DERRY — A prominent downtown building designed to honor Derry's fallen veterans is ready to get a money-saving face lift.
Veterans Memorial Hall on West Broadway is in line to get energy-saving improvements as part of a mission to save the town money through energy-saving upgrades.
The Town Council gave its unanimous approval to use money in the town Recreation Facility Fund — up to $145,000 — for the energy efficiency improvements at the hall. That fund, as of June of last year, held $170,000.
The town is set to receive $133,200 through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, designed to help fund projects that promote energy savings and conservation. The Recreation Facility Fund money would supplement the grant for the project, estimated at a cost of $278,000.
Veterans Hall was built in 1928 as a tribute to the town's veterans. It now houses the Derry Parks and Recreation Department and is home to a full schedule of senior citizen activities. It also is the base for the Red Star Twirlers, the Derry Special Olympics team and many other recreational activities.
The building is also a community center for activities during the holidays including the Very Derry Holiday and other special events.
Some of the work planned includes replacing the HVAC system, improving the building's brick work, installing insulation in the gymnasium, and replacing doors and windows.
In the past, the town considered building a new recreation facility, but decided to put the money and work into the existing space at Veterans Hall due to the economic climate.
"The reality is that's not going to happen in the foreseeable future," chief financial officer Frank Childs said of building a new space. "(This way) we can extend the life of the property another seven to 10 years."
Councilor Brent Carney, who authored the town's "green" ordinance, said putting the money into Veterans Hall would allow that building to fall under the ordinance's requirements for making a building economically friendly and financially profitable.
Town historian Richard Holmes said Veterans Hall is part of the downtown's strong history and can be another success story for what renovation and hard work can do.
"This is the heart of the town," Holmes said.
Work on Veterans Hall is scheduled to begin this summer.
