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Gerry Toms Pavilion Project
Written by Administrator   

It started in the winter of 2001/2002 with an attempt to put together the proposals and funding required to replace the (in)famous Dresselrigg portacabins with a permanent, serviced pavilion. This is our story from January 2004 onwards. Don't think that nothing was done in the intermediate period, as a vast amount of effort by many of the members and committee had been put in to get us to this position. Culminating in granting of full planning permission on 17th November 2003.

17th January 2004 - Emptying and Removing the Portacabins

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The portacabins are removed from Dresselrigg after a five season stay. At 8am on a cold crisp saturday, a few of the club members and committee arrived at a ghostly looking Dresselrigg, just before dawn. Its an eerie sight as the early morning dew rises from the field of dreams. (left). An hour later, the dawn has risen and the portacabins lie empty with its contents spilled onto the grass as the first of the two lorries reverses in to begin the removal. (right) 

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A rather melancholic Bud Campbell takes one last wander round the club area of the old pavilion surveying just how well his labours of five years ago had lasted. The old girl has stood up well to the rigours of the wet and cold Murieston summers and winters. As has the portacabins ;-) (near right)

The state of the art removal lorry, stretches its legs to ensure a stable position from which it can easily and safely lift the cabins up onto its load. For all the geeks and boys toys enthusiasts out there, the arm is controlled by remote control. Fascinating to watch, and effective. (far right)

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Gently does it as the first few inches of clear ground are made.....Hopkins was keeping a close eye on progress as he had opened a book on how many seconds it would take before the unit fell apart after it had been lifted! Needless to say he shouldn't have worried as they survived the task with consumate ease. (left)

Ever so slowly, inch by inch the combined thoughts of the terrified threesome of Mackay, Campbell and Wilson force the portacabin onto the lorry. Never again will it disobey the Groundsmans rules as its set to be banished for ever to live the life in a dark place (or Fife as its sometimes called). (right)   

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The Rodster and the Budster look on forlornly as a major part of our cricketing lifes is being removed. Jimbo on the other hand decides that now is the ideal time to throw that forced smile at the camera !! (left)

Bud decides to take a few steps closer as he really can't believe what he's just seen. Never did a man look so surprised! Carefully Bud makes a note to use the same technique for getting Pete Taylor to leave his crease next season (right)

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Its one last look and a fond farewell as the portacabins disappear down Murieston Valley off into the distance and unknown. (left)

All thats left now is the tidying up as the winter sun comes up on the field of dreams. Is it an omen? (right)

(Pictures courtesy of 'BP' Hopkins and Rhino Wilcock)

4th March 2004 - Foundations, Water & Light

On the left is the trench for the main water and electricity pipes. On the right, the elevated foundations.

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Further views of the foundations.

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(Pictures courtesy of BP Hopkins)

9th March 2004 - The Chairmans Birthday Present Arrives!

On a clear and Sunny Tuesday morning at 7.30am, the huge crane rolls into action slowly lifting each individual unit off the delivery trucks and into their position.

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Th first unit is safely down, and the construction team start to strip off the packaging from transport. The chairman looks relaxed, not realisng what was to come! Two down, the third middle unit is airlifted into place.

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The east end unit is put in place, and on the right hand side the view of the open internal building before the west end unit closes it all up.

(Pictures courtesy of BP Hopkins)

13th March 2004 - Internal Fit Outs Commence

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Roddy explains the concept of a wall and how to build one, whilst Barry shows how to glue your head to a pillar. Altogether a good training lesson! and the final picture shows that we have got the technique off to an art!

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Some more pictures from the 13th showing the gawping Jim Wilson and the lesser bearded Rodster

(Pictures courtesy of Rhino Wilcock and BP Hopkins)

27th March 2004 - Internals Continue

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Things beging to take shape, as YDO strives for the picture with the most planks of wood in it! before finally achieving an angle that almost blocks out the light completely.

(Pictures courtesy of Rhino Wilcock)

28th March 2004 - and More Internals

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Graham and Chris decide how big to make the candy floss (top left). Cic walks away in disgust at the state Bud has made of plumbing the hot water tanks, whilst Filipino Boy takes up his guaranteed pulling position (middle left). Roddy asks the guys for a dance (middle right) as Hopkins continues to hold up that pillar!! (top right, bottom left AND bottom centre) Meanwhile the plumber and sparky show how to do proper work!! - 'Mine's a black coffee and a bacon roll Bud!' (bottom right)

(Pictures courtesy of Rhino Wilcock)

April 2004 - External Progress

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The foundations for the steps and ramp at the front door are completed. The mess that is around the pavilion shows how well the car park has been put back into place.

