2006-08-22 Park benches reborn with recycled wood

Idea to use wood from unused pallets saves city trees, money By JOEY HOLLEMAN
jholleman@thestate.com

Riverfront Park

Vincent Davis saw a problem, thought of a simple solution and persevered through others’ doubts to get it done. And thanks to Davis, Columbia is going to save a few hundred dollars while saving a tree or two.

Davis is a member of the city’s new park ranger corps, a group encouraged to come up with ways to save time and money. As he patrolled Riverfront Park, Davis was appalled by the condition of the benches.

“They were ridiculous,” he said. “Most were missing slats and dry-rotted. But I knew we didn’t have enough money to buy new wood.”

Actually, the city recently had spent $1,000 on oak planks, but that was enough for 14 of the 28 benches at Riverfront Park built with that type of lumber.

Davis had an idea how to repair the rest of the benches without spending more. He had taken a carpentry class as part of the city’s Workforce Initiative Program. For one project, the students used the wood from an old oak pallet to create furniture.

Davis mentioned to his immediate supervisor that the city could repair the old benches using recycled wood from old pallets often thrown away by shipping companies.

The first response was that the unfinished wood used in pallets couldn’t possibly be transformed into attractive, splinter-free planks suitable for park benches. But Davis was given an old bench and told to prove it could be done.

He pulled apart a pallet, removed the nails and shaved down the wood. “It looked like it had never been a pallet,” Davis said.

Davis’ test bench has been installed at Riverfront Park. (Turn left after the pedestrian bridge over the canal, and it’s the first bench on the left.) It’s easy to spot because the former nail markings give the wood an antique look.

Karen Kustafik, who supervises the park ranger corps, said the city plans to use free pallet wood for the 14 remaining benches at Riverfront and possibly for others in city parks.

In a city budget in the millions, saving $1,000 hardly is significant. But Kustafik is proud of Davis.

“Vincent showed initiative,” Kustafik said. “When we get an idea, we’re willing to push it forward. We’re challenged to be effective and efficient.”

Reach Holleman at (803) 771-8366.