Don't you love it when it is apparent the Lord is working in a situation?
In addition to the Heritage Days Festival, our committee has been working on a project to raise money and build an amphitheater in our town. It has obviously been a learning experience for all of us. Our town does not have building codes or permits so it seemed an easy thing to do. We had already found a good builder who has build all kinds of structures in our county.
In April we had raised a significant amount of the money we thought we needed and were ready to begin building Phase 1. Then someone stepped in to say that it must be built according to the Illinois Building Code in order to be certain the City would accept it after we had built it at no cost to them using private funds. We were then told we should hire an architect who would attach his seal saying it passed the Illinois Code. One was recommended to us who, after negotiations, agreed to do the plan for $6,000--a major added expense, we thought, but if it had to be done, so be it. We told him what we wanted, gave him a picture of one we had found on the internet similar to what we wanted it to look like, and a computer drawn floor plan. He sent us a revised plan that left out the side porches and included significant space in our dressing area for 2 handicapped accessible bathrooms and a 5 foot wide hallway so 2 wheelchairs could pass. (We had wanted a bathroom to be used by the performers which wouldn't be open to the public and the possibility of 2 wheelchairs being in the dressing area at once was about 100 million to one!) How disappointing!
We invited the architect to come look at the site. He didn't have any suggestions of where to locate the amphitheater, saying the plan he was drawing would fit wherever we wanted it so we were left on our own to decide where to place it. Of course, there were many differing opinions where that should be! Needless to say, we were feeling much frustration but decided to table the discussion and plans till after the Festival.
While I was standing in the Information Booth at the Festival a man came up asking where the amphitheater was going to be located. He was very concerned we get it in the right place. Since I've had numerous people give me their opinion I wasn't really very interested in talking with him until he told me he was an architect! Here was an answer to prayer! Someone who knew something and who was interested and willing to help us figure it all out!
Several of our committee met with him yesterday at the Linn Park. He helped us discover what seems to be the perfect location for the amphitheater, and had several suggestions of how we could save money on parts of the project. He also didn't think there was a need for 2 handicapped accessible bathrooms when they were not going to be used by the public so he was going to look into that.
He said he would work on some ideas he was thinking about this weekend while he is in town and so we're stopping by his place on Sunday to talk with him. I am certainly encouraged!
This morning I'm praising the Lord for sending us just who we needed at exactly the right time. Part of me wishes we had met him before we hired the other architect, but I am standing on the promise that God works all things together for our good. Praise His Wonderful Name!
In addition to the Heritage Days Festival, our committee has been working on a project to raise money and build an amphitheater in our town. It has obviously been a learning experience for all of us. Our town does not have building codes or permits so it seemed an easy thing to do. We had already found a good builder who has build all kinds of structures in our county.
In April we had raised a significant amount of the money we thought we needed and were ready to begin building Phase 1. Then someone stepped in to say that it must be built according to the Illinois Building Code in order to be certain the City would accept it after we had built it at no cost to them using private funds. We were then told we should hire an architect who would attach his seal saying it passed the Illinois Code. One was recommended to us who, after negotiations, agreed to do the plan for $6,000--a major added expense, we thought, but if it had to be done, so be it. We told him what we wanted, gave him a picture of one we had found on the internet similar to what we wanted it to look like, and a computer drawn floor plan. He sent us a revised plan that left out the side porches and included significant space in our dressing area for 2 handicapped accessible bathrooms and a 5 foot wide hallway so 2 wheelchairs could pass. (We had wanted a bathroom to be used by the performers which wouldn't be open to the public and the possibility of 2 wheelchairs being in the dressing area at once was about 100 million to one!) How disappointing!
We invited the architect to come look at the site. He didn't have any suggestions of where to locate the amphitheater, saying the plan he was drawing would fit wherever we wanted it so we were left on our own to decide where to place it. Of course, there were many differing opinions where that should be! Needless to say, we were feeling much frustration but decided to table the discussion and plans till after the Festival.
While I was standing in the Information Booth at the Festival a man came up asking where the amphitheater was going to be located. He was very concerned we get it in the right place. Since I've had numerous people give me their opinion I wasn't really very interested in talking with him until he told me he was an architect! Here was an answer to prayer! Someone who knew something and who was interested and willing to help us figure it all out!
Several of our committee met with him yesterday at the Linn Park. He helped us discover what seems to be the perfect location for the amphitheater, and had several suggestions of how we could save money on parts of the project. He also didn't think there was a need for 2 handicapped accessible bathrooms when they were not going to be used by the public so he was going to look into that.
He said he would work on some ideas he was thinking about this weekend while he is in town and so we're stopping by his place on Sunday to talk with him. I am certainly encouraged!
This morning I'm praising the Lord for sending us just who we needed at exactly the right time. Part of me wishes we had met him before we hired the other architect, but I am standing on the promise that God works all things together for our good. Praise His Wonderful Name!
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