Streator students about half finished preparing picnic pavilion for Marilla Park

About half of the white oak timbers have been cut by Streator High School woodworking students for the picnic pavilion planned at Marilla Park.

The remaining half is expected to be complete by the end of January, vocational instructor David Taylor told the Streator High School Board on Tuesday.

The plan remains to have an Amish-style barn raising of the 20 foot tall, 40 foot long picnic pavilion sometime in the spring.

Taylor said the concrete slab and sidewalk are in place and the former pavilion has been taken down.

He said students have done a good job of cutting the 600- to 800-pound timbers and practicing safety with large equipment.

When the project was introduced to the board months ago, Taylor said the public will be able to watch the barn raising. Students will have on hard hats, tool belts and work boots, like any other construction worker at a similar site. The idea is for the vocational students to build the pavilion themselves under his guidance.