Caryes and MB donate tractor to GSD

Raymond and Barbara Carye have teamed up with the owner of MB Tractor & Equipment to make sure the School District can properly mow the grass at "The Meadows". A $9,000 Toro Z Master commercial-grade lawn tractor was delivered to the 63-acre property on Intervale Rd. last week.

Superintendent Paul DeMinico said that when the Carye's heard the School District didn't really own the proper equipment to care for the grounds a check for the $4,000 it was believed it would cost to buy a proper lawn tractor was delivered to the S.A.U. office by Mrs. Carye. When it turned out the price of a tractor that was needed was more than twice that amount DeMinico asked Mark Bourgeois if there was anything MB could do.

The answer was "yes" and the Carye's check turned out to be all that was necessary. MB donated the balance.

The Caryes, of course, originally donated the property to the School District, in two parcels in 2000 and 2001. Gilford was looking for space for a new high school and accompanying athletic fields at the time the Caryes, who did not want the prime site near the intersection of Routes 11 and 11B they had owned since 1961 to be developed commercially, believed it would be a great spot for a school.

Voters overwhelmingly rejected a $15.2-million proposal to build a high school at The Meadows in March 2001 and the School District has struggled with exactly what to do with the gift since. When the deeds were transfered there were provisions included that specified Gilford had five years to use the land and buildings — the Triple Trouble Farm — for educational for recreational purposes or they would go to the NH Charitable Foundation.

After the new school proposal was defeated, however, the Caryes graciously waived that provision.

At present, superintendent of building and grounds Tim Bartlett said three athletic fields take up a relatively small portion of the land. The Gilford Friends of Football has put a great deal of time, effort and money into the property and have created both a varsity playing field and a practice field. There is also a practice field for the lacrosse team.

Bartlett said Belknap Landscaping has been maintaining the fields for Friends of Football, but he will now take over that responsibility.