This spring, dozens of people got up early and waited in line to get their hands on a piece of the corduroy road found beneath King Street in uptown Waterloo.

Getting people to pay $495 for one piece is turning out to be a little more difficult.

That’s the price Pete Pritchard of PDR Picture Frames has set for one piece of the road, which ran right outside his front door.

It comes in a frame, with a photo of the road and a description of the entire package included.

It’s also a sale price only good for a few more days, as PDR’s website suggests the price will rise to $695 at the beginning of August.

Corduroy roads, also known as log roads, were among the first roads built in Waterloo Region. They were placed over swampy areas where dirt paths were ineffective.

Pritchard says he’s seen quite a bit of interest in the piece, but so far nobody has gone to the point of buying it.

People approached by CTV Kitchener in uptown Waterloo on Wednesday said they would have some interest in owning a piece of the road, but not at that price.

“Considering they were giving it away for free, I’m not sure I’d pay anything for it,” said Melissa Parker.

Amy Dean said she could see a price in the $100 range as being fair, although it wouldn’t tempt her personally.

“It’s not something that I would put up in my own home,” she said.

Chivon Petek called the idea of paying for a log “ridiculous,” saying she was surprised by all the attention the road had received.

“It’s not a Van Gogh painting,” she said.

Pritchard has a number of pieces of the road for sale, with prices ranging from $150 to $800 based on size.

He says the prices reflect what went into preserving and framing the logs.

“It’s sealed in an airtight box with UV-protection glass and conservation materials around it. That’s the best we can do to preserve it,” he said.

While many business owners have expressed frustration with the lengthy construction project in uptown Waterloo, Pritchard says he hasn’t experienced too much of a loss due to the “destination” nature of his products.

With reporting by Nadia Matos