The Adventure Learning Center Arena Overhaul

Site Overview

2006-11-08T16:56:00.000-05:00

This site served as a daily forum documenting the facelift of

The Adventure Learning Centers experiential education arena.

Over the course of nine months, January 2006 - September 2006, our 5000 sq ft, 40 ft tall experiential arena was completely overhauled. The archives, listed to the right, contain hundreds of photos of the step by step process while below you can view the entire renovation in 27 photos.

If you have questions about our overhaul, the arena, or would like to bring a group to The Adventure Learning Center please contact us…

For more informtaion:

Email: alc@eaglevillage.org

Phone: 800.748.0061

Local: 231.832.1424

Fax: 231.832.1468

Arena Open House - News Article

Special Thanks

2006-09-08T16:55:00.000-04:00

To the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation for making this project possible.

To Craig McLeod Construction, LLC for supplying the necessary tools.

To Craig, our captain and tireless leader, who kept us in the game.

To Keith, who gave us consistant feedback and advice on design quandaries.

To the Adventure Learning staff for their labor, ingenuity, and passion to see the vision become reality.

The Overhaul in 27 Shots: Start to Finish

2006-09-08T16:30:00.000-04:00

2
3
4
5
6
7
8

2006-09-08T15:56:00.000-04:00

10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

2006-09-08T11:35:00.000-04:00

20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27

Painting the Climbing Wall

2006-05-24T13:47:00.000-04:00

One Roll at a Time

_____

Familiar Shots

2006-05-22T13:44:00.000-04:00

Y-Cam

_____

Z-Cam

Universal Programming

2006-05-18T13:38:00.000-04:00

One of our universal elements for clients who are challenged with or lack the ability to walk.

Easy Entry

_____

Hand Operated

Giant's Ladders Completed

2006-05-17T13:35:00.000-04:00

Both an adult and Jr. Giant's Ladder (Dango-Duo) were completed.

_____

Adult Ladder

Jr. Maze II

2006-05-15T12:23:00.000-04:00

Completed

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Jr. II - Entrance Ladder

Our New Wall

2006-05-05T14:40:00.000-04:00

A Work of Art

_____

Awaiting Paint, Holds, & Climbers

Jr. Maze

2006-04-28T14:04:00.000-04:00

Completed

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Two story, 10 element, static belay maze course designed for 5th-6th graders. Dynamic belayed ladders for entrance and 2nd story access.

Paint Phase I - Completed

2006-04-25T13:58:00.000-04:00

12’ Initiative Wall – Battleship Grey

Walls – Grey

Doors – Blue

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12' Initiative Wall

(Walls used to be color of adjacent wall in upper left corner of photo)

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Doors

Comming Together

2006-04-20T13:32:00.000-04:00

Painting

2006-04-17T13:29:00.000-04:00

Cutting

_____

Supplies

Climbing Wall

2006-04-15T13:21:00.000-04:00

Perlins

North Overhang

Preparation for Painting Continued...

2006-04-13T13:16:00.000-04:00

Cleaning the High Steel

Preparations for Painting

2006-04-12T11:00:00.000-04:00

The walls of the arena will be painted on April13th & 14th

____

Removing Old Anchors from Steel

The BIG Truss

2006-04-11T10:43:00.000-04:00

The Biggie Framed In

Biggie Finished

Drilling an Anchor Point

Positioning

Rigging to Haul

Final Prep

Trouble Shooting

It’s New Home

Anchoring it In

Raising Trusses

2006-04-10T09:09:00.000-04:00

Raising

Standing

____Overhang Trusses Completed

____
Perlin Work

____East Wall Perlins

Climbing Wall Continued...

