SVTRC's 2005 Arena Improvement Projects
Heavy rains in Fall of 2004 resulted in the North side of the arena flooding, making it unusable for classes for several days at a time. To prevent this problem in the future SVTRC took on a 4 point Arena improvement project:
- Roof the area between the barn and the arena
- Extend the retaining wall along the south and east of the arena
- Install a culvert to drain the area north of the arena
- Replenish the washed out arena sand
| SVTRC expresses graditude to the corporate donars who provided material for the project: | |
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Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railroad: for their donation of 150 rail road ties |
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Rinker Material's Hydro Conduit: for their donation of 54 feet of reinforced concrete culvert pipe |
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Texas Industries, Inc (TXI): for their donation and delivery of 180 tons of arena sand and 80 tons of gravel |
SVTRC expresses graditude to the many individuals who volunteered countless hours of labor to execute the project:
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A few pictures before the project got started:
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| Arena North Side -- Before | |
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| Arena South Side -- Before | |
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| Detail pictures showing some of the erosion on the South side of the Arena | |
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| Arena West Side -- Before | |
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| This picture shows the area where the barn roof was to be extended to allow riders to enter the arena from the mounting ramp without getting rained on. | |
The projects began with the Barn Roof Extension
In March Boyd Industries (the same company that built the arena) extended the barn roof to join the arena
The project began in ernest by loading, hauling and off loading the rail road ties for the retaining wall extension
A host of volunteers spent 3 weekends in February loading, trailering, and stacking the 150 RR ties donated by BNSF. The ties weigh between 150 and 200 pounds each, it was quite and effort!
The project continued with the hauling and installation of the drainage conduit
In March Hydro Conduit donated 9 sections of 12 inch reinforced concrete pipe. In April, Tom Lee and his daughter Katie and Joe Thatcher installed the pipe. Tom expertly operated a rented backhoe to do the trenching. We also used the backhoe to carry the pipe, which weighed over 500 pounds per section. After burrying the pipe under the northwest corner of the arena Katie operated the rented compactor to repack the sand.
Expanding the Retaining wall was a major effort
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| The internal structure of the South wall has 'deadmen' bracing, which is burried in gravel. | |
The 140 feet of the Southwall, 3 ties high on East end, 6 ties high on West end
The arena's interior perimeter has a two tie high border. It has a platform covering the drainage pipe intake
The 70 foot West side is 3 ties high on North end and 6 ties high on South end. It has an opening for the drainage pipe's discharge
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| West Wall Looking South | West Wall Looking North |
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| South West Corner showing gravel | South Wall Looking East from corner |
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| South Wall Looking East from 1st down spout | South Wall Looking East from 2nd down spout |
Over the course of most of the weekends in August, September, October, and November a host of volunteers spent innumerable hours expanding the retaining wall from its original 30 foot length to over two-hundred feet. The effort was muscle intensive involving shovels, pry bars, 10 inch nails, sledge hammers, saws, drills, and carrying the ties (which weight up to two-hundred pounds each).
Replenishing the arena sand
In November the first 80 cubic yards of arena sand were delivered using "small" trucks directly into the arena.
An additional 180 cubic yards of arena sand donated and delivered by TXI using "big" trucks. Trucks too large to dump their load inside the arena.
Huge piles of sand were to be spread the day after delivery
A bobcat with a 3 cubic yard bucket was skillfully operated by Bud and Gerald of Leatherwood Materials (817-596-8658) moving and spreading the new arena sand (they also backfilled the retaing wall with the gravel donated by TXI.
The End Result
The southwest corner of the retaing wall.
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