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The Edmond Town Hall still welcomes the public to movies, events on its stage, and other business conducted with the few personnel remaining since the municipal offices have relocated to their new space in Fairfield Hills. The Alexandria Room and adjoining kitchen, theater, downstairs gymnasium, and private room use and rentals are still part of day-to-day activities. —Bee Photos, Bobowick
Is it nostalgia? "Absolutely," said Senior Borough Burgess Joan Crick regarding her feelings toward the Edmond Town Hall. "I danced there as a girl on the stage, I bowled in the bowling alley there. I grew up there," she said.
Main Street's historic 1930s building left to the town by benefactress Mary Hawley enters 2010 emptier than it had been through November of 2009. Offices including the town clerk, first selectman, assessor and tax collector, and judge of probate have relocated to the new Newtown Municipal Center in Fairfield Hills, leaving behind empty space and the question of how to keep the building financially buoyant in the future.
"It's very important for the town that this building not be forgotten, but we need to pull together," Ms Crick said, "The building is beautiful, it's a wonderful center for the town." The Edmond Town Hall "was the place you went," she said, "The building cannot be let go."
With vacant rooms awaiting new use and much-needed revenue, the building's Board of Managers — volunteers — faces the dilemma of bringing new purpose to the space. Ms Crick, along with other borough officials, including Warden Jim Gaston and Clerk Jean St Jean, met with the managers on December 8 to extend their support. "Everybody has to help," Ms Crick said. "If everybody puts a hand in, it will be easier."
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The lobby where the town clerk, first selectman, assessor, or judge of probate would have passed on their way to their offices was empty and quiet Wednesday morning.
At the early December meeting, Mr Gaston had expressed concern that the building be preserved at any cost. He reminded members that the Mary Hawley trust fund could be jeopardized if a government agency were not in the building.
The idea of coordinating a cultural arts center in the building had entered conversation. This week he said, "The consensus seems to be an arts and cultural building, there seems to be a lot of support." The town, the Board of Managers, the borough, and the Cultural Arts Commission all will be involved in an ad hoc committee focused on reestablishing use for the Edmond Town Hall, he explained. Hoping to gather representatives from the four groups at a meeting this week, he said, "We need to talk about vision, come up with a common vision." With proximity to Litchfield County and New Canaan, for example, Newtown is a "fulcrum in the area." He said, "Wouldn't it be great to have a room for photography, for painting, pottery, and have it rotate." Recalling a YMCA in Westport where he grew up, Mr Gaston said cultural activities were there "all the time."
Picturing the possibilities for Newtown, he sees various art media on display, writing classes, art shows, wine and cheese events. The ad hoc committee also needs to determine financial needs.
"It's a great opportunity and sooner is better," he said.
Board of Managers Vice Chairman Sandy Motyka welcomes the support, but clarified this week that the managers and ad hoc committee have made "no firm commitments yet." The request is to bring ideas, "and funding too," she said. "We've got to be responsible about planning the future of this building. We need to do a lot of info gathering before we set off for the future … ideas have to be tied to revenue, financial support, funding, it's essential to have that component," she said.
Without the town offices using the space the building is in dire need of funds. "We're in difficult straits now," Ms Motyka explained. "We need to set up viable forms of revenue to keep the building open." "Huge" capital expenses loom, she said. "Delighted" to begin the process of exploring the building's future with the added help of other town and borough officials, she said, "We're anxious to serve the community."
Mentioning the Mary Hawley Society, a nonprofit established in past years to help raise money for the Edmond Town Hall, she noted several events in the planning, including a wine and jazz fundraiser on February 20 in the Alexandria Room, and ideas for an open house and silent auction.
First Selectman Pat Llodra "has had an interest for a while" in the building's welfare. She hopes to see three things: a business plan, a capital improvement plan, and a usage plan to answer how the building will generate income and how the space will be used. She wants plans, a solid vision of potential, and what it will cost to get there, she said. Mr Gaston, Ms Crick, and others will provide a "greater support" to the managers as they redefine the building's uses, adhering both to the spirit of the trust fund and to borough zoning specifications.
Mrs Llodra also anticipates a need for "a significant infusion of funds in coming years." Overall, "It's a big task," she said.
Currently negotiating to rent space is the Chamber of Commerce. Also, Ms Crick indicated that the borough members would want to relocate there. They currently meet in Town Hall South behind the police station.
An ad hoc committee meeting discussing the town hall was scheduled for January 7, after this issue of
The Newtown Bee
went to press.