2006-04-07T08:34:00.000-04:00

Truss Construction

Progress

Clientele are Coming

2006-04-06T08:32:00.000-04:00

Gearing Up for another Ropes Course

____

A Ropes Course Ready for Participants

The Last of the Flooring

2006-04-05T08:29:00.000-04:00

Climbing Wall

2006-04-04T12:10:00.000-04:00

More Truss Work

_____

The Humble Begining

of our new Climbing Wall

Things to Climb

2006-04-03T12:02:00.000-04:00

Our Pamper Pole

_____

Climbing Wall Truss Construction

Floor - Day 3

2006-03-31T13:37:00.000-05:00

Completed Grotto

_____

Z-Cam

_____

Tower Cam

Co-Op Closet & Cement

2006-03-30T14:06:00.000-05:00

Constructing Co-Op Closet Shelving

____

Completed Shelves

____

Lasting Memories

Floor - Day 5

2006-03-29T13:49:00.000-05:00

Floor Prep for new Climbing Area

Footing area to be poured

Cement Work

Adding Fill

Life Size Checker Board

Almost Done

Finish work on the Gear Room

Floor - Day 4

2006-03-28T13:45:00.000-05:00

Tiles...

...they just keep comming!

_____

One by one.

Central Michigan University Service Project

2006-03-23T18:16:00.000-05:00

Students from CMU's Recreation Program lent a hand with a service project in our arena today.

CMU Recreation Students

We Have a Floor

Screeting

Tile Prep

The Begining

Set up for...

...the long haul.

Almost there...

The End of the Road

Sub Flooring

2006-03-22T17:47:00.000-05:00

Bringing in Gravel

Spreading

Leveling the Floor

Final Check

Tower Cam

Y-Cam

Maze Course Steel Completed

2006-03-21T16:55:00.000-05:00

Shot One

Shot Two

Floor Arrival

2006-03-20T16:50:00.000-05:00

Fresh Wrapped Flooring

2'x2' - 1" Thick Rubber Tiles

Another Day of Steel

2006-03-17T16:47:00.000-05:00

Setting Steel Collars

Junior Maze Steel Work

A Few More

2006-03-16T15:25:00.000-05:00

Fidget Ladder Entrance

Earthquake

Cargo Net

Just for you Keith

2006-03-16T09:40:00.000-05:00

More Course Work

2006-03-15T15:15:00.000-05:00

Vines & Burma

____

Securing Hangers

_____

Cutting Step-Ups

...Still Going...

2006-03-14T15:10:00.000-05:00

Drilling Elements

Tires

Boulder Wall & Rainbow Bridge

More Elements

2006-03-13T21:36:00.000-05:00

Swinging Log

____

Kitten Crawl

Swinging Tires

Course Elements

2006-03-12T23:43:00.000-05:00

Boulder Wall

A Tribute to Pittsburg

2006-03-10T07:33:00.000-05:00

The following process will be repeated 46 times to complete full installation.

_____

Cut

Drill

Place

_____

One down, 45 to go…

Finally Steel

2006-03-09T07:27:00.000-05:00

Steel Arrived
(Ropes Course Stability)

Boardwalk Entrance
(From Rappel Tower to Maze Course)

Rappel Tower & 12' Wall

2006-03-08T19:54:00.000-05:00

Rappel Tower Entrance

_____
3rd Story Rappel Tower Hatch

_____

Tower Cam
(Aimed Straight Down)

_____
12’ Initiative Wall & Co-Op/Gear Shed

Equipment Room
(Conference Room Commandeered by Overhaul)

The Rising of ‘The Pamper Pole’

2006-03-06T14:00:00.000-05:00

…up…

_____

…up…

_____
…in…

_____

…and Fill.

Build, Build, Build...

2006-03-03T13:51:00.000-05:00

Leaps of Faith Installation

_____

Digging A Pamper Pole Hole

_____

Tower Cam

_____

Tower Course Entrance View

Rappelling Tower

2006-03-01T07:55:00.000-05:00

February 27 - March 1
Building our 3 story rappel tower.

_____

Rappel Tower

_____

Up Close View

_____

2nd Floor Door

(Ropes Course Tower Entrance)

_____

Z-Cam

Our Friend

2006-02-23T13:14:00.000-05:00

Mr. Work Belt

Note:
We will be carrying on with construction over the next week but will be unable to post new photos until Wednesday, March 1st, 2006. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Camera Angle Updates

2006-02-22T13:10:00.000-05:00

Tower Cam

_____

Y-Cam

_____

Z-Cam

Stair Master - 101

2006-02-22T13:07:00.000-05:00

Feel the Burn

_____

Almost there...

Watering Poles

2006-02-21T13:01:00.000-05:00

Proper watering promotes correct growth of our pole seed. In a matter of weeks they should grow to their mature height.

