmond's parks enjoyed so many 2021success that they didn't really fit into a top 10 list.

Parks Superintendent Denise Retz highlighted those successes Monday to Richmond Common Council. She labelled it a top 10 list, but with a 3.5, 4.5 and a 5.5, it really became a baker's dozen list that also included multiple entries under some categories.

The support and the generosity that we continue to receive in this community is very humbling, and we just cant thank the community enough for all the support they give the parks department," Retz said. "The parks team continues to amaze me. They power through low manpower and high expectations each and every day, and they are doing a wonderful job.

The presentation came just a few days after the city's Board of Public Works and Safety approved two contracts with Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group to develop a Farmers Market Strategic Plan and a Whitewater Gorge Activation Plan. Both plans are part of the parks Master Plan and show the department's commitment to implementing that plan.

I just couldnt be happier with the current condition and the current outlook for our entire parks department, Mayor Dave Snow said.

He also thanked parks team members for their hard work as well as council members and parks board members for their support.

I dont have to tell community members as you go around: Our parks are just in beautiful, thriving condition," he said. "We are seeing growth in every one of our beautiful 19 city parks.

Richmond Farmers Market was listed as No. 2 on Retz's 2021 list and occupies some of the future focus. Among vendors who report weekly sales, they have accumulated nearly $290,000 in sales this year compared to about $200,000 in sales during 2020. The Reid Double Dollars program that doubles the buying power of SNAP money at the market has resulted in $60,107 spent this year compared to $39,634 last year.

The market is doing great things right now," Retz said. "We are in a very good place. We dont want it to be stagnant. We want to continue to press forward and grow, so we need to know where we are, where weve been and then where were going to go from here.

The Winter Farmers Market in the Starr Gennett Building shows one use of theWhitewater Gorge Park that stretches along the Whitewater River from Test to Waterfall roads. Using the river, which will flow more freely after the removal of Weir Dam,and that park for more recreation and to generate income is a major focus.

In fact, the project was accepted as one of about 50 included in the eight-county East Central Indiana Regional Partnership's proposal for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation's Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative. The regional group was awarded $15 million from the state's American Rescue Plan Act money.

The Whitewater Gorge Activation Plan will be focusing on the gorge initiative and activating the gorge to make it a phased approach how we can get funding and make it a place where we can continue to recreate, preserve, maintain and highlight what all it has to offer," Retz said.

The plan will incorporate new ideas, such as a river walk, ziplining and boating along with existing assets such as the Starr Gennett Building, Walk of Fame, trails and Veterans Memorial Park. Retz said the plan is about using the water as a resource and "seeinghow these things can actually function for us as a city to make more of a destination area in the gorge.

Having that project accepted into the READI application was part of Retz's No. 1 success for 2021: celebrations. The category also included the 60th anniversary of the city's senior center and a Community Improvement Award from the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce honoring the winterization of the Starr Gennett Building.

Retz also highlighted grants and donations totaling$130,528.17 that were supplemented by an additional $101,815.67 from Wayne County Foundation's Challenge Match.

Following the Farmers Market at No. 2, Retz highlighted volunteers at No. 3 on her list. The parks department received help from two deployments of AmeriCorps workers and has applied for a 2022 deployment. There also were cleanup days at the gorge, Middlefork Reservoir and Glen Miller Park, as well as organized volunteer efforts from 3Rivers, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Ivy Tech Community College, Seton Catholic school and Central United Methodist Church.

At 3.5, Retz highlighted revenue increases. The parks department began an online reservation system for rentals of things like shelters. There were 982 online rentals that increased revenue $18,345.98. At Middlefork, there were 481 boat rentals that boosted revenue $5,0049.09.

Highland Lake Golf Course will celebrate its 50th anniversary during 2022, and its successes during 2022 were No. 4 for Retz. The course'srevenue increased $50,000, withmemberships rising 40% and food and beverage sales increasing9%.

Improvements at the course included the irrigation system, tree and stump removal, new tee signs, new ball washers, newtrash cans and a new tee box for the first hole.

The 4.5 on Retz's list was theSpringwood Enhancement Project. The park on Waterfall Road received a makeover that includes the building of Springwood Chapel that can be rented for weddings and other services and as an outdoor classroom. In addition, trails werecleared, a boardwalk built over wetlands, the pavilion interior was painted, 250 trees were planted and new outdoor lights installed.

In 2022, more trails and siding and windows for the pavilion are planned at Springwood.

New gardens and landscaping ranked No. 5 for 2021. New landscaping and a serenity garden were installed at the senior center and a sensory garden at Clear Creek, plus work around Middlefork Reservoir's bathroom and deck and Highland Lake's tee signs. It also includes the flowers forming "It's Spring," "Richmond" and "It's Fall Y'all" messages along U.S. 40 in Glen Miller Park.

We get more and more calls and letters about these message boards on 40, so we thank our floral crew for that, Retz said.

Retz highlighted successful and safe events at 5.5 on her list. The parks department hosted more than 55 events, including a drive-through egg hunt, Just Us Kids Outdoors, father/daughter and mother/son events, Middlefork Family Day, Halloween Howl, Veterans Parade, Frostbite 5K and Celebration of Lights.

New buildings and rehabbed roofs sit at No. 6 on the list. A new shelter that seats 60 was built in Glen Miller Park, and a new pole barn at the greenhouse improves storage. New roofs were put on the C&O Depot, the Bicentennial garage and three Middlefork Reservoir buildings. In addition, new shade sails are available for Elstro Plaza.

During 2021, the parks department celebrated openings of the Riverside Heritage Trail and the Whitewater Gorge Connector Trail, the City Bike Park at Freeman Park, new walkways at Richmond Rose Garden, the Mary Scott Community Orchard, a Negro League baseball marker at Glen Miller Park and a new playground and landscaping at Starr Park. Those rank No. 7.

