Community Corner
Friends Group Removes Asbestos at Haven Hill
Members prepare for April event to highlight improvements at the White Lake recreation area.
The Friends of Highland Recreation Area (FOHRA) achieved another milestone in their efforts at Haven Hill, the former pastoral estate owned by Edsel and Eleanor Ford within present-day Highland State Recreation Area.
In addition to the successful cleanup last year of the huge debris pile left by a damaging 2008 storm at the , the all-volunteer group has now removed all asbestos contamination from the barn and the gatehouse garage in the form of old flooring tiles, vermiculite, pipe insulation and other materials.
Donations raised by FOHRA were used to pay for the professional assistance of Mid-State Asbestos Removal from St. Louis, MI, to remove the debris on Monday.
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A crew of seven workers from Mid-State, all wearing required personal protective equipment and working in a plastic-walled room, removed the asbestos materials over the course of the day. They sprayed water onto the asbestos-based materials in order to minimize any potential of the fibrous substance breaking away and becoming airborne. The recovered items will be disposed of properly according to state and local codes.
Later in the day, a technician from TEK Environmental & Consulting Services, Inc., of Pinckney arrived to test the work site for any residual airborne contaminants. The asbestos abatement received an “all clear” rating.
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The completed asbestos-removal process opens the gatehouse and previously restricted sections of the Edsel Ford Barn for more renovation and restoration work this coming spring and summer season.
The gatehouse at the entrance to Highland Recreation Area will be the site of a spring "Red Bud Reveal" by the Friends group on April 9 at noon. The event is open to the public and will highlight the progress of bringing to life the resources at Haven Hill. A short presentation ceremony will be held to kick off FOHRA’s spring season at Highland Recreation Area.
To learn more about the Friends of Highland Recreation Area, to become a member, to donate or simply volunteer, visit www.FOHRA.org.
Jay Fitzgerald is the secretary for FOHRA. If you have a guest article you'd like to submit about your organization or an event in White Lake, email Brooke.Meier@patch.com. Please keep submission at 400 words or less.