(Pictures courtesy of BP Hopkins)

22 August 2004 - Official Opening Day

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A crowd of over 200 turned up and the sun shone as Chairman Iain Murdoch, along with the official opening Party - Mary and Susan Toms,Andy Kelly from sportScptland and Graeme Morrice from WLC prepared to start the ceremony (left). On the right are the players from the club who took part in running the events that were held on the opening day. Left to Right, Sohaib Ashgar, Hamed Ahmed, Navid Ashgar, David Hopkins, Mukhtar Ahmed, Fahad Ahmed, unknown, Brad Palmer, Richard Wilcock, David Vettese, Graham Whitehouse, Shazad Gul. Iain Murdoch, Jon Bestwick, Barry Lothian, Faisal Anwar, Andy Kirkland, Richard Carrigan, Kevin Sumpter, Jim Wilson, Roddy Mackay, Andy Bell, Willie John and Paul Hammersley. Mention must be made of the Rodsters pose!

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How the Press Reported the Official Opening Day

Oct/Nov 2004 Scottish Cricketer (top), August 26th West Lothian Courier (bottom)

(Pictures courtesy of BP Hopkins)

The Doers and the Acknowledgments

Whilst the pictures above give a decent understanding of what happened, a few members of the club (and one or two outwith) require to be properly accredited for their effort.

The management of the project was initially undertaken by David Hopkins, and then latterly by Iain Murdoch. This thankless, but necessary, role ensured that everyone who was involved, be it external suppliers, external contractors or internal workers, knew what was expected of them and when. Without the efforts of David and Iain, there is no way the project would have completed within the timescales it did. There were one or two fraught moments and once or twice hackles were raised, but at the end everyone was still on speaking terms!

The architectural design, drawings, planning application and building control applications were all done by Barry Lothian. His skills, knowledge and expertise were invaluable to the project. Any issues/concerns/questions we had with anything to do with building control, Barry was quick to provide the necessary guidance.

The internal fit out was planned and managed by Roddy Mackay. Given the timescales he had to work to, what he managed to achieve in that time was tremendous. He was working 12 hour shifts every saturday and sunday to ensure that the insides looked as good as they do. His expertise with wood ensured that all the lackeys knew how to put up a partition wall, or hang some plasterboard like the best of them. The benching in the changing rooms, the toilet cubicles, the shower floors the doorframes are all Roddy's own work, but we will be forever indebted to the his efforts in the clubroom. Not withstanding the tables, nor the trophy cabinet, nor the honour boards, nor the skirting and finishing his piece de resistance has to be the bar itself. It really does enhance the room considerably, and is a fitting tribute to the hours of effort the 'Rodster' put in.

All the plumbing and electrical work within the building was designed and installed by Bud Campbell and his brother Colin (Cic), with the occasional help from Kevin Sumpter when time and his work permitted!. Like Roddy, Bud and Cic put in considerable hours of effort, and Bud continues to do so, as he satisfies continual requests for a socket here, a wee heater there!!

Throughout the build there was a ready (and eager?) supply of club members to labour. From basic ditch digging to learning new skills, every task was a treated as a challenge to be overcome. And to a man (and woman) it was acheived.

Not everyone put in the same amount of hours, but those that were there for the vast majority of all the weekend shifts (plus a few nights as well) over a 2 month period were Bud, Roddy and Barry plus Jim Wilson, David Hopkins, and Iain Murdoch. Others who put in time as well to varying degrees, and in no particular order, were Richard Wilcock, Paul Hammersley, David Vettese, Graham Whitehouse, Chris Greenall, Jon Wadey, Kevin Sumpter, Colin Heaney, Richard Carrigan, Brad Palmer, Danielle Boon, Lindsay Philips, Jon Bestwick and Andy Bell. These names were lifted from the timesheets filled in between March and May 2004. This confirmed that well over 2000 man hours were done in this period, plus the non accounted hours worked since. Altogether a phenomenal effort.

Outwith the above, donations of materials, resources etc were made by one or two members, plus by guys like Ged Nixon from Presidential Decor, Telford College, Ian 'Joe' Walsh at Convenience Carpeting. Not forgetting the considerable donations of time and material from CBC Homes Ltd and Colinton Furniture.

It will be interesting to see what the future brings, in terms of further development of the pavilion, but if this project is anything to go by, then we have the drive and willingness and skillset within the club to achieve it!

 

 

 

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