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Mainly clear. Low 58F. Winds light and variable..

Mainly clear. Low 58F. Winds light and variable.

WELLSBORO — While no one questions that the new barbecue pit at Woodland Park is damaged, the question is now who caused the damage and how much should be spent.

Members of the Wellsboro Lions Club attended the June 14 borough council meeting seeking a remedy for the pit, which cracked the first time the club used it in 2021.

The borough used the bond from the architect to repair the pit with a different contractor, however cracks appeared this year after the club’s chicken barbecue on Memorial Day. The issue was referred to the recreation committee, which met June 20.

Former councilman John Sticklin, who still serves on the recreation authority while it is being formed, questioned what caused the problem. The reconstructed barbecue pit was reinforced with a steel liner, heat resistant epoxy paint and was to undergo several “controlled burns” before it was put into use.

That didn’t happen exactly as planned, said Parks & Recreation Authority Director Brian Kennedy.

Brian Kennedy, recreation department director, said the first burn went as planned, but at the second, timber supplied by a Lions member may have been doused with an accelerant because once added to the fire, it “became a very hot, fast fire.”

“Who really is at fault here — the contractor or is it who built the fire?” Sticklin said.

Kennedy said the contractor, Priset Construction, checked the pit after the cracking occurred. The structure held, he said, but would require repointing between blocks and re-adhering any loose cap stones.

The Lions Club also maintains that the new pit is narrower than the original pit at Woodland Park, which makes the fundraiser less productive.

“It reminds me of a comment my mother used to make: They wouldn’t be satisfied if they were hung with a new rope,” Sticklin said. “I think they ought to be happy and not so critical of what we’ve done and blame it on the poor contractor.”

The members debated whether the borough should pay for any repairs, since the original bond was used for the pit rebuild, and in light of the Lions may be the only group to use the pit.

“Having one organization ask for reconstruction and they use it once a year doesn’t make sense,” said Kevin Clark.

Lou Prevost, who brought the issue to the recreation authority, said it’s irrelevant how many other groups do or would use the fire pit. The facilities must be safe for public use. At the minimum, the pit will need repointing, he said.

Sticklin also contended that the Lions Club did not contribute to the Woodland Park Phase 1 construction, claiming the project was entirely paid through a grant.

However, according to this newspaper’s records, half of the Woodland Park improvements were covered by a federal Land and Water Conservation Grant. The other half was mainly from community organizations that contributed to the project, including more than $40,000 from the Lions Club.

Clark volunteered to attend Monday night’s Lions Club meeting at the park to get more information.

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Mainly clear. Low 58F. Winds light and variable.

Mainly clear. Low 58F. Winds light and variable.

A few clouds early, otherwise mostly sunny. High 88F. Winds light and variable.

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