The New Shed!

By Tony Mason

The New Shed - thanks so much to Bendigo Bank!

When you buy a metal shed that arrives in a cardboard package, there is a great deal to consider: placement, a secure base for it and assemblage. The decision to place it was easy - at the rear of the garden pavilion - under its eves. But a solid base was needed for it! No worries - one among the garden tenants had all the skills for securing a solid concrete base.

“Benevenuto Antonio Capponi”.

He mixed 22 10 kilo bags or pre-mix concrete in a wheelbarrow - all on his own! “Grazie Toni” You did a great job! Meanwhile, Graham Symonds and Tony Mason spent time with Albert (friend and volunteer) at his business, Life Time Pine. What a mate! Not only did Albert donate real quality timber for the shelving in the shed, but he organised his welder to make steel framing to secure the shed as well as support the shelving. All for free! What a friend to ACG!

The assemblage was a painful task with paper thin metal sheeting sides, end and top. It was so delicate to put together and took many hours and many hands. Over a number of days anyone who came to garden was called in to assist with the assembly and, once assembled, it was a very delicate task, using two sack trolleys and many hands to manoeuvre it to its position behind the pavilion, where it was bolted in place. By having the new storage shed and removing the old unsightly construction by the vegetable cleaning basin, an additional partial plot was created.

All of this would not have been possible without the generous grant from the Bendigo Bank, to whom we are eternally grateful. While the shed construction was being undertaken another generous grant came through from Boroondara Council. In recent times the waiting list for plot holders has grown considerably longer, even though membership is now restricted to Boroondara residents. To ease this pressure we applied for a Council Grant, largely through the work of Andrew Sabo - many thanks for your success Andrew! With the money provided we were able to purchase three raised garden beds and the soil to put in them. Once in place a small mechanical digger was hired to fill them with soil and apart from numbering them, they were quickly ready for use and occupation.

Thanks once again to Boroondara Council and many thanks to all who contributed.