HOULTON, Maine — Town councilors have opted to postpone fixing substantial damage to a cement block wall at the venerable Gentle Memorial Building until the spring of 2016.
Marie Carmichael, recreation program director for the town, told councilors during their Sept. 15 meeting at the Town Office that the damage had been caused by water leaks, maintenance issues over the years and lack of funding that was needed to make the repairs that could have prevented some of the issues long ago.
“We want to get this repaired and we want to postpone it until May 2016,” she said. “That way, we’ll be shut down so it will be better for our programs and activities.”
The 63-year-old Gentle Memorial Building is a beacon for both young people and adults in the community, who flock to its gymnasium, indoor game room and outdoor tennis and basketball courts.
The town also has acknowledged in the past that the building is in dire need of repairs, both because of long term-use and maintenance issues.
Carmichael said that staff at the facility have caulked around the bricks for the winter and planned to keep the entrance door by the stage open so that more heat would get in.
Council Chairman Wade Hanson noted that the group had originally appropriated $30,000-$32,000 for the repair job in the 2015 budget.
Ideally, the recreation department was coming to them to ask for a May 2016 date because not only will they be able to shut down, “we hope the cost will be lower,” Carmichael said.
Councilor John White asked about any anticipated damages from delaying the repair job from the winter of 2015 until the spring of 2016, and he was told none were envisioned.
