Each week, City Manager Tom Aspell dresses up like an Iditarod musher, loads up his trusty sled, rounds up a pack of huskies and weaves a city memo through the fresh snow. We were lucky enough to have an October canvas for him this week, and we were floating in our hovercraft, copying down every word.
the big reveal
Scandia Hall ready
Last week, the developers of Scandia Hall unveiled the completed project with a ribbon cutting ceremony officiated by Mayor Jim Bouley, Aspell writes. The property, which had been abandoned since 1994, was sold by the city in November 2010 to a development team composed of Mark Carrier Construction Inc. of Manchester and John S. Jordan Design of Canterbury, who converted this unique historic property into a beautiful four-unit residential condominium. Originally constructed in 1862 as an elementary school known as the District Three School House, the property was later used as a private social club for Scandinavian Americans. In 1968, the property became a city-owned community center. Condominium units are currently on the market, priced between $194,000 and $204,000, and are being marketed by local firm Cowan & Zellers. It is anticipated that the property will have a total assessed value of approximately $800,000 and will generate roughly $18,500 in property taxes annually.
Walk this way
White Park improved
During the past two weeks, Parks and Recreation staff and contractors have worked to improve more than 700 linear feet of pathways in White Park, Aspell writes. The paths affected were at one time created with a mixture of gravel, stone dust and concrete that, over the past 25 years, has become a trip hazard to those using the paths.
The city hired a contractor to remove the old path material, which was trucked away by Parks and Recreation staff. A paving contractor came in next and graded and paved the paths 5 feet wide and 2 inches thick. Parks and Recreation staff are now cleaning up around the edges of the paths and loaming and seeding them to prevent the path edges from deteriorating over the next several years. We hope the public enjoys strolling around the “bog area” of White Park even more now with safer walkways in place.
catch this
Mennino dedication
CATCH Neighborhood Hous-ing invites all to attend the dedication of Mennino Place, Aspell writes, as well as the unveiling of a sculpture by local artist Chance Anderson, created to commemorate the completion of these 45 afforable rental apartments – which will help create a place where creative minds live – and honor the legacy of M.T. Mennino.
The event will be Nov. 17 from 2-4 p.m. at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, 49 S. Main St., Suite 100. RSVP to Amber Vrooman at 369-6556 or send e-mail to avrooman@catchhousing.org.
