Woodworkers’ dream shop opens at Monarch Landing

By Meghan Streit
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

The smell of freshly cut wood is in the air, and the whirring of electric saws hums in the background. You wouldn’t be able to find it if you didn’t know it was there—but tucked away in Monarch Landing’s basement is a woodworker’s dream space.

This isn’t your average basement with a few saws and a stack of two-by-fours. The community’s wood shop boasts about $10,000 of state-of-the-art equipment, a full supply room, and plenty of work space for resident woodworkers.

“The machines are great; for a shop like this, you couldn’t want anything better,” says Walt Roehmer, one of many woodworkers in the community.

When the wood shop opened in early March, about 20 residents had already signed up to participate in various projects. And although woodworking is typically thought of as the domain of men, the Monarch Landing group includes several women as well.

Woodwork and fashion?
As soon as the shop opened, a group of ambitious woodworkers got right to work on a 32-foot catwalk to be used in Monarch Landing’s spring fashion show. Several residents and staff members were scheduled to strut down the custom-built runway, modeling the season’s latest looks.

After purchasing wood and supplies and reviewing the construction plans with the fashion show coordinator, several resident woodworkers pitched in to complete the project in time for the show.

“People are going to be really busy down here,” says resident Keith Nicodemus.

Constructing a catwalk and forming friendships
Whether they choose to lend a hand on group projects like the fashion show runway or work on individual pursuits like refinishing a piece of antique furniture, the Monarch Landing wood shop gives residents yet another opportunity to get to know their neighbors.

“I will be spending a fair bit of time down here,” Roehmer says.