OTISFIELD – The recently renovated Otisfield Community Hall will be open at least two days next month for the annual Winterfest celebration and community luncheon.

The 1920s building will be heated from Feb. 13-18 to see how much it costs and determine if it’s economically feasible to keep it open year-round, Selectman Rick Micklon said.

It will be used for the community luncheon Feb. 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and for Winterfest events the following weekend, he said.

“We think it’s worth it for one week,” Micklon said. “We’ll go in two days before the luncheon and turn the heat on, turn on the water system and have a luncheon and winter carnival. Then we’ll close it up again.”

“We’ll have to experiment and see what it takes to heat the place for the whole week,” Micklon said. That will help in deciding whether to invest in keeping it open all year, which might necessitate replacing the “archaic” furnace.

“We can turn the furnace on but that furnace would struggle to heat that building throughout the winter,” he said. “Our instincts tell us it’s not worth it unless there are more events,” he said.

A new furnace is estimated to cost about $10,000.

“We’re not so sure it’s what the townspeople want to spend their money on at this time,” Micklon said.

Townspeople were asked two years ago whether they wanted to fix up the community hall on Route 121 or not, or build a new one.

“They wanted one, but did not want to put a lot of money into it,” Micklon said. “So we asked ourselves what do we have to do, to make it usable.”

A state fire marshal inspected it and presented a list of items that needed to be fixed to use it as a public building. Local officials also looked at what was needed for maintenance and how to make it user friendly for the town.

There is a new metal roof, insulation, windows, an exit door, emergency lighting, handicapped accessible ramps, wiring and reversible ceiling fans. The old propane stove was taken out because of venting issues and replaced with new electric stoves. Energy efficient lighting was put in, two new refrigerators were bought, kitchen cabinetry changed and a new kitchen sink installed. A well was drilled.

In all, about $60,000 of upgrades were made, Micklon said.

While the town will not be able to use it as en emergency shelter because it has no shower or generator, it can be used as a warming center, Micklon said. The Otisfield Town Hall can be used as an emergency shelter and is better adapted for that, he said.

Micklon said historic signs, such as those from the town pound, will be placed around the hall as “conversation pieces.”

[email protected]