New cabins worth the wait

Photo By Capt. Brian Anderson | Travis Beckett, a carpenter, continues to assemble wood onto the roof of a lake cabin at Camp Grayling, Mich. Beckett and several other state employees are focused on completing the roofs and siding of the cabins before the winter season arrives. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Alexandria Robinson, 126th Press Camp Headquarters, Michigan Army National Guard)  

GRAYLING, MI, UNITED STATES

07.27.2012

Story by Spc. Alexandria Jones 

126th Theater Public Affairs Support Element

CAMP GRAYLING, Mich. - Sleeping hasn’t felt this good. By next summer, patrons of Camp Grayling, Mich., will be able to say that after a night’s stay in one of the four lake cabins on Lake Margrethe.

This past May state employees completed groundwork and demolition of the previous lake cabins that were built in the 1950s.

“Our guys are really experienced,” said Lt. Michael Alma, Facility Engineer for Camp Grayling. “We try to maximize everyone’s abilities.” He further explained there were 10 carpenters and two equipment operators working to construct these new cabins. The state employees work four days a week and 12 hours a day.

“We’re going to work on the exteriors until winter sets in” he said. The workers will finish the roofs and siding before cold weather hits and focus on interior projects such as furniture, painting and other tasks throughout the winter.

The cabins are expected for operation May 28, 2013 but at the current rate of construction, this $500,000 project will be completed earlier in the year and well ahead of AT13.

Currently it is not clear who will be able to rent these quarters, but Alma anticipates they will be open to all ranks and hopes that availability will be extended to state employees because of their efforts to build the cabins.

“People will be able to stay at the cabins year round and the farthest one down is handicap accessible,” said Alma. He explained the cabins will have two bedrooms on the upper level and one bedroom on the lower level, two bathrooms, kitchen and dining area. In addition, there may be cable and internet capabilities.

With Camp Grayling’s 100 year anniversary approaching in July 2013, Alma believes word of mouth will effectively market the lake cabins because each successive year, reservations for the lake cabins have filled more quickly than the previous.

• Date Taken: 07.27.2012
• Date Posted: 07.27.2012 17:22
• Story ID: 92284
• Location: GRAYLING, MI, US