Under clear skies and chilly spring air, more than 70 volunteers and timber framers came together Tuesday morning to raise a new timber frame pavilion on the playground of the James E. Thompson Community Center in Glasgow.
The structure is the latest project by longtime timber framing leaders Grigg and Cindy Mullen and the Virginia Military Institute FTX timber framing group, which come together for a project during VMI’s fall and spring field training exercises every year. The same group put together Buena Vista’s downtown structures last year.
Glasgow’s pavilion project has received support from VMI cadets, community donors, and the Concerned Citizens of Glasgow (CCoG). Roughly 45 workers in hard hats joined another two dozen helpers in erecting the wooden frame, which was crafted over the past weekend at the Mullens’ workshop west of Lexington.
The new pavilion replaces an aging shelter that was removed due to safety concerns. Its design comes from two cadets in VMI’s Civil Engineering program, and the project marks the 51st timber frame structure completed by the Mullens and their extended crew.
Local volunteers provided refreshments as residents looked on from nearby swings and steps.
Once the frame is complete, CCoG plans to install a metal roof and is still seeking donations to finish the project.
More on this story and photos will be included in next week’s paper.
TIMBER FRAMERS begin erecting the new pavilion at the James E. Thompson Community Center in Glasgow as seen in these photos taken by N-G reporter Scotty Dransfield Tuesday morning.
