12/18/2015

Council to take suggestions for Spurwink School use to workshop Jan. 7

As the town looks to the opening of a new Thomas Memorial Library, officials are deciding what to do with the original Thomas Memorial Library.

The Town Council on Dec. 14, 2015 received a report of suggested public uses for the former Spurwink School, site of the original Thomas Memorial Library, and will discuss it at a workshop Jan. 7.

The building, located next to the renovated library, most recently housed the children's collection and was the original building donated to the town for a public library by William Widgery Thomas. It has served as a temporary library during renovations, but was not included in the renovation plan, nor for library use after the renovation is completed.

Responses to a survey circulated in tax bills this year show a majority of taxpayers favoring some public use for the building. Since then the town has received varied suggestions for public uses, ranging from a senior center to a space for the historical preservation society to offices for the Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation.

Also, "the School Department submitted a fairly comprehensive proposal for a school 'hub'," Town Manager Michael McGovern said at the Dec. 14 meeting. The school proposal envisions space for student work and collaboration; a center for staff professional development; a place for summer programs while other school buildings are being cleaned; and, a performance space for students, classes and the community at large. Future uses could include spaces for video production and print-and-image publication, a living-history museum in cooperation with the historical preservation society, and studio space for artists-in-residence, the proposal says.

McGovern encouraged Town Council dialogue with the School Board about the school proposal as well as suggested uses for senior citizens, who have historically been served by Community Services programming overseen by the School Board.

"I think you need some sort of a committee or working group, either of the whole council or as a subset that comes back with a recommendation," McGovern said.

The Jan. 7 workshop will be the first of 2016.