Grant will make the Community House spiffier

KENT — The Community House will get a sprucing up, thanks to a $200,000 grant from the state’s Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP).

The town-owned building, at 93 North Main St., is used mainly for Park and Recreation programs but is also leased out for flea markets, meetings, political events and musical performances. The building is in poor shape, though, and has become less and less attractive to renters.

However, earlier this year, the Board of Selectmen discussed shutting it down because the cost of operating the building in fiscal 2008-09 exceeded the budget allocated to it run it. Last year about $6,000 was spent on repairs that included the furnace and a broken water heater.

The Community House budget allocation was only $2,800 — although building rentals generated $5,000 in that year.

First Selectman Bruce Adams said it has not been determined how the grant will be used.

“It looks like we might upgrade the roof and the building’s insulation, but nothing is definite yet,� Adams said. “We need to do something with the building. It can be an asset for the community, but it needs to be in a usable condition. It’s not in the kind of condition that is suitable for some of the events we want to hold.

“We are hopeful that people might rent it when it’s been renovated.�

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