Friday, December 16, 2011

'Tis the Season

Columbus Commons opened this past Spring with the mission to bring more green space and a family friendly environment to the downtown landscape. They have thus far delivered on this plan quite successfully.

Before the park opened, there were many people who complained that this type of green space should not be built in a down economy. People were worried that the city and corporate investors were wasting their money.

After a full season of events and people flocking to the space for recreation, I would think that the people who were complaining before can see the merit in putting a green space like this in the heart of downtown. From food truck festivals to flag football, the Commons has hosted a wide variety of events. We are proud to have worked with the Commons on several of their events this past year. We are also happy to take part in the Holiday Fair this weekend.

We erected a 66x82 clear span structure on the Grand Lawn complete with heat, 2 double door units and lighting. Usually, this size of a structure isn't much of a challenge to our experienced installation crew but this project was not without its own challenges. Because the park rests on top of the old City Center parking garage, we cannot drive stakes into the lawn to secure the structure. Our solution was to bring in 60,000 pounds of concrete ballasts to ensure that the safety of our structure was not compromised (If you check my post a few weeks back on the Indiana State Fair tragedy, you'll understand why safety is our primary concern.)

There is something exciting about a project that challenges your professional abilities. Challenging projects test your logistical planning skills, the creativity of your installation professionals, and your ability to change your game plan on the fly. If every project we did was the exact same this industry would get boring after a while. Its because of these unique challenges that I think you have so many Tent and Event Rental professionals and families who stay in the business for generations like our family has.

The Holidays a season for gift giving and being with your family. The Columbus Commons has given the Central Ohio community a gift in this park that can be enjoyed year round.

Happy Holidays from O'Neil Tents and Party Supplies
!