Bowdoinham Town Hall. Maria Skillings / The Times Record
A committee formed to find ways to save the historic Bowdoinham Town Hall from continued deterioration is tossing around new fundraising ideas after voters shot down a $1 million bond bid for repairs last month.
Before closing due to unsafe conditions, the Town Hall had been used for countless community events over the years, including graduations, town elections, weddings, dances, concerts and the public library’s annual plant sale.
Committee member Rachelle Tome recalled fond memories of her childhood, competing in the Miss Bowdoinham Pageant and hosting her sweet 16 birthday party at the Town Hall.
“I grew up in that building,” she said. “I would hate to let it go.”
The Town Hall was built in 1823 and hasn’t had significant renovations since the 1990s. After continuous leaks and rot, the structure needs a new roof and foundation. The interior will also need a facelift, according to the committee.
Bowdoinham Town Manager Nicole Briand proposed drafting separate five-year and 10-year plans to present to the Select Board, making repair costs more palatable to residents. Briand said the first step to repairing the structure would be to jack the building up and replace the crumbling foundation, which could cost around $300,000. She said the committee would take it upon itself to raise $3,000 and apply for a $20,000 grant each year to cover additional costs.
In addition to a silent auction, email blasts and social media posts to drum up donations and volunteers, the committee is putting together a video presentation to explain necessary repairs. Briand said the video will also give residents a peek into the “rich history” of the building and why saving the iconic structure is important.
“We’re Bowdoinham. When there’s a problem, we get together and fix it,” Tome said. “This is not something a small group of people can fix. We need the entire town.”
Briand said they need volunteers, including builders, engineers, grant writers and tech-savvy individuals.
The Town Hall Committee meets at 4:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month at 13 School St. and is open to the public.
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