Great Lakes Boat Building School Launched

Top: Members of the Great Lakes School of Wooden Boat Building board (from left) Tony Autore, Bob Smith, Rose Miller, Kate Ter Haar, Dave Lesh, Paul Wilson, Michele Fiering, and Mike Davis listen to a few words from Mr. Wilson before breaking ground at the site of the new building that will house classrooms and workshops Monday afternoon, November 27, on Meridian Street in Cedarville. Heavy rains failed to stop about 30 people who gathered to watch the official start of the boat school project, which will eventually offer summer classes and a yeararound program in boat building. The building behind the board members will remain on the property as offices, a commons area, and retail space. Excavation was expected to begin Tuesday, November 28, and the board hopes to have the building up and roofed by January. Great Lakes School of Wooden Boat Building board member, Paul Wilson (right), explains blueprints of the school to Cedarville residents (from left) Paul Chouinard and Loren Dingman, following the school's groundbreaking ceremony Monday afternoon, November 27. The steel-framed building will house classrooms and workshops. The boat school board wants to start offering summer boat building skills courses by summer 2007.