Edmond Town Hall Is In Search Of Its Future

By Kendra Bobowick

Both a landmark on the National Registry of Historic Places and a link to Newtown’s origins, the Edmond Town Hall faces an uncertain future as its Board of Managers ponders how best to maintain its status. The Fairfield Hills Master Plan calls for a new town hall. Some buildings on site are being assessed for potential renovations.

Concerns have prompted discussion about Edmond Town Hall in the years ahead, but closing the facility is not a consideration, according to Chairman Jay Gill. He asserts, “We won’t let that happen.”

Board member Sandy Motyka, who acknowledges town hall as “a wonderful landmark and beautiful building,” added that “there is no danger of going out of business.”

The board does not want Edmond Town Hall to slip into the past and members “have some ideas,” said Mr Gill.

Although outspoken in regard to the building’s continued use, they are determinedly silent about plans-to-come. Upcoming decisions are “nothing we can talk about, nothing to be announced,” Ms Motyka said.

She indicated that “we have a lot of immediate things to take care of,” but was not ready to speak in specifics.

Mr Gill also declined to mention particulars, saying, “I do not want to discuss something I am not one hundred percent sure of, and without the prior discussion with the board.”

Ms Motyka did provide a foothold to future planning, saying, “We are looking at setting the groundwork for future use of the town hall.” Also, she and the Board of Managers “need to talk with a bigger audience.”

Once board members decide the town hall’s future, Ms Motyka said the public’s input and approval would be important. “When we know what we’ll do we’ll want community support,” she said. Upcoming planning will reach into the community and “may start with a few key people and branch out,” from that point, Ms Motyka said. Plans will proceed cautiously by board members, “all smart people and careful people,” she said. “And care of the building is the first priority.”

 

Making Its Move

The Board of Managers anticipates that the building will continue to be a center for public activities, and not just municipal functions. The town hall rooms have long been rented for theater, dance, and family activities, for example.

Currently, the building has “a very healthy rental rate of rooms,” Ms Motyka said.

Despite tight finances and impending changes to the municipal office locations, she insisted, “We have to provide a lot of services.”

Noting that Mary Hawley left the town hall and trust fund to Newtown, Mr Gill said, “It’s an honor and a pleasure to be directly involved in the preservation.”

The theater, famous for its $2 ticket price, is in disrepair with water-damaged areas in the ceiling. Replacing the old seats, which the Lion’s Club is “aggressively” pursuing, “is probably our next project,” Mr Gill said.

Mr Kathan cataloged the need for new floors, seats, paint job, and plaster. That theater, just beyond the entry hall, contains a “Shakespearean stage” for one, and wonderful acoustics, said Mr Kathan. The orchestra pit is also functional and well used. Many weeknights the stage and theater are used by the Lathrop School of Dance. On Thursdays, no movies run, leaving the space — roughly 400 seats plus the balcony seating — for alternate use by “any group in the public for benefit movies” for example, Mr Gill said.

Current upgrades include the elevator project supplementing the old Otis elevator with a newer, wider handicapped version accompanied by newer lobbies. Mr Gill said, “We plan to maintain as much of the original building as we can while bringing things up to code.” Mr Kathan explained the flooring scheme and paint colors are meant to create a seamless passage from the older to newer portions.

The downstairs gymnasium is open regularly for sports use, meetings, fundraising events, and by the Mother’s Playgroup, part of Neighbors and Newcomers encouraging moms and their young children to play ball, roller skate, and ride tricycles throughout the area.

An upstairs kitchen just off the Alexandria Room, where another stage sits, offers space, but no useable facilities to those interested in renting out the banquet space. The room is equipped with place settings and services for more than 100 guests.

Mr Kathan and Gill agreed that the sinks were far out of date, not to mention other kitchen equipment removed due to age.

Mr Gill said, “In the future we want this space to be a useable, bright hall. On February 28, a Chamber of Commerce sponsored coffee and… will take place in that hall from 8 to 9 am where the town hall will be showcased for its potential future use.”

Somewhat invisible to the public is one last aspect of Edmond Town Hall’s preservation. As municipal changes and growth push some or all of the town’s offices into Fairfield Hills, Mr Gill intends to “protect the trust fund” established by beneficiary Mary Elizabeth Hawley.

A former resident and critical figure in Newtown’s past, Miss Hawley (1857–1930), who arranged the financial gift to accompany her donation of the Edmond Town Hall, had set up the fund “in a way to protect it” Mr Gill said. The sum has grown to roughly $1.2 million, he estimates. Unfortunately, the fund grows at a slow rate. Mr Gill supposes that Mary Hawley “could not have fathomed” present-day Newtown’s extreme growth.

According to historian Daniel Cruson, the population during her lifetime was less than 3,000 residents compared to today’s count of 26,000. The trust fund, along with town budget allotments and funds earned from renting space and running movies at $2 per person, are the town hall’s primary sources of income.

Mr Gill acknowledges that a newer building is necessary “to service growth,” but still reveres Edmond Town Hall as “the centerpiece of town,” he said.

Lastly Mr Kathan said, “As nice as anything is, there comes time for a makeover.”