Volunteer Bob Markes, supervisor of the Cornell carpentry shop, helps put up rafters in the new bathroom facility at the CRC Park off Hanshaw Road. Denise Weldon/University Photography
"Flush by the 14th! That's our goal," says volunteer builder Tony Fraboni, trades supervisor in the Facilities and Campus Services' maintenance shop. He and a crew of volunteer tradespeople, retirees and others in the Cornell community have been fast-tracking a much-needed septic system and bathroom facility for CRC Park, the Cornell Recreation Community facility off Hanshaw Road.
Why the rush to flush? Hundreds of Cornell employees are expected to attend this Saturday's CRC Picnic and Festival, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The big day will include a pancake breakfast, an auction, a chicken barbecue, music, dancing, games for kids and adults and a craft fair, all capped off by an evening dance with music provided by local notables the Bernie Milton Experience.
"The whole idea is to have fun and celebrate," Fraboni said. "We've worked very hard for Commencement and alumni week. The campus needs to celebrate more. One of the purposes of CRC (a volunteer employee organization) is to enhance interdepartmental communications and teamwork -- and to have some well-earned fun."
Until now the 7.5-acre CRC Park has been one of Cornell's best-kept secrets. It has an enclosed pavilion that can host as many as 300, a kitchen, a barbecue pit and recreational area. There's also parking for about 100 cars and, now, indoor plumbing.
Cornell employees, retirees and departments can rent the park for retreats, awards picnics, even weddings and family reunions.
"The bulk of the heavy work has been done by volunteers from the electrical, pipe, carpentry, and masonry shops, and the design and estimating group in Planning, Design and Construction, and also by members of the grounds department," said Dennis Osika, director of the grounds department. "There's been a great deal of work done by the mechanical shop and building care, too."
CRC Park has been a joint faculty-staff endeavor. Mechanic Karl Pendleton of the Department of Soil, Crop and Atmospheric Sciences, a member and former president of CRC's council of directors, electrician Daryl Dunn, in Planning Design and Construction, and retiree Bill McRobbie have put in many weekends and evenings over the years. Marv Adleman, professor of landscape architecture, drew up blueprints for building and landscape features so the park would fit in with its natural woodland and field surroundings.
For more information about CRC or the park, contact Janet Beebe in the CRC office at 255-7565. Tickets for the festival and picnic chicken barbecue are available until 4 p.m. today (Thursday) at the CRC office, 130 Day Hall. Tickets for all other festival activities can be purchased at the gate. Because there's limited parking on site, buses from the Vet College parking lot will run every 20 to 30 minutes, from 6 a.m. until the close of the event.