Rural Studio Projects for 2002 and 2003

Perry Lakes Park, Marion, Perry County, Alabama,

Project for 2004 ... The Bridge

Project for 2005 ... Canopy Tower


Rural Studio Marion, AL, 2005 Project....Perry County
Learning Center

Samual Mockbee...founder of Auburn's Rural Studio Perry County Probate Judge, Donald Cook, invited Samual Mockbee, founder of Auburn's Rural Studio, to consider making Perry Lakes Park a center of his program's project. Mr. Mockbee visited the Park Board and toured the Park area in the winter of 2002 and committed his interest and talents to making the park a grand place to visit and learn about nature.
   
Andrew Freear, Co-Director, Rural Studio at Newbern, Alabama. Andrew supervised construction of the restrooms that were designed and built by his students at the Perry Lakes Park.
Andrew Freear, Co-Director of Rural Studio at Newbern, Al
   

Four students from Auburn's Rural Studio Program accepted part of the Perry Lakes Park restoration as their final project for 2002. Jennifer Bonner, Mary Beth Maness, Nathan Orrison, and Anthony Tindill designed and constructed a pavilion for the picnic area.

   
Auburn Rural Studio students discuss plans for the Perry Lakes Park with Judson College students on a picnic at Barton's Beach
First year Rural Studio students work on pavilion
   
   
Pavilion in the Perry Lakes Park picnic area
 The Park pavilion is a favorite place in the Park. The nature art incorporated into the construction is an unexpected surprise. Be sure to look at the back of the pavilion, near the ramp, for "stump art." The pavilion was completed in 2002. Hurricane Ivan did severe damage to the roof of the pavilion in 2004. Rural Studios students will repair this damage in 2005).
   
A second group of Rural Studio students completed their restroom project in the Fall of 2003. Brannen Park, Melissa Sullivan, Sarah Dunn and Matt Foley inspect the rampway in their project.
Brannen Park, Melissa Sullivan, Sarah Dunn and Matt Foley of Rural Studio
   
Melissa, Sarah, Matt and Brannen test the new walkway
 The Rural Studio students in 2003 creatived a restroom addition to the park. The red cedar ramp from the restroom area to the picnic area and the pavilion winds through the woods and compliments the scope and nature of the long-range design of the park.
   
Melissa and Sarah prepare the foundation
Melissa and Sarah bolt trust board into place
   
Matt and Sarah take measurements The 2003 Rural Studio students worked hard to get the foundations ready for the big day...placement of their personally designed 30 foot long columns.

   
Allen Rayfield of Marion Builders contributed his time, talent, and boom truck to lift the specially designed 30 ft tall aluminum columns into place.
 
   
Brannen is being lifted to tie a cord to the rotten tree
Using bobcat to pull down dead tree
   
The crew brings the columns for Allen to lift with boom truck
Allen Rayfield using boom to lift columns
   
Allen Rayfield lifting columns with boom
Students positioning column on bolts
   
Mellisa Sullivan being lifted to work on columns
 After the columns were positioned, the Auburn students began work on building the suprastructure. Local Eastern Red Cedar was donated for this project.
   
The entire Perry County community is grateful for the dedicatdion and contributions of Auburn's Rural Studios Program to our wonderful Park.
One of the three restrooms being constructed by Rural Studio students.
   
Metal covered restroom
"Toilet paper cutting" ceremony for restroom projects
   
 
Home   |   Perry Lakes Park   |   Barton's Beach Preserve   |   
 
For more information, contact:
Dr. Thomas Wilson
twilson@future.judson.edu
 
The Perry Lakes/Barton's Beach Web site is made possible through a grant award to the Judson College Biology Department from Norman Burton, Resource, Conservation and Development Coordinator of the Ala-Tom RC&D Council.