Boy Scouts Restore Michigan Park
By Heather McMahon | Online Only | Oct. 5, 2010
This Saturday, the City of Grand Rapids, Mich., will recognize two of its young citizens for their outstanding community service. Corey Alberda and Travis Lepsch, both of Boy Scouts of America Troop 338, oversaw preservation efforts at a city park, Lincoln Place, to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.
Lincoln Place is a small, triangular park donated to the city in 1849 and given the name in 1913 when it was graced with a bronze bust of the eponymous president.
"The idea of restoring the Lincoln bust has been on a 'to do' list for a number of years," Bruce Butgereit, executive director of History Remembered, Inc., said in an e-mail. So when Alberda approached him in 2008 about potential Eagle Scout projects, Butgeriet mentioned the sculpture. "When his friend Travis wanted to get involved," Butgereit said, "I thought, 'Why restore just the bust?’"
Lincoln Place is also the site of the Calkins Law Office building, which the City of Grand Rapids restored and opened to the public as the Grand Rapids Public Museum in 1976. Built in 1836, this Greek Revival, wood-frame structure is considered to be the city’s oldest building. By 2008, both the building and the park landscape were in need of repair.
In a private-public partnership, the Grand Rapids Public Museum engaged Alberda to manage the restoration of the Calkins Law Office, and Lepsch was given oversight of the restoration of the Lincoln bust and improvement to park grounds by the City of Grand Rapids. The projects were completed in a span of three months with a budget of only $37,000.
"I feel so relieved that it is finally finished. The park looks better than ever. There is beautiful landscaping; the bust is clean; and the building is restored. I couldn't be any happier about the way it turned out," Alberda says.
Nancy Finegood, executive director of the Michigan Historic Preservation Network, says the project is inspiring because it demonstrates "how young people can get involved in community-service projects that support our cultural heritage."
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Comments
Submitted by Tracy at: October 18, 2010
Way to go! I love to see initiative like this from younger people! You set a fine example!
Submitted by Troop215EagleScout at: October 14, 2010
What a great project!! I always remember the Calkins building seeing it all the time when you went to the Grand Rapids Public Museum (Old Building now). Congrats to Corey and Travis on their rank of Eagle Scout.
Submitted by Shanejaz at: October 13, 2010
It's great to see this kind of project choice by these young preservationists. Grand Rapids has lost so many beautiful buildings it's nice to see some more positive action.
Submitted by Linda at: October 5, 2010
We are so proud of these boys for the work they did! Corey is my grand-nephew.