Pinto Brrr its cold in here and snow is blowing in!! Unfortunately this is the case with the Lookout Point here in La Plata, Missouri. The siding on it is 7 years old and the weather has not been very nice to it; it is warped  and creating gaps which let in the elements though out the year, further deteriorating the siding. This also creates a perception that it is not cared for and people can do whatever they want to it; that is for sure not what the APRHF wants to promote or be associated with. As with all Non-Profit organizations, money is tight and sometimes things just have to be left to sit.

For the lookout point, this will be the year of renewal due to a challenge brought forth by one of our members, Dennis Warrick. He has put up the challenge of matching donations received between now and April 30th that are for the lookout point remodeling project. This will no doubt be a fun and exciting task!!

Below I will break down the updates and show you what the plan is that was designed by Dennis and I.

I could not resist the colorful approach. 🙂

First off, we will talk about the deck: It will remain but will get proper feet put below the posts.

Next, the door will be moved to the East side of the cabin. This will provide for a safer entry point on a flat surface. (The ramp in front of the door now can get slippery in the winter and when it rains.) This move will also allow for a more secure railing on both sides of the entry for any of us that may need it.

Now let’s cover the structure itself: According to how the donations stack up, we plan to reside the outside and insulate and cover the walls on the inside. This will help keep the lookout cozy for all visitors. The end windows that were replaced a few years ago are still in good shape.

The interior will be completely reset, with no more stark light bulbs in the middle. There will be can lights mounted along the north side of the cabin, these will provide good light and not extend below the ceiling line. Instead of signatures on the wall like in the past, there will be a signature board that can be changed out and displayed in our other venues. Sadly, the siding issues we are experiencing now has ruined a lot of the original signatures. We do have photos of the legible ones to make banners showcasing signatures that will be lost or covered up.

The information center will be relocated inside, instead of on the outside of the building. This info center will have area attractions, announcements, safety guidelines, scanner frequencies, and etc. The heater will remain in the same area.

There will also be a complete rewiring of the cabin. This will be mainly done for ease of maintenance but we will also move the ATCS monitor to the West side of the cabin.

The outdoors area will be reorganized too. A picnic table and park-style grill will be put in place. The ties around the parking area will be anchored and replaced as needed. The outhouse will also be removed: it is underutilized and cost more and more each year. This cost savings will be helpful to keep the LP tank full of fuel and the tank will get repainted.

This covers the basics for now. We are really excited to get started on this project and we also hope you will be able to help us. There will be a donor banner made for the lookout.

Here is how you can help:

New windows installed on the East and West end. You can even open and close these as needed.

Mail a check to the APRHF P.O. Box 175 La Plata, Mo 63549.

Stop by the Depot Inn & Suites and give them a check or cash at the front desk and that it is for the Lookout Point.

If you have any questions about this project, or any of our other projects, please email me at president@aprhf.org.