We are so pleased to share that The Preservation Trust of Vermont recently announced the recipients of the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants to activate and reuse historic structures including Hyde Park’s Gihon Valley Hall in North Hyde Park Village!
A total of $625,000 has been awarded to nine rural community projects across Vermont. The town of Hyde Park has been granted $50,000 for renovations to the 1910 Gihon Valley Hall which will be used to restore the original windows and install storm windows to improve the building’s insulation.
The Preservation Trust received Bruhn Grant applications totaling over $2.5 million in requests. “The applications represented an amazing array of projects including arts spaces, community centers, village stores, and more. It was tough to choose among so many great projects. Ultimately, we selected the ones that best meet the goals of spurring new economic activity in village centers and downtowns and those that bring new life to under-utilized buildings,” said Ben Doyle, president of the Preservation Trust.
While some have called North Hyde Park a “drive-by” community along busy Route 100 in part for lack of a central gathering spot, the volunteer-run Gihon Valley Hall Committee is working to change this. Committee Secretary Liz Courtney said, “Restoring the Gihon Valley Hall will not only create a central gathering hub for the neighborhood but also create another node for community on the north end of the town to complement Hyde Park Village on the south end of town.”
The Gihon Valley Hall Committee has been working throughout the past three years to make improvements to the building in order to maximize its use as a community gathering space. With heat pumps newly installed in the hall -- made possible thanks in part to a 2020 grant from the Vermont Arts Council -- the committee deemed window insulation crucial as it prepares to use the building during more months of the year.
The Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants, named for PTV’s founding President, Paul Bruhn, was created in partnership with Senator Leahy and the National Park Service to help rural communities throughout the country.
Senator Leahy has been a longtime champion of village revitalization. “The projects that have been funded through the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program represent an incredible opportunity for our village centers, and the Preservation Trust has the expertise to support these groups as they move forward. The funded projects will enhance the vibrancy of rural Vermont by bringing people together, increasing economic activity, and helping communities to be more resilient,” said Leahy.
Projects supported by the Bruhn Historic Revitalization grants include the Addison Town Hall in Addison, the Athens Meetinghouse in Athens, the Bridgewater Community Center in Bridgewater, the East Calais General Store in East Calais, the Elmore General Store in Elmore, Gihon Valley Hall in Hyde Park, Montgomery Center for the Arts in Montgomery, the Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph, and the Governor Hunt House in Vernon. Grants will be used for structural repairs, interior renovations, roof replacement, and window and facade restoration. All projects are located in towns with fewer than 7500 people. Each of these projects will preserve and reuse historic gathering spaces, generate economic and civic vitality, and enrich the lives of community members.
The Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Program is administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.