University of Toledo Pi Kappa Phi members Sam Reihs, left, and Tim Schlachter help remove old planks of Sunshine CommunitiesÕ boardwalk, which was originally built by Pi Kappa Phi members in 1993. Construction to replace the boardwalk will begin in the spring. The Blade | Katie Rausch
Bill Heck, Sunshine’s manager of facilities, had a big smile when he saw 10 University of Toledo (Beta Iota) Pi Kappa Phi members arrive.
“They came up and they were all bigger than any maintenance guy I have,” he said. “I was excited we were going to get some work done.”
It didn’t take the fraternity brothers long to sledgehammer through 750 feet of boardwalk.
In 1993, 73 members of the Pi Kappa Phi chapter built the deck, allowing residents of Sunshine Communities to wander the wooded back section of its 25-acre campus. Years of storms and freezing temperatures damaged the boardwalk. It was finally closed for safety purposes after last year’s massive flooding did major harm to the wood.
“It’s really cool seeing photos [from the 1993 work],” said Toledo student Ryan Aridi, member of Pi Kappa Phi. “It’s dope to keep building on the legacy and keep it going. It’s cool to know we’re making a difference.”
Sunshine Communities is a support center with recreational and housing opportunities for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Most residents use a wheelchair or are supported by staff on the boardwalk. Since it has been unavailable, their only outdoor space to explore has been the parking lot.
The dismantling of the boardwalk began Monday, and construction to replace it is planned for this spring.
“In the fall of 1993, after it was built, a mother said ‘Thank God I finally have a place to take my daughter for a walk that’s not the parking lot,’” said Douglas Siebenaler, director of legacy giving for Sunshine. “And her daughter had been here since 1960. A lot of folks use it several times a week to get fresh air and enjoy the beauty along Swan Creek. They find it relaxing and refreshing.”
He said the lumber alone will be $40,000 for the sections Sunshine needs to replace. The entire boardwalk is nearly a mile long.