Greetings all! As of this writing the reconstruction and restoration of the Great Hall ceiling plaster is completed and curing for two weeks preparatory to the priming and painting process.
At the June 7 Community Dinner, we were able to take a dozen or so people up onto the scaffolding to view the ceiling up close. What they saw was, for all appearances, a new hand-plastered ceiling just a few days into its two-week curing process.
We are securing a moved-up schedule with the remaining trades because, although the restoration of the ceiling was more involved structurally and, in terms of plaster work, we could not proceed with the consolidation steps due to the thinness of the plaster. So, time has been saved, and funds as well, although the replacement procedures had their own complexities. Soon, the promise that the Great Hall would appear as if we had not done anything much at all will come to pass!
The work has been beautifully and efficiently done, and the surrounding structural repairs, ventilation etc., all contribute to a comprehensive result that really covers all the bases. One of the most refreshing and unusual dimensions is the willingness of John Canning & Co. staff to share their knowledge, expertise and recommendations about important parts of the work that they were NOT doing.
We now expect earlier completion, likely in mid-August, after the painting, insulation, scaffolding removal, organ unwrapping, cleaning etc., are buttoned up. When we have hard dates, we will make sure the information is well circulated. It will be exciting for all to see the finished result very soon.
Published in the Beacon 6/16/26