Chris Duensing works on a bridge at Alcove Spring as part of his Eagle Scout Award project
Chris Duensing, Blue Rapids, a member of Boy Scout Troop 137, is building a bridge across a creek at Alcove Spring as a project toward an Eagle Scout Award. The bridge is on a trail from the parking lot to the spring and Naomi Pike Falls. The lumber for the bridge is from old utility poles and was donated by Western Resources, the parent company of KPL. Duensing, who will be a junior at Valley Heights High School this year, said people who have been helping with the project are his grandfather Elmer Duensing; his father, Dr. Ken Duensing; Lee Papes and other employees of KPL; Duane Iles of the Alcove Spring Preservation Association; and Richard Nelson of Nelson Construction. When Duensing was considering a project for the Eagle Award, he contacted Iles to see what needed to be done at Alcove Spring, and Iles mentioned the bridge. Duensing then contacted Brad Loveless, head of the Western Resources Green Team. Loveless and Duensing and his father met at Alcove Spring to look at the area and decide where the bridge should be. "With Brad's assistance we designed the bridge," Duensing said. "He said that Western Resources would provide all materials needed." The posts, poles and planks for the decking are made from old utility poles, and Western Resources also provided metal braces and all the hardware. "My dad and I cleared the area and set the posts," Duensing said. "Richard Nelson then used this transit to mark where the braces needed to be placed so the bridge would be level. My grandfather, my dad and I attached the braces. KPL employees then used their trucks to lift the old utility poles onto the braces. My dad and I fastened the poles to the pots using a generator and drill provided by Richard." The Duensings fastened the planks to the two main areas of the bridge. Yet to be finished is the middle section, which will connect the two main areas of the bridge, the ramp areas at both ends of the bridge, and the cables that will be used as a handrail. So far Duensing has worked on the project 40 1/2 hours, and other people have spent 60 hours on the project.
| This is a portion of the story that was printed on page 3A of the August 12, 1999 edition of the Marysville Advocate. Reprinted with permission. |