Typically old cedar fencing would be brought to the dump – but not if members of the Alouette Men’s Shed can get their hands on it.
The men have been hard at work recycling the cedar planks into planter boxes – which are now for sale at the club.
Wayne Reimer, a member of the club, came up with the idea to repurpose the old cedar planks, from a friend of his who builds planter boxes in Powell River.
“I saw what he did and, in fact, I bought three of them a couple of years ago,” explained Reimer.
Then he thought, why not do the same thing at the men’s shed – they have the man power and the equipment to do the job.
And, he thought, why not repurpose cedar fence boards because it would an environmentally positive project.
“You can’t compost them. You are not supposed to burn them because of the stain or paint on them. So they have to go to the dump which is a terrible waste of a valuable resource,” said Wayne Reimer.
“So we found a way to recycle,” laughed Everett Crowdis, chairman of the Alouette club.
Reimer has found plenty of donations online and through word of mouth. Even passing by new developments and reaching out to the developers, who noted Reimer, are more than happy to donate.
“Developers are quite happy because they don’t have to take it to the dump and pay the disposal costs,” Crowdis added.
There are four sizes of planter to choose from: a 14 by 14 inch square box for $40; a 20 by 20 inch planter box for $60; a 40 inch rectangular box for $60; and two styles of a 55 inch rectangular box, each $100.
The group is currently taking orders for them.
READ MORE: Open house for Men’s Shed in Maple Ridge
A men’s shed is basically a place for men to get together to work on projects while promoting their overall social, mental, and physical health and well-being.
First started in Australia to keep men physically active and healthy, there are now 3,000 men’s sheds worldwide, with about 50 in Canada, 22 in B.C., and now two in Maple Ridge – Alouette and the Burnett Men’s Shed.
This is not the only project on the go for the group. They are also helping out with the set for the upcoming Garibaldi Secondary School production called he Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical. They built a mud kitchen and planter box for the students at Harry Hooge Elementary. They are working on a project for the CEED Centre – a chair sled to store the seats under a platform. They have been regularly helping out at the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Katzie Seniors Network’s Intergenerational Garden, including the building and installation of three bat houses. They helped out another senior whose fence was taken out by a bear – a senior who had no family to support them. And they have also been busy making wheelchair ramps for seniors.
In the two years since the group formed they have amassed 75 members.
And it is not all business for this group of men.
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Every Friday morning they meet from 10 a.m. until noon at The Well at Chances Casino for some social time. And just recently the city has opened up the Greg Moore Youth Centre to them from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. so they can play cards, Foosball, or pool.
Once a month they even have speakers give talks on topics like schizophrenia, men’s mental health, taxidermy, ecology, and more.
The club is open to any man over the age of 19 years – although most men in the Alouette Men’s Shed are retired – and there is no experience necessary, only a willing body, said Reimer, who enjoys the fellowship of the group.
“Never been much of a woodworker or handyman but I truly enjoy the fellowship. It’s been a huge boost for my mental health,” he said.
Treasurer Cameron Esau also loves the camaraderie and says the men’s shed gets him out of the house.
“I sit at home too much, just by myself.” he said.
Crowdis noted how great it is to see the men come out in the community.
“It is so interesting to see everyone come together and just meet up, especially on a Friday morning at the social time, they get to know each other and whole new community connections that are being made through the organization.”
“Old guys can learn new things,” chuckled Crowdis.
Anyone who wants to donate or become a member they can contact the group through their website at: https://alouettemensshed.ca/.
Donations of tools are also accepted that are shared with other men’s sheds across the province.