In the photo clockwise from lower left are: Patty Boyce, Troy Rogers, Tim Boyce (scout), Roger Evans, Dick Drosse, Tim Boyce (dad), Ryan Harrington and Gabi Boyce. Also assisting but not pictured were Nan Drosse, Adam Wildenstein and Tom Hotaling.
FULTON, NY – Things were getting a little muddied at the Great Bear Springs Recreational Area. So an Eagle Scout stepped in to clear up things.
A new puncheon (plank/bog) bridge was constructed by Tim Boyce for his Eagle Scout project.
Recently, Tim, a Boy Scout with Troop 715, Fulton, got together with some family and volunteers and constructed a 42-foot puncheon bridge for a seasonally muddy section of a popular well-used trail, at Great Bear Springs Recreational Area.
With the trail section in need of repair, Tim offered to build a puncheon bridge across the muddy trail section.
“I did the project because going through Scouts my troop did several events at Great Bear and I thought that it would be nice to give something back to the Great Bear Recreational Area,” Tim told Oswego County Today. “I have also helped with several of the Canal Clean Sweeps at Great Bear.”
To get the proper length and design of the bridge, Tim measured and laid out the design during the muddy season.
The bridge was to be made up by four sections that would fit the curved trail section, he explained.
“After going over the material, we determined what was already available and what would need to be purchased,” Tim said.
Friends of Great Bear helped with Tim’s project by providing a donation for the purchase of all the lumber and materials needed.
“The Friends of Great Bear very kindly provided a donation for the purchase of the rest of the materials that we needed,” Tim said. “All of the materials were donated along with everyone’s time. I am very grateful for all the time that everyone spent helping me with my Eagle project.”
For ease of construction, the boards were cut to length ahead, to match the bridge design, and then carried to the location, Tim said.
On site, individual components of the four bridge sections were constructed, then laid out together to fit the trail.
Once the bridge sections were fitted together, shimmed and made level, the sections were nailed together.
“The project would have been more difficult doing it on my own, but with all the help from The Friends of Great Bear and my family and friends the project went smoothly and we had fun in the process,” he said. “The Friends of Great Bear had a lot of the materials on hand already. After making a complete list of the materials, with help from my parents, that would be needed for the project Mr. (Dick) Drosse met us at the site where the bridge was to be built to assist us.”
Tim and his family would like to thank everyone that helped by donating their time and the Friends Of Great Bear for donating all the materials.
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Great job guys!! This will make it much easier for my girlfriend to traverse the mud with her stink foot! We haven’t been able to go much because of it until she got her chair and the new disabled friendly trail helped too!