You
may come to our monthly breakfasts and to our fund raisers. But you
probably don’t know what we are actually doing with the old building.
The Union Mills Learning Center is in the process of restoring the main
building, gym and surrounding property of the Union Mills School, which was
originally built in 1946. Since 2000, we have been engaged in a four-phase
building project. These phases have been adjusted as events warranted.
Part of Phase 1 and Phase 2 are now scheduled in Phase 3. Our program
schedule had to be changed because of construction. Due to 9/11 and changes
in the National Guard’s training schedule, the one-year project became a
three-year project. The National Guard could not complete their monthly
project before being called away for other training.
Cost adjustments were made due to time delays, upgrades, and changes in the
plans.
Phase 1: completed in 2002: Open the Doors – Installed new roofs on main
building and gym; 20 handicapped-accessible restrooms; new appliances; and a
computer lab with 7 computers. Cost: $191,552.
Phase 2: National Guard
Project (Completed) Painted the auditorium and the stage, refinished
plaster and painted the balcony, replaced ceiling tile in the auditorium and
stage, built handicapped ramp into the main building with hand rails, built
two retaining walls, repaired sidewalks and added drains, replaced dugouts
on the ball field, refinished the bleacher seats, poured concrete front
steps with hand rails to the main entrance , built a gazebo and barbeque
pit, took up the seats in the auditorium and the balcony, removed all the
old oak flooring in the auditorium due to termites and replaced all the
seats in the auditorium. The Guard used a large amount of their own
equipment. Cost: $67,032.
The Center had the
building treated for termites, poured the auditorium concrete floor and
added conduits for sound, light and video, stained the floor, surveyed the
land and paid for the rental equipment not provided by the Guard, and put
new locks throughout the entire building. The Center provided all the
supplies and materials needed for the project, but the Guard did the work.
Cost: $60, 205.
Phase 3: The National
Guard was deployed to Iraq in 2005, before they could complete the following
items in phase 2: Handicapped ramp into the auditorium,
Plumbing in gym
and showers and gym floor tiles,
New doors to the
office,
Roof over the
bleachers, Making walking trails around the ball field and into the woods,
Cutting new door
to the kitchen, and Adding baseboards around the auditorium floor.
These items are now included in Phase 3.
Phase 3 also includes the final renovation of the auditorium, adding heating
and air conditioning and updating wiring in the rest of the main building
and gymnasium, replacing all the windows in the main building, installing an
alarm system, updating the kitchen to commercial, adding a sprinkler system,
renovating rooms and furnishing them according to planned use. Cost:
$450,431. We are now into Phase 3.
Phase 4: consists of installing lighting for the ball field, an elevator for
all three floors, landscaping the grounds, grading and paving the parking
area, repairing sidewalk and replacing the landing in front of the west-side
entrance. Cost: $243,500 (subject to change due to updates).
Who are we?
We
are all volunteers. No one gets paid for the work that they do for the
Center.
Why
should You care?
We
are doing this for YOU!
The
Center will provide tutoring for our children through after school
activities, recreation and cultural enrichment for our adults. We will
provide life enrichment, economic opportunity, continuing education, health
and welfare and entertainment. All citizens will benefit from access to the
Union Mills property.
We
are renovating the buildings and upgrading the grounds to continue education
in music, dance, GED classes, after-school tutoring, computer classes, arts
and crafts, history and recreation for all of our citizens. Our library will
have a huge collection of historical documents for visitors and callers.
Memorabilia will also be donated by our alumni and community. We have
initiated a program to gather the oral history from our citizens. This
information will be placed on a DVD for sale in the future.
We
have had numerous requests from the community for the use of the auditorium
for: music and dance recitals, plays, church programs, for children to
display their talents with musical instruments, and local musicals and
touring bands. In addition, the auditorium will be used as an on-going
source of revenue to support the center. However, since we have no heat or
air conditioning in the auditorium, its use is limited. Our objective is to
have an auditorium fully restored for the use of the community.
As part of Phase 3, we are now working on the Final Renovation of the
Auditorium.
The
total estimated cost of this renovation project is $115,200.
What
can You do to help?
Our membership drive is on now! Please complete the following form to
become a member. We can always use more volunteers. Join us in helping to
restore the old school. Also, your financial support is crucial. Any and
all donations are most appreciated.
Please help us in our efforts to restore
OUR
Union Mills Learning Center to a fully useable community center—a place that
we can call home!
Union
Mills Learning Center, Inc.