Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, September 4, 2017
The Friends will use this money as part of matching funds for the next set of grant applications, for another significant project to improve the Grange Hall.
The FCCGH also wants input, as we look at a couple of different project concepts–“ballots” are still available at the Hall for any interested user, or you can email the Friends–see below for more details.
The Friends want to hear what you say!
All the proceeds of the fundraiser benefit the Friends, to help finance the improvements we want to continue to make to our great Hall. Most of you know that the FCCGH has helped to plan and implement many of the projects we’ve done: the new dance floor in 2012, the new windows upstairs and down, the new fire exit from the lower level, and the new bathrooms in 2015!
The Friends will also be looking for your input, to help decide on which of the 2 major projects should be the focus.
Decisions will be made based on several factors:
- Community input–this is where the your voice comes in, as a supporter of the Grange and the Hall
- Urgency–what needs to get done
- Rentability & renter satisfaction improvement
- Building integrity
- Operating & energy efficiency
- Cost–what can we afford, with grants and by ourselves
- Grant-funding possibility–different grantors have different requirements and emphasis
Concept A: “Mess Hall to Dining Hall” includes improvements to the lower level, to reduce moisture, increase insulation, and improve the ambience of the cafeteria space. Components include:
- Installing drain channels to remove liquid water that gets through the foundation
- Installing insulated panels and wallboard to keep cover the cold concrete wall(s), and to create a paintable, cleanable wall surface–that won’t mildew.
- Replacing the fixed wood tables with movable, smaller-size tables, for flexibility, better cleaning, and more choices in layout.
- Painting the floor (and the walls and maybe the ceiling) for a better appearance.
Concept B: “Safe and Sound” includes improvements to the security and the acoustics of the Grange Hall–here are some of the ideas:
- adding acoustic panels to the Hall to reduce reverberation–to help with dances, singing events, public meetings, and group events of various sizes
- increasing security for the Hall by installing new doors in the original entrance–with insulated glass, good weather-stripping, and improved door closers, to reduce air leakage, and improve the connection of the Hall to those entering there.
- changing to programmable locks, to ease the task of getting keys to one-time renters, and to allow us to change access if a code is compromised.
- consider purchasing a sound system for Hall renters to use, to encourage use by groups who can’t afford, or don’t want to organize a sound system. There are many questions about security, maintenance, set-up and cleanup to be answered!
We want to know what you think! Ballots and comment sheets will be available for everyone, for at least a couple of weeks. The Friends and the Grange are looking for the best investment of everyone’s time and money, so we want to find out what matters most to you.
I hope I can get some help with this–my reaching out to dance musicians in this area has been more difficult than I expected!
Call or email me: swartztim15@gmail.com, or 225-8921, and let me know if you will join me–about 6:30 at the Grange Center, 308 West St., Brookfield VT 05036. The dancing will start at 7:00, and will last about an hour.
The State Grange has helped our Grange throughout the decades, including financing all of our renovation projects with bridge/construction loans, and has supported us as we figure out our own way to be a Grange in the 21st century, and we want to show them how a lot of the CCG’s friends enjoy themselves with community dancing!