‘An admirable job’: Historic Gale School finally opens after relocation, renovations

BELMONT — The Soggies finally did it.

The Save Our Gale School Committee’s goal to save, preserve and reopen the historic Gale School, built in 1894, has finally come to fruition. After nearly four decades, the relocated and renovated school officially opened Tuesday, with a formal ribbon cutting. The occasion was marked by the attendance of investors, legislators, community partners and well wishers.

The historic schoolhouse, located on Concord Street, will be used as a daycare by the Boys & Girls Club, with office space available for lease upstairs. Lakes Region Community Services will also operate an office from the space.

The reveal, with a bright red ribbon and shiny silver pair of scissors the size of a turkey, was a long time coming, and pride was evident in the audience, despite the 90-degree heat under the full sun in the freshly paved parking lot.

As SOGS committee member, or Soggie, Woody Fogg said to the audience of more than 100, “It’s an admirable job.

“Today, we see what can be done by committed people, supported by the community and the businesses and people in it.”

‘Yankee ingenuity’

Rehabbing the Gale School was not without its challenges.

A 17% grade hill equipped with a fire hydrant stood in the way of relocating the entire 200-ton structure from its former location on School Street to the residential, yet nearby, Concord Street.

According to Fogg, some good ole “Yankee ingenuity” solved that problem, though, along with a 180-degree pivot of the school.

An unbelievable amount of engineering, critical thinking and sheer willpower moved the school to its permanent site, where the beacon it is today was reimagined by JH Spain, of Concord, with project manager Joe Jackson at the helm, assisted by WarrenStreet Architects.

“All in all, it's just been an amazing project with a bunch of great [subcontractors], a lot of great folks, from the Soggies to the stakeholders to the lenders. Just across the board, all the people that gave me a hand and provided insight or got this project off the ground from its inception when they wanted to move it,” Jackson said. “It's been a six-year or so project from when they moved it to completion today. It's not an eyesore in the neighborhood anymore. Now, it's really quite a sight, and it's iconic.”

When JH Spain signed onto the project, there was plaster falling off the walls, graffiti, and the building was extremely worn down. There was lead paint, and it needed an asbestos abatement to bring it up to code. Needless to say, it was a huge labor of love.

“We rebuilt everything the way it was. There are some nuances and changes but, you know, we tried to really keep in mind the historical preservation aspect of the project,” Jackson said. “We wanted to make sure that we hit the mark with the finishes, and make sure it was done to a quality and standard.”

It was crunch time right up until Tuesday morning. Executive Councilor Joseph Kenney (District 1) helped bring the project to the finish line, saving the day by securing a last-minute elevator inspection on Monday, necessary to open the building to the public.

He went on to say that Napoleon Gale, late founder of the school, was with project managers “every step of the way,” in spirit.

“He was destined for greatness, and he provided greatness to the community of Belmont, and to the Lakes Region,” Kenney said. “And I just wanted to mention that, because his spirit was with you every step of the way.”

‘Testament of love’

Marjorie Carlisle, of Northfield, was in attendance on Tuesday, undeterred by the blazing sun, historic photos in hand. In one photo, her former student, Kirt Akerstrom, holds a photo of a Gale School replica, made of gingerbread cake, in front of the former Gale School.

It was surreal to see the transition of the structure over the years, and as a former 34-year teacher at the Gale School, Carlisle was excited to see the restored building. She said she adored working at the school.

“It was wonderful. Everything was great. And I enjoyed the kids,” Carlisle said.

Many town leaders were in attendance for the ceremony, including Town Administrator Alicia Jipson, Colleen Akerman of the assessing department, and selectboard members Sharon Ciampi and Mark Lewandoski.

It was a monumental day for Belmont, and as Soggie Mark Padula reminded the audience, “I don't know if you know how close this building was to being destroyed.”

The ribbon was cut by a myriad of supporters, including Beth Boutin, vice president of community investments at Evernorth; Katy Easterly-Martey, executive director for NH Community Development Finance Authority; Executive Councilor Joseph Kenney; Beverly Thomas, deputy director of NH Preservation Alliance; Sal Steven-Hubbard, recently retired from Lakes Region Community Developers; Fogg; Chris Emond, CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Central and Northern New Hampshire; Brenda Paquette, treasurer of the Save Our Gale School Committee; Padula; and Carmen Lorentz, executive director at Lakes Region Community Developers.

Funding for the project was also secured through an array of resources, including Lakes Region Community Developers, Community Development Finance Authority, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s Office and congressionally-directed funding, tax credits, Community Development Block Grants, and private donations.

Thomas, on behalf of NH Preservation Alliance Executive Director Jennifer Goodman, summed the day up ceremoniously.

“We work with people all over the state to revive iconic structures, and encourage investment in downtowns and village centers, promote preservation benefits, and preservation as an essential ingredient in the character of our communities, enhancing economic vitality in the state,” Thomas read from a statement written by Goodman. “As we head to the Fourth of July, we've been thinking about how this type of community driven preservation project is an old-fashioned social contract of sorts, a testament of love of special places and civic responsibility that helps make New Hampshire, New Hampshire.”

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Katlyn Proctor can be reached at katlyn@laconiadailysun.com or by calling 603-524-0150.