Coppins open after collapse

We took Gord for an adventure Wednesday, visiting Lewiston Landing hoping to see some ducks and instead discovering thousands of dead alewives, a small invasive fish that is very temperature sensitive.

Then we headed to Coppins Automotive because the passenger side wiper on the Forester tore when I pulled it free of the ice on the windshield Tuesday. Or was it Monday. I seem to lose track of what day it is this time of the year.

Coppins had a rough week because the windstorm knocked the masonry free on the building’s front wall. Jay Coppins and crew cleaned up the mess and are open again.

Nicole the service manager looked up the wipers and realized only one was in stock.

“I can get the other here in about 30 minutes if you like,” she said. “It’s a strange one.”

Apparently the wipers are different sizes.

We drove to Youngstown where we visited geese and bufflehead ducks near the Fort Niagara Boat Launch and then journeyed over to take in the beauty of Lake Ontario.

When we returned to Coppins, I spoke briefly to the workers from Tuscarora Roofing who were finishing temporary repairs. They already did a temporary wall repair. Now the workers were capping the masonry blocks to seal it against rain and prevent water from infiltrating.

Permanent repairs will wait until an insurance company has its say and the Village’s Historic Preservation code is considered. Buildings like the Frontier House and the Opera Hall are what's done right. Coppins fits in too. The Immediate Care building is nonsense and doesn't belong.