Union Sportsmen’s Alliance union volunteers donated 175 hours to construct an observation platform overlooking a 5-acre pond on the Washtenaw Community College campus.
A new dock/observation platform, recently constructed by Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) volunteers on the Washtenaw Community College (WCC) campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan, will offer educational and recreational benefits to students, faculty, and the public.
The 10 x 16-foot structure features a 16-foot bench where people can stop to view water birds and other wildlife on a scenic 5-acre pond, according to Tony Esposito, technical director of United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing, Pipefitting, and Sprinkler Fitting Industry (UA) programs at the Great Lakes Regional Training Center on the WCC campus. The deck also provides a safe and dry station for biology students to conduct studies.
“This project at WCC is one of perseverance,” said USA Director of Union Relations Walt Ingram. “Since the first conversation between the UA Training Center and WWC in 2017, there have been many hurdles, but staff members of the USA, WCC, UA Local 190, and UA International kept the effort moving forward through each stage of planning, design, permitting, and construction. The result is a superb structure at a great location for college students and the community to learn from and enjoy the natural world.”
A new dock at Washtenaw Community College, constructed by USA’s union volunteers, provides educational and recreational benefits to students, faculty, and the public.
Through the USA’s Work Boots on the Ground (WBG) conservation program, union apprentice and journeyman volunteers representing UA Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 190, Sheet Metal Workers Local 80, and Operating Engineers Local 324 donated 175 hours of skilled labor, valued at nearly $10,000, to construct the dock, in addition to more than 200 additional hours in planning and logistics. Materials for the dock were purchased by the college and funds from the USA’s annual UA and Milwaukee Tool Ann Arbor Conservation Dinner.
“Getting people in the mechanical trades together to build something for WCC’s biology students and community members to use was an awesome experience,” said UA Local 190 Training Director Andy Fielder, who led the project. “It was the first Work Boots on the Ground conservation project I’ve been part of, and I enjoyed it very much. I’d gladly do it again.”
With the construction phase complete, plans for a dedication ceremony are underway, according to Esposito. “It will be dedicated as the Scott Klapper Overlook, named for my predecessor here at the training center,” he said. “Scott has a long history with WCC and was among those who initially got the project off the ground.”
