Ashland awarded $10,000 community center grant
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
ASHLAND — The community of Ashland has received a $10,000 grant from the Marshall L. and Ruth-Anne Gibson Municipal Charitable Grant Program.
The funds will be used toward development of the town’s proposed community center — a section of the former Ashland Central School.
“We received a check for $10,000 last week. We’re very happy about it,” said Town Manager Ralph Dwyer.
Dwyer said the grant was actually quite a surprise to town officials, since it was the foundation that approached the town and not the other way around.
“It was an unsolicited donation. We were contacted and asked to fill out the grant application — the only stipulation being the money had to be used toward children, senior citizens or some sort of community-oriented facility,” said Dwyer.
It only took a moment to determine where the money could be used, since the town took ownership of the elementary school last fall, with plans to use the gymnasium as the focal point of a new community center. Dwyer said the section of the building housing classrooms will be demolished, with a new addition built to house a meeting room or two and a kitchen.
Dwyer said the grant could be considered as matching funds, should the town be approved for a community development block grant.
The town manager indicated community members are also getting on board with the project, with about $14,000 in donations received so far.
“In addition to the $10,000 from the Gibson Municipal Charitable Program, we received a $10,000 donation from the John and Joan Beaulier heirs and a $4,100 donation from the Ashland Rotary Club to go toward the recreation/community center,” said Dwyer.
“Donations are greatly appreciated. For the CDBG we need matching funds, so donations help meet that requirement,” said Dwyer.
He said if the CDBG is approved, construction could begin this fall.
“More than likely, construction would continue into 2013. When it’s done, we’d like to have a kitchen, meeting rooms — rooms for Boy Scouts and senior citizens to get together. It’ll be a good community gathering site, with extra space for tables in the gym, should a larger function be planned,” said Dwyer. “And it’s not just for Ashland; surrounding communities will benefit from having such a facility in place too.”
Dwyer said the building could be used for everything from recreational activities to weddings, reunions and more.
