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Red Barn at Fountain Park reaches halfway point for renovations

Date: 5/14/2015

WILBRAHAM – Board members of the Wilbraham Nature and Cultural Center (WNCC) as well as local and state officials celebrated the halfway point for the interior renovations of the nearly century year old Red Barn at Fountain Park on May 8.

A ceremonial check for $94,934 was given to Kent Pecoy of Pecoy Construction to mark the project’s halfway point and a ribbon cutting took place as well.

“This is by far the biggest undertaking the [WNCC] has had on its plate in the 22 years we’ve been in existence,” WNCC President Patrick Brady said.

The renovation project’s initial cost projection was $235,000, however it exceeded that estimate and now stands at $288,000, excluding the basement renovations, which were paid for through a $50,000 Massachusetts Cultural Council grant, Brady told Reminder Publications.

“One thing we learned from this process is to [include a] 20 percent [in the estimate] for unexpected contingences,” he added.

The total cost overruns were $53,000, which included additional foam insulation that would make the barn more “energy efficient” and “environmentally friendly,” as well as the installation of a chandelier and other lighting and interior upgrades, Brady explained.

Revenue sources for the project include $209,000 in Community Preservation Act (CPA) money approved by residents during the 2014 Annual Town Meeting and approximately $50,000 in private donations.

Brady said the 144-acre park also costs $100,000 to maintain annually and services for the upkeep are typically donated.

“We’ve been very fortunate in being able to restore the outside of the barn with [CPA] money and some matching donations as well as the interior,” Brady said during the ceremony. “It would have not been possible without [CPA] monies.”

He added that renovations began approximately a year ago starting with the basement, which was reinforced to make sure the entire structure was safe for people to assemble in.

“It was earmarked by state Rep. [Angelo] Puppolo Jr. and the state senator at the time, [Gale] Candaras,” Brady said. “They know that it is a very unique structure, not just in Wilbraham, because we serve all the surrounding communities.”

The interior renovations to the barn include new hardwood flooring, insulation, sheet rock on the walls, lighting, finishing, as well as tongue and groove on the ceiling, Brady noted.

WNCC Treasurer Michelle Lawler told Reminder Publications prior to the ceremony that the Red Barn would be used as a “year-round venue” to host community or private events because air conditioning and heating will be added to the building.

Currently, private events such as birthday parties and weddings are hosted at Fountain Park, she noted.

“There’s so much good things that go on here – the concerts; just the open space to be able to have people walk their dogs to come in and visit and spend time at the gazebo,” Puppolo said. “They just do a number of things here that’s just tremendously important.”

State Sen. Eric Lesser said one of his new roles within the senate is as chair of the Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Affairs. The Massachusetts Cultural Council falls under the “umbrella” of the committee.

“During budget season you go back to the state house with some very concrete examples of how these dollars are really well spent [and this is one of them],” he added.