Two weeks back a group of intrepid volunteers joined several Walsh Organs staff members in demolishing the existing organ structure, including the wooden casework and the plaster walls and ceilings that constituted the organ chambers. This was grueling work, and St. Elizabeth's parish members showed their mettle with reciprocating saws and sledge hammers in hand. Here was our fearless group at the beginning of the day on Friday:
We immediately commenced work on the demolition, taking out the remaining wood casework and inner plaster walls first.
Quite a bit of dust was settling in the church throughout the day:
Near the end of the day the ceiling of the former Swell chamber (on the left as you look up to the Gallery) was taken out.
Brian, St. Elizabeth's Choir Director, inspects our progress. He spent most of the time at ground level leading the volunteers operating the lift. Rather than carry all the debris down the winding staircase, we elected to use a 26' lift for anything that could be brought down over the front of the Gallery.
At the end of our work on Friday, all that remained of the former Swell chamber was a pile of debris and some holes in the wall where the ceiling was attached.
