by Kristina Gabalski
Sometime this fall, Ogden residents should be able once again to enjoy Boetcher Lodge at Pineway Ponds Park.
The original lodge burned down in November 2012, the result of an arson fire. Supervisor Gay Lenhard says no arrests have been made in connection with the blaze and police continue to investigate.
She worked over the winter and this spring with Ogden Director of Parks and Recreation Andrea Hansen to decide what the new lodge will look like and to make sure it is in compliance with recent codes and be ADA compliant.
In early May, the town board put out a request for sealed bids for construction of the new lodge, and Supervisor Lenhard says a bid will likely be awarded June 12.
It will take approximately 90 days to build the new lodge, once a contractor can begin, Lenhard says, meaning that the new lodge should be completed in the fall.
The process has taken longer than expected, she notes, because the new lodge must meet new and updated codes and be ADA compliant.
“People are asking, ‘When is it going to open?’ ” Lenhard says.
Lenhard and Hansen also teamed up to visit other lodges in communities around the area, gathering inspiration and information.
“We did a lot of research preparing plans,” Hansen says. “We went to different facilities and (included) what we wanted.”
One idea they hope to utilize is installing ceiling panels that will absorb sound, Lenhard says.
Aesthetics of the building have been very important to both Lenhard and Hansen. “We wanted a lodge-look,” Lenhard says, “not brick or cement.”
The decision not to go with a more fire-proof construction material has surprised some, she says, but cement block was ruled out because, “It is cold, not welcoming. We’re trying hard to make it look better,” Lenhard says, “It’s going to be a much classier lodge.”
The new building will be situated at an angle towards the driveway, something Lenhard says will also be more attractive. The exterior will have a natural color scheme and a mix of textures. A dark brown steel roof is planned and shake siding will surround the entrances. Some ledge stone may be used to accent the entrances.
The front entrance will be bumped-out and the inside will feature a place to hang coats before entering a 1,482 square foot meeting room which Supervisor Lenhard says is larger than the original lodge.
One end of the lodge will feature a covered deck area with French doors. A cupola (if it fits into the budget) will add charm and interest to the roof.
Inside, the lodge will be heated for year-round use and will have two ceiling fans and windows along both sides for warm-weather ventilation. There will be restrooms, a full kitchen and a handicapped accessible drinking fountain.
It will continue to be called Glenn Boetcher Lodge and Supervisor Lenhard says she hopes to have a free-standing sign with the lodge name on it installed next to the building. The late Glenn Boetcher was a director of Ogden Parks and Recreation who built the department into an extensive program for youth and adults and augmented the program with many facilities.
Insurance is expected to pay less than $100,000 towards the cost of rebuilding, she says, but, “we may get more because (the new lodge) will be ADA compliant.”
Additional funds are available in town reserves. “We are hoping to have enough to do exactly what we want,” Supervisor Lenhard says.
Security will be a priority at the new lodge, Lenhard adds. The town plans to install cameras at the site.
Boetcher Lodge has been a popular place for Ogden residents to hold weddings, anniversaries, graduations, birthdays and other celebrations over the years, Lenhard notes.
“Many people still don’t know the lodge is currently unavailable,” Hansen adds.
“When we tell them it was burned down in an arson fire, they are saddened,” she says. “They ask, ‘Are you going to rebuild?’”
Residents are very excited, Hansen explains, to hear that the town plans to construct a new lodge.
There’s a lot of sentimental value attached to Boetcher Lodge, she notes, so for the rebuild, “We want to do it and do it great.”
