Work on the Vestry Hall began in February this year, and local photographer, Richard Hanson has been recording the progress with his camera.
Recent work has included laying the foundations seen on this page of Richard's website http://www.vestryhall.co.uk/page79.html. The Vestry Hall was built without foundations, which has allowed the building to move, causing damage to the structure and leaving the building at risk of collapse. Steel and concrete columns or piles have been sunk into the ground beneath the building and in October seventeen truck loads of concrete were poured into the basement to create the floor.
Neil Moss, Site Manager for Simpson York Limited, told the Messenger, “This week a steel frame will be fitted, it will be tided to the piles in the floor and to the existing walls to give the building stability. We're already plastering at the front of the building, so we're definately on target to finish on time.”
Richard's website not only provides a fascinating record of the work done during the renovation, it also reminds us of what state of disrepair the building had been allowed to fall into before the work started, as seen on this page of the site http://www.vestryhall.co.uk/page6.html. You can look back at the progress made in the archive section of the site http://www.vestryhall.co.uk/page3.html, and watch out for regular updates.
The Vestry Hall now has now appointed a Learning Centre Manager, Sally Seymour, ready for when work is completed in 2007. To find out more about getting involved see this month's New Deal pages.
By Lisa Swift