Coast Press Article by Alex Ruoff
2/19/2010
Lightship slip construction to begin
(By Alex Ruoff - published in the DE Coast Press, 2/17/10)
LEWES -- There was a time when Dave Bernheisel thought his organization wouldn't be able to save the Lightship Overfalls.
"We were hanging by our fingernails, praying we were going to get there," said Bernheisel, president of the Overfalls Maritime Museum Foundation. "There were areas along the hull that had rusted through. If we hadn't been able to get the money together, we could have lost (the ship)."
Now, as city officials have accepted stimulus funds to construct a permanent slip for the vessel, Bernheisel said that sense of hopelessness is gone.
"We've had our bumps and grinds, but I think we're going to be a little more stable now," he said.
The contract was recently awarded to Kuhn Construction of Hockessin. The project is estimated to cost $550,000, with $450,000 funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the remaining $100,000 to be raised by the OMMF.
According to Project Manager Pres Lee, a steel docking area will be constructed for the boat and landscaping will be done to make the area consistent with nearby Canalfront Park. Construction is slated to take 90 days and could begin as early as March, he said.
"Hopefully, we can get the whole area restored before the summer," he said. "I think everyone has been anxious to get this started and see it moving along."
The project brings the total cost of the 10-year reconstruction effort to nearly $1.5 million, an impressive sum for something that began with a group of local guys working in their spare time, Bernheisel said. When his group started restoring the 72-year-old historic vessel, it relied heavily on contributions from local residents.
"It all started with community support," he said. "Then, when they saw that people in the community wanted it to happen, the larger donors came in."
Since then, the group has raised more than $1 million toward its efforts.
"We still need to raise money for regular maintenance, but now I think we can do it over time," Bernheisel said. Lewes resident Allen Miller said he's seen the evolution of the ship.
"It looks much better than it did a few years ago," he said. "I remember thinking of it as kind of an eyesore, but it's great now. I think they've done a great job with it."
aruoff@dmg.gannett.com
302-537-1881, ext. 201