When you're a volunteer group working on a municipal building, progress can feel slow. And yet every year since the Gihon Valley Hall Committee formed we're always a little impressed when we take stock of how far we've come.
While putting together our page for Hyde Park's Annual Report for 2022 Town Meeting, we looked back and recognized that in 2021 we:
Installed two energy-efficient heat pumps to heat and cool the first-floor event space
Updated the electrical infrastructure of the building
Purchased a versatile, LED stage lighting system
Began work towards a $50,000 window restoration project
Conducted a study to recommend accessibility and fire safety improvements to the building
Planted a mini community garden
Installed a Little Free Library on our front porch
And every single one of those projects were funded by grants or donations!
2021 also was our first opportunity to rent out the building to local groups like the Lamoille River Dancers and to private events like birthday parties.
As we prepare for a new fiscal year, we’re asking taxpayers to increase our $3,500 annual maintenance budget to $5,000 primarily to cover the expense of broadband wi-fi and heating utilities as we begin to use the hall for more months of the year.
If you'd like to get involved with our efforts, you can always make a donation or join our monthly committee meeting, which will be happening via Zoom during the winter months.
Second Mondays at 6pm. The Zoom meeting link is: https://zoom.us/j/95647018584
Passcode: 313040
Or join via phone at 301-715-8592, Meeting ID: 956 4701 8584, Passcode: 313040
January Minutes
Want to learn more about our work? Download our meeting minutes.