By Rick Hiduk
One of the final phases of construction of Veterans Memorial Park in Towanda is nearing, but manpower is needed this weekend to make room for contractors.
“We need as many men as possible to do this,” says project coordinator Joe Doherty, who is seeking volunteers to work at the park in Saturday. “The more guys we have on this, the faster it will be done.” Work will begin at noon.
The construction of a steel rotunda, seen as the crowning jewel of the project, was canceled at one point when it appeared that funding for the project had run dry. Angels with scrolls were secured to the pedestals in the circle that was to become the foundation for the rotunda.
When additional funding was secured, the rotunda was put back into the plans, but now the angels and pedestals need to be meticulously separated and set aside so the final phase of construction can begin.
Also needed on Saturday are razor knives (sheetrock knife or exacto blades, etc.) and acetone to soften the epoxy.
“The angels are not that heavy,” Doherty maintains. “Two guys can easily carry them where they need to go.”
The pedestals are a different story, however, and Doherty will have pneumatic tire hand cart to assist in their movement. The plan is to get everything out of the way to provide enough room for the contractor to maneuver.
“When the rotunda is done, we can move the small statuettes back where they belong,” Doherty related. Having enough manpower on Nov. 24 is crucial. “We need to really push this with our friends to get this done.”