On May 31, Tilcon’s Clinton Point Quarry in Poughkeepsie, NY, hosted its fourth annual Open House, welcoming more than 1,400 residents from the surrounding community to a family day filled with quarry tours, mineralogical displays, arts and crafts activities, and mining education. Many residents had never been there and many more have come year after year to enjoy the tours and to get a glimpse of the activities of their 1,200-acre neighbor along the Hudson River. Clinton Point Quarry has many reasons to be proud to invite the public in to see their operation.
The threat of severe thunderstorms did not deter residents from coming to learn about the historic quarry, take bus tours of the site, view and climb on enormous mining equipment, and enjoy refreshing cool drinks and grilled burgers and hot dogs. The event lasted from 9:00 to 3:00 and guests were having too much fun to leave.
Although it’s been at its current location for about 120 years, neighbors of Clinton Point Quarry are often surprised to find out how large and productive the facility is. Most of the product is freighted by barge, so the quarry’s inconvenience to the community is largely diminished. However Tilcon management does recognize that there are still impacts to living near a quarry and asphalt plant, so community outreach events, like this one, are among the many ways that Tilcon gives back to the surrounding area.
Employee volunteers and their families turned out to help as traffic control, tour guides, welcome table, grill masters, refreshments, and children’s activities, and arts and crafts.
Many pieces of heavy construction equipment, used every day at work, were polished and put on display, including loaders, excavators, haul trucks, drills, and a water truck. Others were displayed in active poses throughout the operation so that visitors on the quarry tours could see how they are used. Equipment operators helped children and their parents on and off huge haul trucks, loaders of all sizes, excavators, and paving equipment as they explained how the equipment operates, how much it can hold, and how much they enjoy their jobs. Children of all ages enjoyed the opportunity to sit in the driver’s seat.
Tilcon had quarry and environmental representatives on hand to inform the community about operational activities, pending changes to the asphalt plant and the significance of safety on quarry property. Representatives from Vibra-Tech also were available to explain blasting procedures, how seismographs work, and to answer any questions from the visitors about blasting effects on their homes. Residents also got to pick out their homes from the aerial view of the quarry and ask questions.
Tilcon invited a representative from MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration), the regulatory agency that governs mining and quarrying, to share with the public the reasons that trespassing on mine property can be hazardous.
One of the biggest highlights of the day’s events for everyone was experiencing a 75,000-ton blast. A light rain did not diminish the crowd’s enthusiasm as they counted down to the detonation. A young visitor was chosen to press the detonator, and all were wowed at the sight.
It was obvious from the many vendor displays that the Open House concept provides the ideal opportunity to educate the public about the industry. The vendors that participated in the Clinton Point Open House included McCarthy Tires, Chevron Oil, Vibra-Tech, HO Penn, Dyno, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and Troy Belting and Supply. Employees from the Engineering and Environmental departments were also on-hand to answer questions regarding environmental issues. In addition, there were representatives from the local police, fire, and rescue squads, as well as a local mineralogical society to add to the fun-filled educational event.
Firefighters gave a demonstration of removing someone from a car accident by using the Jaws of Life. Tilcon safety representatives also gave a demonstration of how to prevent a fire when refilling the gas in a lawnmower.
The Open House featured a “greener” theme as Tilcon provided guests with tote bags made of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the plastic used to make soft drink bottles, and gave out packages of wildflower seeds, a renewable resource that the public can use to beautify their surroundings. Information packets were also included to teach the visitors about natural resources, aggregates use in everyday life, and how to identify rocks, quarry safety word games. Giveaways also included caps, children’s plastic hard hats, scale-models of the equipment, squeezeable stress rocks, and small toys.
There were numerous children’s activities including creating sand art, decorating rock pals, carnival games, framing Polaroid pictures of themselves taken in a model haul truck, and a huge sand box area complete with excavation toys that children really enjoyed.
In addition, a disk jockey provided the entertainment and made announcements, such as calling out the winners of many raffles held by vendors.
Tilcon saw to it that their guests’ appetite for knowledge as well as their appetite for lunch were well satisfied. Volunteer grillmasters served up hundreds of hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and soft drinks, as well as other popular snack foods, such as freshly made cotton candy and popcorn.
To be included on the mailing list for next year’s Open House, e-mail kgreiner@tilconny.com.