_____

A steady Stream

_____

Excellent Saturation

Cable Time

2006-02-20T12:58:00.000-05:00

Installed all primary cable in the ropes courses

Clean & Organize

2006-02-17T12:55:00.000-05:00

Did a clean up of our Arena

_____

Our Wood Pile

Taking a Break

2006-02-16T17:45:00.000-05:00

We will be taking a break from construction February 16th-17th, 2006 as we are putting on the 2nd Annual LMNOP Conference. To learn more about the conference visit the LMNOP Conference Blog link listed below, right.

We will resume the overhaul and site postings on Monday, February 20th.

Getting Connected

2006-02-15T17:36:00.000-05:00

Swaged

_____

Jr. Maze I

_____

Jr. Maze II

Cable Installation

2006-02-14T17:31:00.000-05:00

1st Cable

_____

Coming Together

Platforms Completed

2006-02-13T17:07:00.000-05:00

All In

Platforms Part II

2006-02-09T17:53:00.000-05:00

2nd Crows Nest

_____

Horizontal Supports for Boardwalk Step-Offs

_____

Z-Cam

Crows Nest Construction

2006-02-08T17:41:00.000-05:00

Large central platforms in the adult maze course

_____

First of Two

Assembly Lines and Wire

2006-02-07T17:48:00.000-05:00

Spent day constructing more platforms and installing the first belay wire to gauge construction options.

Platform Assembly Line

2006-02-06T17:29:00.000-05:00

Cut

_____

Router

_____

Assemble

Revisions & Supply Acquisition

2006-02-03T14:42:00.000-05:00

Much was accomplished through yesterday’s meetings. Most notably was the incorporation of a third static ropes course in our arena (this addition to the proposed adult course enables a portion to double as the secondary level of our second mini course). This addition will enable us to run simultaneous 5-6th grade ropes courses. Utilization of space by the design team is taken to another level once again.

February 20-24, 2006 will be spent acquiring the necessary supplies to begin construction on the arena. Photos of interest taken during these days will be posted on Wednesday, February 25, 2006.

Course Layout

2006-02-02T15:27:00.000-05:00

Today was spent reviewing our course design scheme: number of elements, placement of elements, platform style, platform heights, etc. Acquisition of materials is underway with plans of construction beginning next week.

All In

2006-02-01T15:09:00.000-05:00

All of our poles have found their new home, the Lee Arena. Here, they will support our many courses and programs serving as a change agent in the lives of thousands.

_____

Tower Cam

_____

Y-Cam

_____

Z-Cam

_____

Our Old Courses

Oh!, the lives that have been changed upon these poles.

Placement Process

2006-01-31T13:42:00.000-05:00

When the team is moving well they can move a from the stack outside to buried and installed in under 30 minutes. The process once inside looks like this...

Hoist

_____

Clasp

_____

Place

_____

Align

_____

Fill

_____

Almost all placed.

The remaining will be in before the day's out...

Pole Pandemonium

2006-01-30T08:08:00.000-05:00

It's true, poles are actually in the ground.

_____

Hauling the poles indoors

______

Setting up for tomorrows finale

______

5 more in & only 11 to go

A Day Off

2006-01-27T09:24:00.000-05:00

We have taken the day off from the arena and will continue placing poles on Monday, January 30th. So far, we have four poles standing and set. We hope to post a photo of this latter today.

Laying out the Floor Plan

2006-01-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

Today we spent measuring out our floor plans in the arena and staking pole placements. Tomorrow, poles will begin to be placed.

Renovations thus Far

2006-01-24T13:32:00.000-05:00

To date we have romoved...

Two towers courses
Their attached 20' climbing walls (2 total)
The 32' rappel wall
Two static ropes courses - elements and cables
The 12' initiative wall

...and we have added 34 yards of fill.

Photo Comparison

January 9th

___

January 17th

_____

January 24th

Adding Fill

2006-01-24T10:39:00.000-05:00

We added roughly 34 yards of fill.

As much as 11" in some areas.

_____

Y-Cam

_____

Z-Cam

Pole Removal

2006-01-20T09:56:00.000-05:00

Hook 'Em Up...

