Mission:
restore trail shelter

​​​​​​​The renovation of the trail shelter also includes fixing the fireplace in front of the shelter. This is part of a larger ongoing project for which the group received a government grant from a project whose aim is to develop the Swedish countryside. That is how the team was able to finance the materials needed for the renovation. The time the men have invested in the project is voluntary, something they do not see as a problem.
“I’m mainly here to hang out with the guys,” says Robert Kühnel who works with property management on weekdays.

Today’s mission is to replace the roof on the trail shelter, and to start work on building the new fireplace. However, the weather report warns of changeable weather, so it’s best to start work as soon as possible.

Knocking down the old roof is done quickly and after that the new roof planks are prepared in sections and nailed by hand. At the same time, Claes Hansson and Daniel Hedelund start thinking about how to tackle the fireplace rebuild project in the best way. The idea is to build a hexagonal table around a cement pipe and the design requires some brainstorming before work gets under way. It is Claes and Daniel who bring their professional experience from the construction business to the group. Claes runs building firm Hansson & Karlsson Byggservice together with his brother and Daniel works as a carpenter at Bröderna Bräder Bygg. So far, the design only exists in the heads of the two guys.
“It’s better to not have a drawing to work from because then no one can say you’ve done it the wrong way,” laughs Daniel.

Claes and Daniel are joined by Robert while the others continue with the roof. Oliver Pearce, originally from England but now a proud inhabitant of Sätila, is crawling around on the roof, nailing down the pieces of timber. The plan is to cover the roof with roofing felt during the day and then add some form of sedum roof at a later stage.
“We’ve looked into a few alternatives to see what we can afford and it seems like we have room for it in the budget,” says Oliver who works as an environmental consultant at WSP on weekdays. He is the team member in charge of the project’s financial aspects.

Now and then the guys ask Claes for advice, to ensure that they proceed correctly. Claes, who is used to being the driving force at work, says he tries to take a step back in these types of projects but it is clear to us that the group appreciates and respects his and Daniel’s experience.

Claes, Daniel and Robert were all born and raised in Sätila and have long been enthusiastic hands-on supporters in local issues. Claes for example was one of the people behind the project to build the long wooden bridge in Sätila, one of the most iconic symbols of the village. He has always been interested in non-profit issues and the community spirit that engenders.
“You could say it’s sometimes a battle against time, between voluntary work and spending time with the family,” says Claes.

His family consists of wife Ulrika, children Viktor and Alicia as well as a bonus daughter, Angelica. He like to spend time in their summer house in Bohuslän together with the whole family and recently Claes acquired some woodland property, thereby becoming a forest owner.
“If I have any unplanned time I prefer to spend it in the forest, thinning trees,” he says.

He is not the only member of the group with an interest in forestry. Andreas Hult is also a forest owner, a temporary solution that became a permanent lifestyle.
”When I lost my job I took the opportunity to invest in some woodland to give myself something to do while looking for a new job. Before I knew it I was hooked,” relates Andreas.

For these types of projects, which are located off the grid, it’s a bonus to include forest owners in the team. The team have used two quads to transport all the materials needed for the project, and the two off-road vehicles have handled the task with ease.

Just before the rain starts pouring down the men manage to fit the final piece of roofing felt in place. Lucky for them as the group can now take cover from the rain inside the trail shelter, enjoying the lunch that Fredrik Andersson has prepared. Fredrik moved to Sätila from Gothenburg and is impressed by the local dedication in the small village.
“It’s great to see that so many people are engaged and want to drive the village’s development. In addition to this project there is another one for building a frisbee golf course and at the beach you can rent both kayaks and canoes,” says Fredrik who spends his weekdays working as Secretary General for Partille Cup, the world’s largest youth handball tournaments.

The varying weather means that the guys’ workwear really is put to the test and even though summer is approaching as the building project gets under way, both hoodies and jackets are needed to stay warm.

Claes wears shorts today, but his favourite work trousers on the job are Craftsman trousers 2530 CYD with stretch from Fristads, preferably in combination with a functional T-shirt. The most important feature of the workwear is its comfort.
”The garments need to be comfortable, that’s the most important priority,” says Claes.

Among his employees he has noticed that trousers with stretch and reinforced crotch are increasingly popular.
“They cost more to purchase but on the other hand they last longer,” he says.

Another rising favourite he has noticed is the use of hoodies, something more and more people ask for. From the Fristads assortment Hooded sweat jacket 7462 DF with separable hood is a solid favourite.

The morning has turned into late afternoon and it’s time to finish work for today. Due to the weather the project wasn’t completed but despite that, the trail shelter already welcomes its first of many overnight guests that same evening. And who knows, maybe one of the guys in the group will spend his first night here later in the summer.