The "Raise The Roof" Story

Before Central Market was built, vendors sold produce along the street.

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about Lancaster's Central Market House beginning to put a new roof on the market house.  It was back in 2005 that the Central Market Trust was formed and recently they have become the motivating force in raising money for a new roof for the market house.  The 127-year-old Central Market has had a few facelifts over its lifetime, but this time a new roof is in order.  

City Hall is pictured on the left with open air market stands
behind it.  This became the location of Central Market House.

The current asphalt roof was installed 30 years ago and it has begun to leak.  The original roof had been made of slate.  A new asphalt roof would cost $500,000.  If $1.5 million can be raised, a slate roof, which would last much longer, could be installed.  Lancaster County and Lancaster City officials have both been asked to donate for the roof, but the rest must come from public donations.  Well, the money is in and $1.6 million was raised from more than 700 donors.  

A 1940 shot of Central Market House behind City Hall on left.

A neat feature of the fund raising was the fact that if you gave $100 or more you were given the opportunity to sign one of the actually slates that will be used in the new roof.  Over 600 of these slates have been signed to date.  This past Christmas I sang in a Flashmob that sang the Hallelujah Chorus at several locations in the city of Lancaster.  

Central Market House as seen today.

During one of our practices we were given the chance to donate toward one of the slates and then sign our name on that slate.  Just about everyone donated and signed the slate and will now be part of the renovation of the slate roof on the market house  A week ago scaffolding was erected around Central Market in anticipation of replacing the roof.  

The slate signed by members of the Hallelujah Flash Mob.

Construc- tion will take place four days a week with hopes of finishing the roof in about three months.  The interior of the market house has plastic tarps in place to prevent any damage to the market stands under them.  The "Raise The Roof" project has been a complete success thus far and I'm glad I have become a part of it with my donation and signature on one of the slates.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.