The fate of the former Hollis High School will be in the hands of voters come June 14, and we’re glad to see that they are the ones who will decide whether to keep this building or demolish it.
This World War II-era high school building served the town for about 20 years, and many residents have fond memories of their school days there. Of course, memories aren’t enough to save a building and the decision on Hollis High School’s future comes down to money.
If voters choose to save the building, the town plans to pay $64,000 to conduct a study that would determine possibilities for its reuse for “community-based services.” From there, the costs are disputed and cannot, in fact, be known until a use for the building is decided upon.
Selectmen had earlier rejected an offer from the school district to take on the building ”“ citing costs, lack of need and lack of historic value. We disagree with their approach and feel this decision should be left up to the voters.
Roberta Ramsdell and Rita Anderson, along with others in the Friends to Save Hollis High School group, should be commended for petitioning to get this issue on the ballot, before all residents. Even those who don’t want to see the town take on this building should be grateful that at least they will have a choice in the matter.
That said, we believe the town would be wise to preserve this building and find a new use for it, whether it becomes some sort of community center or town office or even if it means renting out the space to businesses or non-profits that will benefit the community. There was some talk a few years ago about bringing a YMCA to Buxton/Hollis. Perhaps the town could look into whether the high school could serve as a satellite center for the Biddeford or Sanford YMCA, a hub upon which they could build, and later add a pool or other amenities. The possibilities for the building are many, and while Hollis already has a community center, some residents say it is often booked up and the town could use more space.
Money is a concern, of course, but so is history. Saving old buildings and renovating them costs money ”“ often great amounts of it. Hollis Selectman Ben Severance has said the only historic aspect of the high school is its age. So why bother? Why not tear down every old building and put new construction in its place?
Most of us would agree that there is some value in having physical examples of our past. Our lifespans are so short, and our memories even shorter, that without some real, tangible points of reference we simply forget what life used to be like.
It’s amazing to walk through the old textile mills in Biddeford or Sanford and imagine the noise, smells and long days of standing at a loom. Though the machines are long gone, you can still smell the old wood, the hint of wool in the air, and see the worn spots on the steps that so many climbed every day to earn their pay. That kind of experience is something you just can’t get from a photograph or a book. That’s why we save old buildings and artifacts ”“ so we can see the view from the window that our grandmother would gaze out while daydreaming in class and actually realize how different their experience was from ours.
Small towns like Hollis must be careful to preserve their history as older farming generations pass on and it becomes more of a bedroom community. Residents must also take into account that York County is growing quickly, and while there may not be a pressing need for the building now, an influx of residents in the future might need the space for various endeavors.
Buxton knocked down its old town hall in 2007, which upset many residents, but the town had cause to get rid of the building. As well, the Buxton Town Hall was surrounded by historic buildings, from the old Civil War-era coat shop across the street to the church next door and the renovated one-room schoolhouse relocated to the lot behind it. Hollis does not have such a wealth of historic structures, and history buffs everywhere should be weary of eliminating one of the town’s last tangible ties to the past.
Buxton Town Hall was demolished mainly because it could no longer be used due to structural issues. Hollis High School obviously has no such issues, as it is currently in use by the school district. As supporters have pointed out, significant renovations have already been done to the building, including new windows in 2004 and a new steam boiler and oil tanks in 2008. A working septic system is on site, dating from 1998.
Any older building is going to need work, but Hollis High School does not appear to be a lost cause that is so far beyond repair that demolition would be preferable to maintenance. Selectmen say this is not a good time financially to take on the expense of renovating and repurposing the building, but we would argue that this is not a good time financially to destroy an existing asset in the town.
Other surrounding towns have invested in their historic buildings, from Biddeford’s renovation of City Theater to the recent effort of the Waterborough Historical Society to renovate the old grange hall near Massabesic High School. We hope that Hollis voters will choose to keep this building despite the misgivings of their selectmen. Once it is saved and a new community purpose determined, renovations and retrofitting can be done piecemeal, as the town can afford it. But if it’s demolished, it will be gone forever and Hollis youth will lose one of their last ties to the town’s past.
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