June 12, 2024
On Tuesday last week (June 4) workers and heavy machinery made yet another appearance at Greenfield. Once again, all the action was at the entranceway, but this time it was impossible for much of the day to either enter or leave the Greenfield grounds. Retreatants and monastics couldn’t drive out. Volunteers and visitors couldn’t drive in.
Finally, with the cooperation of good weather, the required entranceway paving got underway. For most of the day truckloads of fresh asphalt arrived from Strasburg and a team of workers poured and shoveled and smoothed….when they weren’t waiting for the next truckload to arrive.
Paving Done, For Now
The newly paved section of the entrance even dried out in sufficient time for the monthly 3-hour meditation to take place that evening. (Those attending were cautioned to drive slowly and carefully—no sharp turns or tire spinning—over the brand new pavement.)
That new pavement extends only a couple dozen feet in before yielding back into the beautiful lane that we’re all familiar with. This is only Step One of the paving process. Final paving (Step Two) will take place only after the chapel is built. In Step Two workers will repair any damage done to the entranceway pavement during the construction project and will then lay down a more permanent asphalt.
Progress Forward
So what’s good about the new pavement, besides the fact that it’s now a bit easier to enter Greenfield from the highway?
Remember, before construction on the new Greenfield Chapel itself can get underway, two things needed to happen. One of those things was paving the entranceway. That just got checked off the list.
The last thing that needs to take place is for Warren County to approve an engineering report on how the water run-off from the new chapel will be handled. That report has been done. It’s in now in the hands of county officials. (Send them some light and love.)
It’s worth noting that every individual on the work team doing the paving was collecting a salary for the day. And every truckload of asphalt comes with a cost. If you are able, please consider donating to Greenfield’s Building Fund.