________

...and Drag 'Em Out

_____

Y-Cam

_____

Z-Cam

_____

Tower Cam

(A Blank Slate)

Note:

2006-01-19T14:18:00.000-05:00

Photo for pole removal operations, January 20 & 23, will be posted on Tuesday, January 24th.

Giant's and Junk

2006-01-19T14:14:00.000-05:00

Today we lowered the giants ladder and moved all equipment/scrap piles out of the way for the pole removal operation tomorrow.

Yet Another use for Golf Carts

(Ground Cloth Removeal)

The view of the arena is the same as yesterday's minus a few wood piles and picknic tables.

Nothing but Poles

2006-01-18T12:02:00.000-05:00

We have removed everything but our poles and today we'll be lowering our giant's ladder (dango duo) out of the way. Pole removal is scheduled for Friday, January 20th,2006.

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Tower Cam

_____

Our Courses

_____

Y-Cam

_____

Z-Cam

Bolt Cutters, Chain Saws & Sledge-Hammers

2006-01-17T13:02:00.000-05:00

Dropped 12' initiative wall, large central rappel tower, maze cables, & an assortment of fine logs.

_____

Sizing up the Opponent

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A Haymaker

_____

The Two Punch Combo

_____

TKO

_____

Y-Cam

_____

Y-Cam

_____

Z-Cam

_____

Z-Cam

_____

Tower Cam

(It's Almost All Gone)

______

Tower Cam

(Contrast this shot with the original Tower Cam Below)

Towers, Maze Course, & Climbing Wall

2006-01-16T12:25:00.000-05:00

Dropped the small tower platforms, maze course elements, and laid out the new climbing wall design with string.

_______

Y-Cam

_______

Z-Cam

Skid Steer & Dump Trucks

2006-01-13T11:50:00.000-05:00

The Skid Steer

The Skid Steer Kicked up some Serious Dust

The Last Load

Y-Cam

Z-Cam

Ferris Students [Floor Removal - Phase One]

2006-01-12T18:07:00.000-05:00

Ferris State University, Recreation and Leadership Management students visited for a overhaul presentation and a service project. The service project was floor removal Phase-1, shoveling the black rubber floor into piles in preparation for the skid steer and dump truck tomorrow. The piles can been viewed in the below Z-Cam shot.

The shredded black rubber flooring is being donated to a local town park for the playland area.

Shovel, shovel, shovel...

_____

...all day long.

______

Tarp Work

_____

Pulling up the Felt

_____

A Whole lot of Felt

_____

Keep it Rolling

_____

Y-Cam

_____

Z-Cam

Dropping The Small Towers

2006-01-12T17:29:00.000-05:00

South Small Towers Last Stand

_______

Being Lowered Down

________

South Small Tower - Down for the Count

_____________

The North Small Tower

(What's Left of It)

____________

______________

Z-Cam

_________________

Tower Cam

Planning

2006-01-11T18:43:00.000-05:00

Today was spent reviewing designs, material costs, and construction phases as a team. Additionally, we prepared for tomorrows service crew visit and overhaul presentation for Ferris State University, Recreation and Leadership Management students.

The begining...

2006-01-10T17:16:00.000-05:00

Demolition has begun!

Due to technical dificulties we have been unable to upload photos.

We will begin posting photos tomorrow.

Face-Off

2005-12-13T15:07:00.000-05:00

Construction begins 1.9.06

be here...

Pre-Overhaul Arena Photos

2005-12-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Three camera angles document the arena:

The ALC Arena as of 12.13.05

Tower Cam
Taken from atop the 38’ east tower looking down upon the arena

________________________________

Y-Cam

___________________________________

Z-Cam

___________________________________

The Renovations

2005-12-13T07:50:00.000-05:00

Our experiential education arena overhaul will include tearing down the existing:

two static ropes courses
two towers courses
rappel tower
two 20' climbing walls
12' initiative wall

Pretty much everything viewable in the Tower Cam & Z-Cam photos!

The only existing tool that will not be taken out is our 32' climbing cave area called The Grotto. (Our Z-Cam is located in The Grotto, at the south-west corner of the arena) When the arena is completed it will be the new home of:

two new, static ropes courses
two giant's ladders (dango duo's)
a second 32' climbing area
rappel tower
a pamper pole
flying squirel
vertical play pen
12' initiative wall
equipment shed