Volunteer teams tackle roof projects at Washington Park Posted by Jack Darnton | Apr 25, 2012 | 195 views

Volunteers got on top of a big-time moss problem at Washington Park over the weekend, installing new metal roofs at three picnic shelters.

On Friday, Anacortes volunteers who attend Christ the King Church removed the old cedar shakes — and a lot of moss and debris — from the two popular shelters at Sunset Beach. They were back on the job Saturday and Sunday to finish the project.

Just up the hill, Aktion Club members were busy making major improvements at the group campground. That structure got a new metal roof as well, installed for free by Savage Roofing.

Roof materials were funded through donations, including about $1,500 from Christ the King and $500 from Anacortes Noon Kiwanis Club .

Other work at the group campground included improving the drainage and putting gravel around the fire pit.

Brush was removed and trees limbed out to make overgrown camping sites usable again.

The project also featured some “treecycling.” Aktion Club member Ed Gegen said many 4-foot cedars, firs and hemlocks growing out of the roof were replanted at the park and in the Forest Lands.

Helping out were men from the Seattle Washington State Fathers Network. They are part of a group of men with children of differing disabilities that has camped at the park for almost 30 years.

On Saturday, more volunteers were at the park removing holly, one of several Earth Day activities organized by the city parks department.

“It was just awesome,” said Bob Vaux, Washington Park manager. “Every time I turned around someone was working somewhere.”

The volunteer labor — close to 100 people were involved altogether — was especially appreciated.

“This is a huge show of support,” Vaux said.

Washington Park operates on a roughly $200,00 annual budget with a goal of being self-supporting. Revenue, primarily camping and boat launch parking fees, help it break even, but there’s little money for capital projects, Vaux said.