Jamboree Gateways

[Twocubdad]

Number One Son has made it off the waiting list and into a Jamboree troop. Wasting no time, the Scoutmaster, a buddy of mine, asked me to take the lead on designing and building the gateway.

 

Does anyone have any experience with these things? I've downloaded the engineered plans from the jambo website, but may have the wrong plans. This thing looks more like a parking deck than a gateway -- the way it's engineered you could drive a truck across it. The leaders' guide seems to say that the plans are suggested, not an absolute. How much variation from the plans are allowed? Are the dimensions on the plans maximums or are there any such specifications.

 

How far do you break the gateways down for transportation? The trade off is between compactness for shipping versus the amount of construction time required on site.

 

Can you count on the site being fairly level? Otherwise, how do you account for the slope? I could put jack screws on the bottom of all the bearing points, but that gets pricy quick.

 

What else do I need to consider?

[Eamonn]

First thing to do is slow down.

Next ask the troop members what they want.

Yes the first response is very much like Deer caught in the headlights!! But don't give up.

Show them pictures of Gateways from past Jamborees and the video from 2001 (Look real carefully at the video and you will see both Gateways that our troops built.)

Make suggestions as to what they might want to build. Maybe something from Scouting or something from your local area.

Last time one troop that went from our area wanted to build a gateway that was a representation of Fort Ligoner. The other troop built an arch shaped gateway with paintings of local attractions and wild life.

This time one of our Scouts has a Mom who works for the Fred Rodgers Foundation and they have given permission for the troop to build King Fridays Castle. The big selling point in them allowing the use of this was that the Scouts would be building the gateway.

You need to make sure that you follow the rule about holes!!

Yes making the thing so it can fit in a truck and then be assembled on site is a challenge and does mean that tools and things are needed. We were very lucky that where we were the ground was fairly flat.

You do need to make sure that you have the permission from any company or sports team that you might want your gateway to represent. While I am not 100% sure if it's true or not I did hear that a troop from Pittsburgh wanted to use giant Heinz Ketchup bottles in their design, but the Heinz company wouldn't allow it. We did get the OK for King Friday for the gateway, we are asking for permission to use it for the CSP, as yet they aren't sure.

Eamonn.

[Twocubdad]

The boys came up with a few ideas at their last troop meeting. My job is to workout the construction details and required materials. I'm just trying to understand the parameters.

[mmhardy]

It would be great if someone with a digital camera could post shots of the various troop gateways.

 

 

[wWw_Dan]

I'll see how many I can get!