Park needs painters

June 08, 2002|By SCOTT BUTKI

scottb@herald-mail.com

The city of Hagerstown is asking for volunteers to help with painting the former Entrance Building and Gatekeepers House at Fairgrounds Park today and the following three Saturdays this month.

The two city-owned buildings in the 400 block of North Mulberry Street are connected and vacant. The total structure is about 150 feet long, 30 feet wide and about 20 to 25 feet high, City Public Works Manager Eric Deike said.

Volunteers should enter Fairgrounds Park at the Cannon Avenue gate and report to the rear of the building.

The painting will begin about 8 a.m. and stop about 4:30 p.m. each Saturday in June.

About 20 to 25 people have signed up as volunteers to work sometime this month and about seven to 10 of them are expected to show up today, Deike said.

The city will provide paint and brushes, City Engineer Rodney Tissue said. He suggested volunteers bring old clothing, sunscreen, hats, gloves and lunch.

Volunteers must sign a release form, and anyone under the age of 18 must have a legal guardian sign the form.

The city will provide drinking water and portable restrooms.

In case of inclement weather, volunteers should call 301-739-8577, ext. 128 and listen to a pre-recorded message which will indicate if the work will proceed as scheduled.

Councilwoman Penny Nigh said she has been organizing volunteers for the event and is looking forward to seeing the structure painted.

In July 2001, the council unanimously agreed the city should spend about $70,000 in state grant funding to fix up the buildings. Using the state funds would give the state an easement on the properties and probably would prohibit demolition.

Members of the previous council were split on whether the city should commit to saving the buildings. But the feeling among the new council, which took office in May 2001, is that the buildings are historically important and should be saved.

The city is going to repair the roof so it doesn't leak and put in new windows, among other improvements, Deike said.

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