The official launch of our new Canal Boat is set for June 6, 2009 at the Canal Park
AND WE BEGIN THE CANAL ERA OVER AGAIN
Seems like a long time ago when the early Directors of the Wabash & Erie Canal Association answered this question: "Will you ever have a canal boat"? And of course the answer was always "yes, but we just don't know when." Well now we begin the countdown to June 6th.
After a contract letting in September, Michiana Contractors, Inc. from Plymouth have completed digging a big, deep hole in the bottom of the canal. It's the site for the canal boat's "warehouse" and is in the 1850s turning basin. A "widewater" where boats would have docked and loaded or unloaded their cargo.
This big hole was needed to remove the poor underlying soil material and rebuild the base with crushed stone. That compacted base now is the bottom level for the massive "U" shaped concrete foundation being formed. The shape depicts the "slip" that the replica boat will ride into when being stored.
This warehouse which should be completed by next June will protect the boat from the weather and will be used for mooring daily after carrying passengers. In the winter the boat will be raised up and above the ice indoors. The building will look much like a canalside warehouse of the 1850s.
Concrete being poured into foundation forms in the dry canal bottom. Washington St. stone arch bridge in the background.
Michiana Contracting, Inc., working though their earth and concrete subcontractor LaPorte Excavators has begun with the first pour of 40 yards of concrete. A huge concrete 'pumper' was brought in to transfer the mix from the delivery trucks to the far out forms along the canal basin.
When completed the warehouse will look a bit like a "bank barn" whereby the delivery of goods to load could be brought in at a higher second floor level and dropped into the boat's cargo hold. The lower side of the warehouse next to the water will have a 1850s dock with big cargo doorways.
These doorways will be inoperative but can illustrate a busy period of shipping on the canal. The doorway panels will be painted with murals that depict the indoors where goods would have been loaded. These murals can be seen from the towpath trail across the canal or from the replica boat as it passes.
The warehouse is being built strictly under federal contract by INDOT and this doesn't utilize the volunteer crew normally associated with projects along the canal and trails. Canal volunteers can't let this outpace them in this season -- they are building a dock (a separate items not initially funded by INDOT).
So now comes the NEWEST NEWS! INDOT just announced that we will be awarded money to build the more detailed historic appearing dock but it can't be let until 2012. Also now to address the need for a dock the Community Foundation of Carroll County awarded money for a handicap accessible plank dock.
This wooded dock can be built by the volunteers. It will be located just offside of the main visitor towpath access to the waterfront. It will be put to the test of use when our "ship comes in" this June three years before the formal dock will be funded by INDOT's reimbursement program.
The wooden dock will allow handicap access and give shoreside access for fishermen. Both docks strung together will ultimately span 100+ feet along the glistening canal. Someday guests attending a wedding reception will be awaiting the boat's arrival and cheering as the couple approaches their "roaring" crowd.
