Welcome to the W&DSG’s e-diary recording progress on the construction of our brand new Scouting HQ……….

First up…..the plans. This is what our new Scouting HQ will look like, including the impressive array of features and facilities for our children and young adults.

 

First job up was to find a new home for our old Scout Hut. On it’s present site since 1989 this is what it looked like on the day of it’s grand opening.

Luckily the building (being of a fully demountable design) could be dis-assembled, moved and then re-assembled again (handy as it’s been moved twice already!) So we advertised; ‘Wanted – home for a much loved Scout Hut, one careful owner only’ which was taken up by our friends at the 1st Sutton Scout Group who were in desperate need of a new Scout Hut themselves.

Next all the sections in the group bade their old Hut a fond farewell………..

Sirius Cubs

Arrows Scouts

WildWood Beavers

Javelins Cubs

Forest Beavers

HitchHikers Explorers

Then came the not inconsiderable task of clearing out the Hut and store room leaving it quite bare and sadly empty!

Finally after a lot of hard work by members of the 1st Sutton Scout Group over late December 2013 / early January 2014 there it was…..Gone!

Then during what seemed like an eternity of inactivity but what was actually a period of considerable effort in the design office and workshop of the builders, our new Scouting HQ started to take shape until finally on 14.05.’14, Lynxcourt, the main contractor arrived on site and work got underway.

The main contractor secures the main access route onto the site.

The JCB digger, the workhorse of the build, arrives on site – raring to go.

As does the all-terrain fork lift.

The tree protection measures are installed.

What was left of the old store is piled up ready for disposal.

The old concrete base awaits breaking up.

Small dog inspecting the holes where the main columns will go.

Same small dog inspecting the holding down bolts which will secure the main columns in place.

Then there followed a disappointing and very frustrating delay of four weeks during which each and every one of the conditions attached to the planning consent were addressed to the satisfaction of both planning and building control.

Until, on 11.06.’14 work on site recommenced and within days concrete was poured, the frame went up, roofing sheets started to go on and parts for the new drainage system arrived.

View of the partially assembled frame seem from the entrance to the Allotment Gardens.

View of the partially assembled frame seen from the entrance to the Scout’s field.

View of the partially assembled frame seen from the far end of the Scout’s field.

Main structure pretty much complete.

Roofing sheets starting to go on.

Not very glamorous but definitely necessary……the septic tank!

View of the frame with the roof on seen from the entrance to the Allotment Gardens.

View of the frame with the roof on seen from the entrance to the Scout’s field.

View of the frame with the roof on seen from the far end of the Scout’s field.

View of the roof from inside the building. This is pretty much what the roof will look like when complete. Loads of headroom for climbing, ball games and general leaping about with plenty of natural daylight being provided by the roof lights and windows (in the yet to be built end wall).

Close up of the wall and roof cladding panels showing the insulation ‘sandwiched’ between the two coated steel sheets, ‘lumpy’ sheet on the outside, ‘smooth’ sheet on the inside.

The following week work began on the dwarf walls around the perimeter of the building, the rails to support the wall panels were added, openings for the external windows and doors were formed and the drainage system started to go in.

The concrete blocks of the dwarf wall being aligned on top of the concrete foundations.

The opening for the double doors from the main activity hall onto the Scouts field.

Drains inside the building being installed.

The main drainage run outside the building, complete with manholes, running from the building to the new septic tank.

The opening for the roller shutter door into the tent drying and storage room. You can just make out the window into the main store in the back wall.

View of the hut with the wall and roof cladding on seen from the entrance to the Scout’s field

View of the hut with the wall and roof cladding on seen from the Scout’s field

View of the main activity hall with the hardcore sub floor down

View of the scout store end of the building with the insulation laid down over the hardcore sub floor

View of the main activity hall with the concrete floor down ready for the underfloor heating system and semi sprung activity floor

View of the scout store end of the building with the concrete floor down. First course of the wall between the activity hall and the amenities area can just be seen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View of the underfloor heating system during installation showing the main supply manifold, the insulation blocks, distribution pipes and reflector panels in situ with the flooring sheets about to be fitted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View of the main activity hall with the underfloor heating system and semi sprung activity floor in situ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View of the scout store end of the main activity hall with the completed dividing wall between the main activity hall and the utility areas in situ. This is where the 2 x bouldering walls will go; one either side of the door up to the window!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View of the lobby from the door into the main activity hall with the ceilings in situ and the first fix of the electrical installation nearing completion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stairwell up to the mezzanine being formed. The staircase is already in situ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View of the scouting equipment store from the shutter door which is the main access. This will enable us to store all our equipment in the same place at the same time………a first!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View of the hut from the scout’s field. The exterior is almost complete with just the last bit of cladding and the gutters & downpipes to be added. Clearing and landscaping the field has already begun.

Next came the not inconsiderable task of fitting out and decorating the interior of the building by our willing band of volunteers with Steve coordinating and leading the internal fit out team and Katherine the decorating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View of the main activity hall showing the section storage cupboards being built and huge amount of materials waiting to be used or stored.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The section storage cupboards being built

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The traversing wall in the main activity hall under construction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ollie, who set the routes on the traversing and bouldering walls having a trial run on the traversing wall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main activity hall floor after sanding, the cupboards now being pretty much complete

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main activity floor after varnishing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lobby area waiting to be decorated

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our own Group Chair Carmel doing the decorating

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Floor painting in progress, decorating the lobby having been completed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paula sanding the woodwork in the stairwell leading to the mezzanine prior to decorating

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Leaders tour of inspection during decorating the kitchen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taking a breather during the decorating

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The mezzanine level. To put this into context, this room is nearly as large as the old Scout Hut!

And now here it is…….the finished article