SANDPOINT — The arbor at the community arboretum in Lakeview Park had seen better days.

Once a favored spot for weddings, proposals and special occasion, it had fallen on hard times and grown a little old and a little rickety. Wobbly in some spots and disintegrating, it was in danger of falling down.

It had, all agreed, seen better days. Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society members made the hard choice to take the structure down.

They wanted something that honored the arboretum, a hidden gem dedicated to the region’s native plants and habitats, as well as something that paid homage to the original arbor — a passion of a few of KNPS’ original members who dreamed up the plans for the arbor and a nearby rock wall, designed to fit in with the surroundings and signify this was a special place.

Whatever replaced it also had to have that sense of place, of being a part of nature and the magic of the arboretum. That much, KNPS members knew.

Cara Johnson, who served as the arboretum manager last summer, knew from talking to longtime members Ken and Mary Jo Haag, Rae Charlton and others how special the arbor was. Those conversations got her thinking — who did she know who might be able to help out, and what ideas might they be able to help her come up with.

That very day, walking along a downtown street was the very person she’d thought of — Collin Beggs.

Beggs and his crew design and build custom timber frame buildings throughout North America since 2003 — most recently the outdoor recreation center that was a collaboration between Kaniksu Land Trust and the Sandpoint Nordic Club. In addition to his own work, his shop is a top resource for architects and custom builders using heavy timber.

As she outlined the problem, Johnson said Beggs told her, “Yep, I can do that.”

Help her figure out what to do next?

“He just stepped up and said, ‘We’ll take care of that for you,’” Johnson said. “It’s just a beautiful honoring of the old one and keeping with the theme of live wood.”

Beggs and the KNPS members went to work, talking about their ideas, looking at the site, working to honor the past and create something that would not only be at home in the arboretum but last for the decades and years to come.

When Johnson sought his advice, Beggs was quick to offer to build a new arbor for the small organization dedicated to the region’s native plants. The aesthetic beauty found in traditional timber framing construction would be a natural fit for the arboretum.

“It kind of puts a connection between timber and forest and the trees,” Beggs said, noting that timber frame construction has been around since 1000 A.D. and buildings made with the method are still around.

Beggs’ interest in furnitures and boats goes back as long as he can remember. In many ways, he said, his interest in building and designing timber frame homes are a natural progression. Through timber frame construction, he can keep the craftsmanship of the tradition alive in homes and projects that will last for hundreds of years as well as connect the people of the community with their surroundings.

“It’s very important to keep the traditional crafts alive,” he said. “When you build for permanence, you can really change how people interact with each other, themselves and their community.”

The combination of KNPS members’ stewardship of the arboretum and the skills and talents of Beggs and his crew came together as the master craftsmen worked through the steady rain, first adding the frame to footings created by KNPS volunteers. Piece by piece, the precisely crafted frame was put together — first the walls, then the roof. While some modern equipment sped the work along, most is done as it has been in the past. On the most basic level, timber frame construction marries posts and beams using wooden pegs and other types of joinery.

Being a part of creating the arbor allowed them a chance to give back and to celebrate the community.

“I hope people enjoy the structure and get involved in the Native Plant Society and get involved in the community,” he said.

Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at clobsinger@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.