CANTON — Fifty-four residents quickly voted unanimously at a special town meeting on Monday night to use $60,000 in surplus funds to move the Masonic Hall on Turner Street into the spot currently occupied by the Historical Society building.
C.N. Brown plans to expand its Big Apple store at 25 Turner St. next to the Masonic Hall and agreed to give the building to the Historical Society if it was moved before October, Historical Society member Phyllis Ouellette said in June.
Part of the funds will go toward demolishing the Historical Society building and moving the Masonic Hall into its place. Plans for the two-story hall include using it for community gatherings and storing the society’s archives.
Following the meeting, Ouellette said that the demolition of the building will start the week of Aug. 7. Excavating and adding a foundation will also be done during that time.
“The move is tentatively scheduled for the last week of August or the first week of September. It’s going to take a good week to lift the building and get it moved,” she said.
“I’m just so grateful to the citizens to allow the Historical Society to use the surplus money. We have fundraising goals and we intend on replacing everything back to the town with the support of the community, and the grants that we might be able to get,” she said.
Town Administrator Scotty Kilbreth said that two public hearings held prior to the meeting were probably the reason why the residents approved the vote so quickly.
“We had really good attendance (at the public hearings), most everybody here tonight was at those hearings; they had the slide presentation at both public hearings, and a lot of questions were asked and a lot of information given out,” Kilbreth said.
Selectman Carole Robbins agreed with Kilbreth that voters were well-informed thanks to Ouellette and the Historical Society’s hard work.
Selectman Don Hutchins said, “This was one opportunity to save a building that’s part of history and anyone in their right mind would (want to do it).”
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