It took a matter of months, not weeks, for volunteers to build a simple shelter at the Peachtree City Dog Park.
But this time it wasn’t a matter of having to tangle with government at length for the appropriate permit. It was a matter of old-time craftsmanship, as Dave Bryant and Steve Brown used construction techniques and tools dating back to the late 19th century.
The end result was a solidly built pavilion that contains no nails and bolts. Rather, the frame is held together by wooden pegs and “antique” construction techniques.
The project took evenings and weekends, sweating through the summer heat too, as all the parts were prepared for construction. The pavilion was “raised” by a small group of volunteers at the dog park Dec. 10 in a matter of four hours.
The pavilion project began when Brown, president of the dog park association, approached Bryant and the Historical Concepts architecture firm about designing the pavilion. Bryant then offered his expertise and labor, using construction tools that were lingering neglected at his home.
“Twenty years ago I used to do this for a living and I have been itching to do it,” Bryant said, noting that some of the tools were over 100 years old.
“It was nice to bring them out in the daylight and say, ‘Ok, you have a reason for existing. I won’t throw you away, I promise,’” Bryant said.
The pavilion is 14 feet by 14 feet and about 18 feet high at its peak. Putting it together was a matter of putting together the pieces, after the pieces were hand-manufactured by Brown and Bryant, that is. Using hand-powered tools, not your run-of-the-mill Craftsman power tools.
Bryant said it was comforting to not have a firm deadline for completion, though near the end it was harder to push it back.
In addition to the historical theme from using the old-school construction methods, part of the pavilion wood was reclaimed from an old barn.
Brown said he felt privileged to work on the project, knowing that he was using a type of construction that so few people have been exposed to.
“It was a marvelous project,” Brown said. “Even though we were using razor sharp chisels, I still have all 10 fingers. … It was a lot of fun.”
