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Cultural center approaches its first fund-raising goal |
By Amanda
Newman,
Newberg Graphic reporter
E-mail Amanda at
anewman@eaglenewspapers.com
|
The Friends of the
Chehalem Cultural Center are halfway toward a $2.5 million
fund-raising goal that will allow them to finish the interior of the
former school’s east wing, organizers announced this week.
“We’re about $1.5 million away from our Phase One goal,” said Ann
Dolan, editor of the group’s newsletter. “The total project is
budgeted at about $7.5 million, but the first phase is to finish the
lobby and gallery on the first floor, and what will be the art area
in the east wing.”
This is in addition to approximately $1.5 million already spent on
seismic upgrades to the brick building, as well as a new roof and
windows, provided through state and federal grants.
“We have three grant writers on staff, but most grant programs look
for community involvement and we’re trying to show that,” Dolan
said. “Right now we’re in the quiet phase of fund raising, seeking
private donations from the community.”
The group is conducting question-and-answer sessions about the
project on a regular basis, with upcoming “Friend-raising Nights”
scheduled for Aug. 16 and 23.
“We’re letting people go over the details of the plan which have
been solidified,” Dolan added. “We sent out around 2,000 community
surveys and held 17 focus groups in the last year, and incorporated
people’s statements about what they’d like to see in the finished
building.”
Plans for the Cultural Center’s future call for resurrecting the
school’s 250-seat theater; transforming classrooms into art and
dance studios, computer labs and meeting rooms; using the former
gymnasium for community events; and setting aside a portion of the
entrance for a cafe/bistro and community gathering place.
The history of the Cultural Center began in 1995, when the former
Central School was replaced by Antonia Crater Elementary. Two years
later, after failing to find a buyer, the Newberg School District
transferred ownership to the Chehalem Park and Recreation District.
The park district attempted two bond measures to renovate the
school. Both bonds (the first also included money for other CPRD
projects)- were defeated by the voters. State and federal grants as
well as inmate labor and in-kind donations were ultimately used to
upgrade the building seismically, gut the interior, install new
windows and configure the front entrance to its original design.
Tours of the Cultural Center are offered at 6 p.m. weekly, prior to
the Tunes on Tuesday outdoor concert series, through Aug. 28. For
more information on the “Friend-raising Night” meetings, contact
Lisa Joyce at 503-519-4456. |
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From
July 21, 2007, Newberg Graphic
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