The installation of security at Clear Creek and Elstro Plaza occupies No. 8 on Retz's list. Five of the city's 19 parks are now better protected with this ongoing project.

The parks department's greenhouse became a certified composting facility, one of only two in Richmond, and Izzi Wilhelm became a certified arborist. Those certifications placed ninth among 2021's successes.

At No. 10 is arts and culture. The parks department hosts Art in Parks and Art Along Main, while partnering with Richmond Symphony Orchestra for the RSO Music Garden in Glen Miller Park.

Council members were complimentary and appreciative of Retz and the parks department following the presentation.

I know the park team is strong. I believe in our parks, and I think our parks are beautiful," Bill Engle said. "It takes great leadership to get there, and I think youve done a great job. Thank you.

Jane Bumbalough added: I would like to tell you also, Denise, I thank you for everything that you do. You do a fantastic job. I am so thankful that you are part of the leadership team here in Richmond.

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Richmond Parks Department bursting with successes, future plans - Palladium-Item

Your home is one of the biggest investments you will ever make, and products like house siding, gutters and roofing are some of your first lines of defense in protecting your home from heavy weather, rot, and even rodents. So, when you choose an exterior for your home, you want to be sure youre getting a durable product that will protect your house from the harsh Midwest elements while enhancing the value and appearance of your home. At ABC Seamless, we sell and install a wide range of products, from house siding to gutters, which are superior in quality, durability,and beauty to virtually any other products on the market.

Most home improvement companies offer wood or vinyl house siding, asphalt roofing, and other products made with materials that are prone to warping, fading, and cracking. Plus, most of those other products need constant painting, replacing, and maintenance! At ABC Seamless, we manufacture our products and they are made of steel. Steel offers superior protection from moisture, wind, and other elements and can last indefinitely. Additionally, our steel products feature a chip- and fade-resistant coating, so our house siding, roofing, and gutters are maintenance free.

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Siding Omaha & Lincoln, Windows, Sunrooms | ABC Seamless ...

When the weather gets cool and your heater is working overtime, you might be in the market for new windows or siding to protect your home.

Family owned and operated company Lakeside Renovation & Design is an employee based company with a lot of in-house skilled carpenters and craftsmen. They perform work on installing windows, siding and even carpentry projects. busy on the job- installing new windows and siding on this home.

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HARTZLER WILLIAM D. HARTZLER Bill was born August 9, 1925, and died on December 13, 2019, at home in his sleep, with his beloved wife of 43 years Kathryn by his side. Bill went to Clinton, MO High School, played the clarinet in the school band and the town band, and graduated in 1943. Like other red-blooded boys of the time, after graduation he signed up for the military to fight in WW II. He chose the Navy and was accepted into a pilot training program. He flew all the great old planes of that time, such as the Corsair, but the war ended before he got the chance to go overseas. The Navy asked him to stay in the service and continue flying; it was very tempting, but he wanted to go to college, so turned down the offer. With the help of the G.I. Bill, he attended Central Methodist College in Fayette, MO, where he graduated in three years, majoring in history and government and minoring in French. After graduation in 1948, he headed to New York to attend Columbia University, where he earned his Master's degree in International Affairs. He began his career with the Government in 1951 with the Air Force Office of Intelligence in Washington, DC, and in 1961 transferred to the Air Battle Analysis Division, which became the USAF Assistant Chief of Staff, Studies and Analysis, where he served until his retirement, at which he was awarded the Air Force's highest honor given to civilians, the Meritorious Civilian Service medal. Music was always a big part of Bill's life, especially choral music. Central Methodist had a conservatory and he was recruited to sing tenor in the A Capella Choir and enjoyed touring with them throughout Missouri. Here he was inducted into the national honorary music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He continued singing his whole life -- in the church choir and for 22 years in the Paul Hill Chorale's seasons at the Kennedy Center, Wolftrap, and, yes, even Carnegie Hall. Besides work and singing, Bill had other talents. He was a very talented do-it-yourselfer who could-and did-do framing, drywalling, electricity, plumbing, ceramic tiling, and wood flooring; putting up siding; installing windows and doors; and of course "minor" projects like painting and wallpapering. He built an addition to his house solo. He was a member of his church for more than 60 years, serving as a deacon and in many other roles. He also was involved in community affairs, serving as an election officer for more than 20 years, as PTA president at Woodburn School, on the boards of the Holmes Run Acres Civic Association and the HRARA Pool, and as a swim team referee. In addition to all that, he and Kathryn hosted over several years the teenagers of five families--two French, two German, and one Swiss-Slovenian to improve their English and experience America. They and these families have visited back and forth with each other for the past 40 years and become close friends. His degree in International Affairs came in handy after all! He is survived by children Mark Hartzler (Christi), Bruce Hartzler, Lynne Hartzler, Wendy Hush (Lee); stepson Sean Magee; eight grandchildren; sister Dorothy Harryman (Willard); and his first wife Connie Sanford. He is predeceased by two sisters, Helen Collins and Mary Catherine Barnett. A service will be held Saturday, November 6, 2021, 11:30 a.m., Little River United Church of Christ, 8410 Little River Tpke, Annandale, VA. Please wear a mask.A service will be held Saturday, November 6, 2021, 11:30 a.m., Little River United Church of Christ, 8410 Little River Tpke, Annandale, VA. Please wear a mask.

Published by The Washington Post on Oct. 31, 2021.

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WILLIAM HARTZLER Obituary (1925 - 2021) - Washington, DC - The Washington Post - Legacy.com