When Redmond officials were confronted with destroying the old Town Hall as a safety precaution, they decided to look at other options.
The result? A newly remodeled Town Hall and a community that won the state's Heritage Award for 1993 because of four years of untiring efforts by Mayor Gene Honeycutt, town clerk Carla Wilkins, the City Council and others who were involved.In the recent presentation, Utah Heritage Foundation officials praised Redmond officials for the "innovative manner" in which they returned the historic building to "the center of Redmond's community life."
Wilkins, who was praised by the mayor for her efforts toward the project, recalled a brief history of the building.
It was constructed in 1881 with rocks from a nearby quarry. Used as a public school and church for many years, it was later converted to a town hall. It has also been used as a senior citizen center, for a variety of social events, public gatherings and even for equipment storage.
In October 1975 it was named to the National Historic Register.
Deterioration forced town officials to decide whether to tear the building down or restore it. They recognized such a project would be a large undertaking for such a small community.
That's when the town's mayor and City Council decided to seek grants from government agencies. "We received $82,000 from community development block grants, $15,000 from the CIB (Community Impact Board) and about $9,000 from the Natural Resources Energy Office," Honeycutt said.
"Without these funds the building we fondly call `The Old Town Hall' would have eventually had to be destroyed," Wilkins said. Walls, window sills and floors were deteriorating, and lighting and electrical wiring had become hazardous.
One of the first steps involved contacting the Utah State Historical Society requesting the building be assessed and recommendations be reported to Redmond officials. The society's architect, Donald Hartley, surveyed the condition of the building, while Pat Scott of the state Archives was impressed with its value.
It was then decided to launch the quest for grants because Redmond's coffers wouldn't provide enough money for the town to finance and complete the project on its own.
But then Mother Nature stepped in with a setback.
A small earthquake caused more exterior damage, requiring additional repairs that were not included in the original plan when an application was filed for a community development block grant in 1990. That's when officials decided to pursue additional funding and were successful in obtaining the needed money.
Finally, in late 1991, the local Bryant Mickelsen Construction firm was given the go-ahead to begin the project.
After work was completed, an open house drew most residents to the site to see what had been accomplished. It was decided to give the building a new name - the Redmond Community Center.
"It can now remain for many years as a historical monument to our great heritage," said Wilkins. Although the building is the center for community activities, Honeycutt added, "I wish people would use it more."
The town's officials were joined by some residents, contractors, architects and designers for the Heritage Award presentation, a fitting tribute that climaxed a four-year effort to preserve a community's historic landmark.