By Lisa Connell
WILLIAMSBURG– There was snow falling outside but inside Nash Hill Place there were lots of warm hearts and cheerfulness as people gathered to celebrate the opening of the new elevator and handicapped renovations at the senior housing complex.
The snow kept some people from attending, like representatives from the two architectural firms who worked on the project (one of the architects had to rescue his wife who had slid off the road). However, all the Hilltowners made it, including those from the Hilltown Community Development Corporation (Hilltown CDC) including Community Facilities Director Jacquelyn Burgin, Rep. Stephen Kulik and his aide Paul Dunphy of Haydenville, former Williamsburg COA Director Mary Wheelan, and of course Mae Smith who is the one who spoke up in the first place and got the ball rolling.
The one person who could not be present, but who had put in a lot of time into the project serving on the building committee was Phil Reid. Burgin said Reid had served on the project from the very beginning. “He attended meetings faithfully, offering his keen intellect and support throughout the project. He also served as liaison to the COA.”
Even though his health was in decline and he had to miss meetings to travel to Mass. General for treatments, he did his best. So while he couldn’t make it to the day’s event, he was in everyone’s mind.
Burgin said that one of his contributions to the project was to provide a planting plan for the garden, “That garden will be dedicated to him in his honor, and a plaque acknowledging Phil’s service will be placed in it.
In starting off the ceremony, Site Manager for Nash Hill Place Sandra Leary welcomed everyone to the ribbon cutting ceremony saying, “We’ve been waiting a very long time for this to happen, and it’s here and we are beyond words to say ‘thank you.’”
Sharlene McEachern, the regional property manager for Realty Resources Management, which owns Nash Hill Place said, “Sometimes words can’t express how you feel about all the people you work with and the things that they’ve done that have gone over and above what you would have expected.”
She thanked many of those who had helped out during the project like Site Manager Sandra Leary who has worked at Nash Hill for a number of years, saying that “she has gone over and above” in making this project happen, and was often assisted by elevator committee member Julia Kellogg, “who was always right there to lend a hand—to pass out notices, answer questions.”
And she thanked Burgin for all her hard work as well in apply and obtaining the grants and overseeing the project.
Burgin later addressed the audience saying, “This project has perhaps been one of the most satisfying for me during my 14 years with the Hilltown CDC, not only because the need was so great but because so many of you, the residents here and members of the wider community, were instrumental in making this project happen.”
She thanked the Williamsburg Selectboard and all the town boards, departments and inspectors, including former Williamsburg COA Chair Mary Wheelan
She also said that this new handicapped accessible entry way and elevator were made possible thanks to federal funding through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program which the Hilltown CDC annual applies for on behalf of its member towns. She said it took three CDBG grants to fund the entire project at around $350,000. The first grant funded a feasibility study, the second and third rounds funded things like the bid documents and the construction which started in April 2011 and ended in December 2011.
She said, “This beautiful new accessible entry and elevator will greatly improve the quality of life for all residents at Nash Hill Place and residents in the wider community. It will make seemingly simple tasks like getting the groceries upstairs a whole lot easier.”
She added that the elevator can accommodate a full size stretcher so no one will have to be carried precariously down a flight of stairs. And the elevator provides options for those who feel better living on the second floor, plus now their friends from the first floor can visit them more often. The second floor also has a new outdoor balcony which will be great for summer parties.
Burgin thanked Mae Smith, a former second floor resident who had to move out because she could not negotiate the stairs anymore, for bringing the elevator issue to everyone’s attention.
She said that thanks to Smith and former Williamsburg COA Director Mary Wheelan, the idea was brought to the Hilltown CDC. “Mae and many residents here wrote letters, contacted the press, circulated petitions, and helped bring about much of the community support that was essential to a successful CDBG application.”
Burgin also thanked second floor resident Julia Kellogg, “who deserves a multitude of praises. Julia stepped in when Mae was no longer able to serve on the building committee. Julia has been extremely generous with her time. She’s attended every meeting and kept the residents informed of the progress, and often served as the project watch dog.”
Representative Stephen Kulik congratulated everyone who has been involved with this project, “particularly Jacquelyn for her important role in leadership in keeping the project going,” and Mae is a perfect example of a person seeing a need and speaking up about it.
He said of the entire project, “This really is a wonderful thing and I hope you feel a wonderful sense of accomplishment here today.”
During the day’s events, Mae Smith got the first ceremonial ride in the elevator, and Julia Kellogg and Site Manager Sandra Leary cut the ribbon.
