The opportunity to perform at least some of the renovations to the 19-year old green presented itself when the weather remained reasonably warm following the end of bowls season. Although awaiting a pending application for funding, we decided to proceed on October 13. Scott Cairns (our green keeper) and Dennis Ducharme (Greens/Grounds chair) organized a work party of member-volunteers and we dived into the task.

Job 1 was to remove the existing pea-gravel and soil from the north ditch and to pile it on tarps on the bank. Six or seven volunteers, with shovels, spades and wheelbarrows, focused on that - while Scott set up the rented sod-cutter and lifted a 24-inch wide strip along all four sides of the green. After Blaine had cut it into 36" strips, the sod from two of the sides was placed on the green adjacent to its source. We abandoned the plan to separate the pea-gravel from the soil (taken from the ditch).

Even before we had arrived that Wednesday, Scott had arranged a grid of flags bearing the deviation from level to determine high-spots. Job 2 had us removing about a foot of the sand from the green-side of the old plinth board and separately piling it on tarps and polyethylene sheets, leaving the plinth exposed on both sides when we lifted it out for disposal.
(This sand was root-rich and would be the most valuable resource.)

Job 3 started with stretching a mason line between the two corners to ensure a straight edge for the plinth. Wooden 2x2 stakes were then driven into the ditch every three or four feet, just touching the mason line on the ditch-side.

Job 4 required that two 2x10 treated boards be joined, end-to-end, with metal plates before being lifted into the ditch and screwed to the wooden stakes. A level was used to adjust the height of the top edge of this new plinth to match the required green height (and avoid the slope that currently existed). Each new set of two boards was then similarly attached to the last with a plate--until the full 40m of the ditch was bordered.

Job 5 concerned the 4x4 treated wood braces which anchored the plinth to the backboard, making sure that the top edge was below the five-inch ditch depth required. Angled metal plates were screwed into place. Then the tops of the stakes were severed and hidden.

Job 6 involved replacing the sand in the gap between the green and the plinth. The saved sand from the tarps was added in small quantities and tamped down in successive layers with tampers (hand-made by Scott.) Thus the pressure on the green side of the plinth was established first.

Job 7 started with shovelling sufficient of the saved earth to cover the base of the ditch and tamping it down. Then the sod was unrolled and fitted back in its place--adding sand to match the plinth height. Fresh pea-gravel will be added to the ditch in the spring.

Meanwhile, the same Jobs were completed on the green's east side. By day 3 the temperature had dropped 10 degrees but despite league games in indoor alley and lawn bowls plus curling, the volunteers continued with rotating shifts. After two sides had been completed, it was decided to suspend the rest until the spring.

Norwood compliments and thanks the workers for accomplishing (in four days) what might have taken weeks, based on recent experience with soil-based greens repaired by the City.
Thank you: Scott, Dennis, Kevin, Alan, John Baron, John Bjornson, Blaine, Bob V, Gerry B, Pete, Elaine, and Jerome.