Well, it did seem a bit pricey to me to sandblast, weld, and repaint a horse trough. But what do I know?
Per Wiki, it only cost about $7,000 to repair some damage to the Liberty Bell. But then, those were 2001 dollars.........
quote:
On April 6, 2001, the Liberty Bell was struck several times with a hammer by Mitchell Guilliatt, a self-described wanderer from Nebraska. He hit the bell four times while shouting "God lives!"[11] The reason he gave was to declare his independence from the United States of America and not to attempt to deface or destroy the bell. After repairs, the damage caused by his striking of the bell was no longer visible. Gulliatt was sentenced to nine months jail time plus five years probation. He was also ordered to pay $7,093 to cover the cost of repairing the damage he made.
I really never wanted have a HO for anything regarding this current administration, and I apologize ahead of time for having one...but if you pay $25,000 to repair what is most likely a replica of the original (historical proof can be found in photos at Barone's and Village Hall), then somebody really needs to reign in the checkbook from our friends on Duane.
"It was going to be a complete restoration to get it back to its original condition," public works director Joe Caracci said.
I always like to give Joe the benefit of the doubt, but the village is way off base on this project. This village overspends on just about everything. It's the reason why people can march into this town and give you a $9,000 bid to paint your house, while the same job in Villa Park would be $4,500.
Remove trough...check. Take trough to shop....check. Sandblast/beadblast/or dip trough...check. Grind out bad spots...weld cracked areas....check. Prime and paint. Boom...done. I know a guy in Malta that can do it. We aren't talking King Tut's sarcophagus. This is one of many troughs that were around town way back when. Other than one guy at Village Hall who seems to want to marry it and fends off FOIA requests regarding it...you could spirit this thing away in the middle of the night and replace it with a larger, whiter version of Ms. Hase's Memorial Fountain and no one would be the wiser.
I have to say I absolutely agree with the principle of doing a full preservation of the horse trough.
And fully support paying for a quality restoration.
But Briqqie makes a good point, 'Remove, take trough to shop, Sandblast, Grind, weld, Prime and paint.' ...It does raise significant questions, the current estimate seems way off.
I'd be interested to see how this estimate was done, and although I can't yet believe the cost - I will strongly support the expenditure if it's justified. (But I honestly don't see how one could spend that many man hours (1000+?) on this if Briqqie's description of the likely work is, as I am also inclined to believe, correct.)
Posts: 2515 | Location: Glen Ellyn, Il | Registered: September 23, 2003
I am guessing that the trough is cast iron... Regular sandblasting might not be a good option since it could remove too much material. Maybe they could use a "low pressure" type. Basically this is historic preservation and it needs to be done with care.
I was at the meeting and I recall part of the expense was that there are lion(?) heads around the side of the trough that need to be removed, I think a mold needs to be made of it, then sent off for replication so as to add back on the missing ones. I may have the process incorrect, but that was the jist of it.
The expense was also a little high because the work was required to be started and completed within the months that the trough was removed for the holiday tree. So some funds were added for the rushed replications mentioned above.
Another factor was that they want a certified company doing this restoration work, one approved by the Historic Preservation Committee.
Finally, some Trustees pushed back that only one person was asked to do the work and submit an estimate.
Historical preservation, my @ss. And in the words of Lee Elia (graphic language) , you can PRINT IT! That stupid thing sits outside 24/7, most likely has little historical significance as it was probably made in the 1950's...and I am guessing that the majority...the VAST MAJORITY of GE residents don't give a tinker's damn if the lions heads are replicated or removed.
We are living in a town that is crying poor with regard to replacing roads and sewers and the best we can do is overspend on services to repair something that that stupid rhino guy will most likely suggest that we move anyway.
Now I'm angry. And the HPC is a detriment to the progress of this community. Most likely one of the reasons we are sitting where we are.
No other "upscale" community has the problems that we have...period. I hope that Mr. Jones is able to turn around what has happened in GE the last decade...and fast. "Jewel of the Western Suburbs". Give me a break.
I took a walk past the old trough tonight. If there are lions heads on that thing, then there are barnacles on my buttocks. It has a floral pattern...not a feline in sight. That knocks that theory down. If it had them back in the day and they are gone, so be it.
If we were to dislodge that thing and haul it down to Navy Pier the next time The Antiques Roadshow is in town...given the unverifiable background and provenance of the thing and its size and scale, my guess is it would be appraised between $5,000-$8,000. Nothing more than a high-end garden ornament that one might find at Plank Road. There is no way in hell that it could cost 3-5 times that to restore it. As it is...was that lamp original to the trough? If not, what you have is an iron version of the leg lamp in A Christmas Story. And if that thing was cobbled together, then it might be worth less. Perhaps Ms. Wilson has an idea.
Either way...get another estimate or two. To not do so is so fiscally wreckless that it defies logic.
Sometimes history is way overrated.
Have I mentioned how angry this makes me?
BTW, it has been pointed out that I misspelled rein by using "reign." My apologies to all that read that and cringed.
I guess my point is this...and as always I apologize for getting carried away. I have a 1971 BMW 2002 in my driveway. Sits under a cover. I drive it every now and again. I'd love to have it restored. Period. And guess what. I am certain that I have enough money to do so. Sitting right there in the bank...U.S. Bank. But just because I have the money to do so, that does not mean that I can afford to do it. Nor would it make sense as an investment. These cars are plentiful on the West Coast and restored cars can be bought for a fraction of the cost of restoration.
If you can't fix that thing for $5-10K, then perhaps we should shitcan it and move it into the History sector that we are building. And please, don't get me started on that little project. Just what are we going to do if rhino boy and his cronies suggest that we turn Main back into a two way street?
