Our Fleet and Facilities team has been hard at work throughout the winter and spring making some serious upgrades and renovations to our Wheeler Bay base in Spruce Head. Picture this: sturdy new roofs on both the pier building and staff house, a giant new kitchen island for staff to enjoy their meals around, some cozy new digs for them to live in, a new oven/stove and industrial-sized refrigerator in the pier building—perfect for cooking large community meals.
With these upgrades in place, we’re pumped to welcome new staff in the coming weeks (and students very soon) and dive into all the benefits these improvements bring. From smoother operations to a more enjoyable living space, we’re all geared up for an awesome season ahead at HIOBS!
Our pier building and staff house have never looked better with their brand new roofs!
Our new roofs aren’t just for show. Besides having a sleek, modern design, these metal roofs serve as a testament to the school’s dedication to safety and sustainability. A severe storm in January took a toll on both buildings causing shingles to fly off due to the heavy winds. So, when the replacements were made, our Fleet & Facilities crew opted for something durable that will be able to endure future storms better.
Have you seen staff cabins any cuter than these?
The construction of our five new staff cabins started last November and was just finished last week! Also with metal roofing, these brand new homes will be the perfect oasis for staff living in them this summer.
Kitchen upgrades in the pier building and staff house
(hello, community dinners!)
Finally—some more room to cook! Our new island in the staff house will provide some much needed extra space for staff to cook and prepare meals together. Our Fleet & Facilities Director, Andy, ordered a “build-your-own” island and created a truly spectacular centerpiece for cooking and gathering. We can’t wait for our staff to see and enjoy it!
(The new island in the staff house is equipped with a stovetop and swivel stools.)
New appliances are always an exciting thing! Our new Kitchen Coordinator will be able to cook lots of food for large amounts of people with our new industrial-sized oven and refrigerator.
(A new oven/stove and industrial-sized refrigerator found a home in the pier building kitchen.)
Pier repairs from damage caused by a severe January storm
Our pier also took a hit during the January storm, but our team was quick to start the repairs by filling in the gravel and clearing out debris. Our Fleet & Facilities crew is still brainstorming how to effectively storm-proof in preparation for potential damage caused by high winds and flooding in the future.
We love our big, brand-new shed!
New shed alert! “The Sprout” (aka the brand-new recycling shed that typically lives in Newry) made its way across the state to serve as “The Warmies Shed” in Wheeler Bay this season. This new space will allow us to store extra clothing that students can borrow while they’re on course.
Last but not least—a new deck for our pier building
(just look at that view!)
The second-floor deck on our pier building has finally been repaired! This was one of the first projects our Fleet & Facilities Director worked on, as it needed some serious love last season. Equipped with new stairs, it serves as the perfect spot to look out over the harbor.
We can’t wait to share all of these new upgrades with our staff and students. We know they will help create a beautiful, welcoming space for our community in Maine this year!
A big round of applause, and huge thanks, to our Fleet & Facilities Director—and everyone who worked on these projects—for making all of these incredible updates happen for our community!
(Andy posing with our new Kubota tractor)
