Kid fun

The Cub Scouts had their Pinewood Derby competition this morning.

Many more kids were at the annual Lions/Rensselaer Republican egg hunt in Brookside Park.

Updates and a bit more, 03-30-12

This morning park workers were doing some landscaping work around the new sidewalk to the Talbert Bridge. The concrete was poured yesterday.

The fountain in front of Halleck is no more. Now the mess must be cleaned up.

Also no more is the Sears store in the College Mall. The sign is gone.

The interior of the store shows no evidence that a week ago this was a Sears store. I guess someone forgot to turn out the lights when they left.

The Birthright rummage sale in the basement of St. Augustine's Church was still busy an hour and a half after it opened, but the frenzy of the first hour was gone. It will run until five (or is it six) today, and then from nine until noon tomorrow. People did not complain much about the rise in price from $2.00 a bag to $3.00 a bag. Tomorrow it is $1.00 for any sized bag.

There is a new art show in the Fendig gallery that will run until April 20. It highlights work by the senior art majors and faculty at Saint Joseph's College. The artists' reception is April 13.

This Sunday the SJC bands will hold their annual spring concert.

A fire in Mt Ayr?

Left today in the comments of a very old post:

That school burned down today. I first the flames at about 5 this morning shooting very high out of the roof. Driving past it now at noon and is still burning. All that is left of the building is the exterior bricks walls. Today is 3/29/12

 Anyone know more? I have not seen anything on Facebook.

Update: Follow the link in the comments for pictures.

Also, see http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2524828660325&set=a.1496358109204.61065.1841655677&type=3&theater 

More Pictures: See the Facebook page of Historical Newton In and of the Rensselaer Republican.

A last look at a fountain-updated

Below you see one of the last pictures taken of the the reflecting pond in front of Halleck Center.

Moments after I took the picture above, the machine below showed up.

It began the demolition of the reflecting pond.

The plan is to replace it with a brick patio type surface. I cannot say I am sorry to see it go. It was bland--it just was not an attractive or interesting fountain.

I remember one year when someone had the bright idea to put some of the golden carp from the big pond at the entrance into this little pond. Within a week the bottom was full of unsightly carp crap which the light blue bottom highlighted.

The other interesting thing I noticed this morning was work on the path or sidewalk to the bridge in Bicentennial Park.

Update: Below is the results of the first afternoon of demolition.

Also, this morning the concrete was poured for the sidewalk from West Washington to the Talbert Bridge.

School update

Progress on the new elementary school continues. In the two months since the last post on the school, the brickwork on the south and east sides has been completed. The building would look pretty much completed if the windows were installed.

 As of the beginning of the week, most of the northern wall still was without its brick facade.

 Below is a picture taken on February 3. Most of the east and south sides are still brickless.

By February 12 work had progressed and the south exposure was under wraps.

 Work had begun on the easternmost end of the building on March 13.