Suggested Projects for the Community Building Day

A FEW WEEKS PRIOR to her recent adventure in parturition, Shiri Sassoon asked me for my suggestions of hands-on projects to engage volunteers at the upcoming Community Building Day. 

Here is my wish list, at least in rough form, in order of importance. Now if you tell me which ones that you are interested in pursuing, I will help to refine them.…

Tucking the River Rocks into a Cozy Bed

The planting bed alongside the school/office building could benefit from some loving attention. Here’s a photo taken just after the most recent weeding effort by Phyllis Sorter, a member of this committee.

This bed would look a lot better — and on a consistent basis — if it were properly prepared so as to deter weeds, which would include a thicker layer of rocks. (The weeds come back quickly, even in the dry season!) Such a project would not be expensive, but it would involve a real, coordinated commitment of labor. It would need maybe 5 people to collaborate on the following:

1. Scrape off and set aside the thin top layer of river rocks.
2. Shovel out 2 inches of dirt and haul it away somewhere.
3. Dig out the deep-rooted weeds here and there that keep coming back.
4. Unroll a precut layer of gray professional-grade weed-block cloth.
5. Replace the river rocks and supplement with matching new ones, to make a 2-inch-thick layer over the gray cloth.

Replenishing those rocks would cost $150–200. As a baseline, the larger rocks that are in the bed in front of the school appear to match the P46 Mexican Mix that’s sold at Bourget Brothers in Santa Monica, which costs $16.69 for a 75-pound bag. 

This project would need some organizing, including getting advance commitments from workers, so that a critical mass of labor would be assured. Although Mishkon has several shovels, a call could be put out to borrow more. We would need dropcloths to shovel the rocks onto, before shoveling it back. And a wheelbarrow. And a truck for hauling away the excess dirt.

The investment involved in a burst of labor would pay off by reducing our maintenance needs in the future, and by presenting a more handsome face to the world — especially to our soon-to-be-rented building across the alley and its patrons.

Helping Tom Sawyer to Whitewash the Fence

Although we don’t actually have a picket fence, the play yard does have a number of wooden objects that need a brush to be applied to them, for protection against termites and weathering. 

In particular, there are several planters whose wood seems unsealed, such as this one that houses an avocado tree (which perhaps could also benefit from some added dirt from the side bed!).

Untreated outdoor wooden objects like this are candy for termites. Do we really need to be offering them such a juicy home base in our midst? Maybe it would be better to transplant the vegetation into a different type of pot altogether!

I say this because of the large amount of work that the present planters call for. If we wanted to prevent wood rot from moisture when watering the tree, wouldn’t we remove the plant just long enough to coat the inside of the planter with a waterproofing compound? And then perhaps the outside could receive a termite-protective coat of a product like Bora-Care (diluted with water 5:1) or PenaShield. (The latter seems easier to work with, but supposedly it doesn’t last as long. Both products must be kept away from skin, such as by using chemical-resistant gloves. These termite-prevention products must be applied away from living plants.) The last step would be to apply a water-repelling sealant. Who is going to do all that??

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This IKEA deck is made of pre-fab squares that snap together. However, the wood is supposed to be re-sealed every year, to keep it from splitting. 

Last October, Ruben applied Behr Premium Semi-Transparent Waterproofing Wood Stain (from Home Depot; natural redwood color). Its presently chipped appearance suggests that it could benefit from another coat.

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This wooden cabinet should probably be re-sealed, too, with the same product. (In October, Ruben applied it only to the top surface.)

Patching Up Our Relationship with the Sidewalk

If one of you happens to be comfortable working with cement products — or knows somebody else who is — then consider taking on the patching of this ugly, round spall in the sidewalk just outside our front door. Fill in the gaps and smooth it over. It doesn’t need to look perfect—just better than at present.

Unfortunately, I do not know which concrete patching compound would adhere well and be durable in this situation. I see that there are a dozen different types/brands on the market.

Weeding between the Lines

Lastly, there are some weeds growing within the play yard, just inside the fence that runs along Hampton Drive. They aren’t easy to get to. Who will take on the challenge of getting down low, reaching in under the fence, and digging them out or pulling them out?