For several months, the Building Construction Technology and Cement students have been rehabbing the male gazebo.

At the Joliet Job Corps Center, the open-air structure is an important place. Students go there to meet, chat and enjoy a little down time during the training day. It’s also the spot where students wait for rides because it’s near a main parking lot. But for the past few years, the male gazebo has needed an update. The roof and concrete floor needed work, for starters.

So the students went to work. It was a terrific learning experience for students in both of the trades. “We had training in a lot of different disciplines,” said Chris Flanagan, the BCT Instructor.

They removed and replaced the roof, installed new gutters and fascia and added new benches for students to use.

Led by Instructor Robert Clary, the Cement students also made a significant contribution to the project, removing old material and resurfacing the new concrete.

BCT Student Ramsey Hubbard particularly enjoyed working on the rehab. “I am a hands-on person,” Ramsey said. “I like to work with things and fix things. I used to play a lot with Legos as a child, and I would build things, break them and then rebuild it to the way that it was.”

He really liked doing the roofing because he never had done that kind of work before. “Now my mom wants me to build her a shed!” Ramsey said.

Now t

Cement Instructor Robert Clary cuts the ceremonial ribbon on the updated male gazebo.

The project finally is done. On Aug. 22, Mr. Clary cut a ceremonial ribbon of caution tape and the revamped gazebo was officially open for students to use. “There was a huge round of applause for all of us, and that was great for all my guys. We appreciated the recognition,” Mr. Flanagan said.