Building Committee News!
On January 22, a sunny but frigid Wednesday morning, the little wooden building affectionately known by locals as “the green garage” was taken down. Erected on the foundation of the ‘brick store’ after the fire of 1920, the building stood for over 90 years.
I’m sure many will react to this news with mixed emotions. I’ve heard stories from people who grew up visiting the garage to fill their bicycle tires, who had their cars serviced by Norm and his father before him, who visited with Norm while getting gas, or who just stopped in to chat. People regarded the place as more than a gas station, it was a meeting place at the center of the community; a place to see other people, to have a chat, to do some business. Sadly, the site has not served that purpose for quite a few years, since the fire in 2008.
While the loss of the building may conjure up fond memories of the past, it also marks a new beginning. Just as the loss of the brick store left a hole that was filled by Clyde Parker’s new garage, the loss of the garage will be filled by a new town building that will once again provide a meeting place, a center of activity and a sense of vitality at the heart of the village.
