A scout building that dates back 55 years has been recycled – for a second time.
Clayton West Scout Group has just completed a major revamp of the building with new double glazing windows and timber cladding.
And it means a new lease of life for the building which the group recycled from Almondbury when scouts there got a new headquarters.
The post-war era utility building was first put up in Almondbury, but was transferred to Clayton West in the mid 1970s when Almondbury scouts got their own purpose-built hall.
After serving 25 years at Clayton West, the building has been recycled for the second time giving it a new lease of life and saving the scouts several hundred thousand pounds into the bargain.
Group spokesman Ewan Scott said: “After a working life of over half a century the timber cladding had seen better days and its steel frames windows were draughty and insecure.”
“A team of volunteers from Clayton West stripped off the old timbers and windows and replaced them with treated loglap boards and uPVC double glazing to give the old building a new lease of life.”
Group chairman, Melvyn Batty added: “We needed to do something with the hall before it reached the point of no return.”
“We were advised by some to leave well alone in case we uncovered problems that we couldn’t deal with. However, we were between a rock and a hard place.”
“If we left it, the building would continue to deteriorate. If we took a chance we could be able to give it another lease of life. That is why we decided to refurbish the building by fitting new double glazing windows and timber cladding.”
Fortunately only minor problems were uncovered when the old cladding was removed and some 170 square metres of new wood, some 2,500 screws and a lot of man hours have made the building weather-proof, waterproof and more secure.
Where possible, recycled materials were used to repair the timber frame but essentially the whole structure is in the process of being recycled.
Mr Scott added: “Ideally we need to replace the hall completely, but as sole users it is difficult to find funding.
“This refurbishment goes part of the way to giving us a solution. Ultimately, by the time we replace the roof and extend the toilets we will have a recycled building for under £50,000.”
“Had we attempted to develop a new building we would have had to find £300,000 and we would have lost control of our own property into the bargain.”
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