Hubbardston residents will gather at a Special Town Meeting, 7pm Thursday, August 22, 2024 at the Hubbardston Center School to decide on whether to proceed with Phase 1 of the project.
A new facility was rejected in a previous vote. Town Leaders are hoping this creative idea will have support of the public. The interview with Boudreau and Couture explains more.
Out-of-Box Thinking Yields Solution to Hubbardston Crisis of Facilities
Gardner Magazine spoke with Hubbardston Town Administrator Nathan Boudreau and Hubbardston Police Chief Ryan Couture on August 14, 2024 about a 3 Phase Plan to Purchase and Utilize 48 Gardner Road, Hubbardston for Town Needs. It is the subject of a Special Town Meeting August 22nd at 7pm. Listen on any device, CLICK PLAY.
The Town Hall, Police Station, and town-owned Fire Department facilities have space and structural issues. Population of Hubbardston 50 years ago was about 1500, increasing to 2800 in 1990, 3900 in 2000, and leveling off to about 4300 today. Town Hall in the 1970s was supposed to be temporary. The police station is in the basement of the library. Fire stations are split up and town-owned locations have issues. A new structure would cost $15 to $20 million due to prevailing wage laws. Purchasing 48 Gardner Road for $700k and then spending money incrementally at the location would end up being half the cost. Potentially, cost could be substantially reduced through grants.
| Phase | Action Contemplated |
|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Initial Renovation and Preparation including building purchase, code compliance and plans, new roof, siding, and window. Total up to: $1.4 million |
| Phase 2 | Creation of space for Town Hall, Meeting, Public Safety and Training, Fire Department, Police Department, and various Storage. Total up to: $7.576 million |
| Phase 3 | Additional Apparatus Storage and Sally Port, and Emergency Generator. Total up to: $887,500 |
The Town of Hubbardston Prepared Videos to Showcase the Issues to Residents. Have a look at the police and fire facilities and understand the need. Just CLICK PLAY.