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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cheney will have its own castle


This Lego castle represents the design of the giant cardboard castle which will be built Saturday in Cheney. Photo courtesy of Jason Radtke
 (Photo courtesy of Jason Radtke / The Spokesman-Review)

CHENEY – During the summer in Cheney, most students have left the Eastern Washington University campus. The Seattle Seahawks no longer hold training camp in town.

Cheney is pretty quiet this time of year.

To combat the boredom, Jason and Chanell Radtke have teamed with Pathways to Progress to build the world’s largest cardboard castle on Aug. 18.

The castle will be 6 1/2 feet tall and will cover an area 110 1/2 feet by 71 1/2 feet in the parking lot at Pathways to Progress, 120 G St. in Cheney.

“We’re kind of using it as a tool to let people know that Cheney is here,” said Jason Radtke, a volunteer with the nonprofit organization since he worked for it as an intern while attending EWU.

“It’s a dead time in Cheney,” said Charlie Dotson, executive director of Pathways to Progress. “This is a good way to punch up summertime.”

Pathways to Progress is working to revitalize downtown Cheney.

Dotson said the organization has been around for almost seven years, helping businesses get started. EWU students assist the startup businesses.

The Radtkes came up with the idea for a world-record-setting cardboard castle when Chanell Radtke was looking for activities for her children during the summer.

She came across a Web site, mrmcgroovys.com, which specializes in selling cardboard rivets and offers directions for making structures out of refrigerator boxes. The Web site has examples and designs for pirate ships, princess carriages, spaceships and lemonade stands.

Chanell Radtke designed the castle from ideas she found on the Web site. The castle will include a throne room, dungeon, music room and royal chambers as well as a menagerie. The couple has made a representation of the castle with Legos.

Kids will be able to decorate 15 rooms, and tunnels will lead through the inside of the boxes.

Jason Radtke said children’s groups still are needed to decorate the rooms. The local Girl Scout troupe has claimed the menagerie.

Terry Piger of Allpak Containers said the company will donate 200 new boxes big enough to hold a refrigerator. All that cardboard weighs 2 1/2 tons. The company will haul the cardboard to the site by truck.

“Some of their people are very excited to come and help,” Jason Radtke said of the Allpak employees.

Piger agreed, saying four or five employees have volunteered to help.

He said Allpak also will help recycle the cardboard once the castle has been dismantled.

Jason Radtke said he has contacted both the Guinness Book of World Records and the Book of Alternative Records, which lists world records of manmade feats. When the structure is up, he will take pictures and send them to the publications.

Organizers are planning a medieval party and Renaissance Fair in the other half of the Pathways to Progress parking lot while the cardboard castle is being built.

Jason Radtke said several Renaissance societies in the area are eager to participate.

The Spokane Renaissance Festival Society will be on hand, including the “Pickle Man,” who will be selling pickles from a barrel.

Medieval-style games, including throwing vegetables at pirates, will be held. Jousting with big foam swords, fencing, Highland dancers, a magician and hot-dog and sausage vendors also are planned. A roving bass recorder player in a 14th century French Renaissance costume also will entertain.

Jason Radtke said he’s trying to line up more musicians to participate.

The castle will start to come down at about 2 p.m. Sunday, so kids have some time to play in the gigantic cardboard structure.