In their continuing attempt to keep the old Springfield Township Hall from being sold, local residents are having a “Save our Hall” meeting.
The hall was vacated when the township offices moved to the new Davisburg Road complex in early 2002. Construction began on the 3,000-square-foot building in 1902. The building was appraised for $300,000 in December 2001, but has been listed for sale for $275,000. A couple of offers came in with different terms, but the board rejected them.
“It hasn’t sold yet, thank god,” Springfield Township resident Diane Wozniak said. “It would be a crime to sell it like they did the library. It is a historical building. We don’t want them to sell our township. Our history is not for sale.”
Wozniak’s idea is the old hall can be maintained by charging a low fee for local groups and organizations wanting to use it. She says when she heard the township was attempting to sell the hall she called everyone she knew and wrote the board to see what she could do to stop it from happening.
Wozniak says she has approximately 30 groups such as Scouting organizations and service clubs who would be interested in the arrangement.
“This could be something really cool. Groups like the Rotary, 4-H and the garden club can use the building. There is really nowhere else in Davisburg where you can get meeting rooms for low cost,” Wozniak said.
“All they have to do is give us the key and we can get the people. It is a liability to have it sitting there vacant.”
Wozniak has been working closely with Supervisor Collin Walls to find out what she can do to preserve the building. Walls is scheduled to attend the meeting.
“We just ask him what our next step is and then we do it,” Wozniak said.
At a recent township board meeting when the idea was first brought to the board, Walls did not reject the idea outright, but said trustees have not been convinced of the need for another local meeting place, given the availability of the Hart Center and local schools.
The event is set for Thursday, December 4 at 6 p.m. at the Springfield Township Civic Center at 1400 Davisburg Road.
The event is being sponsored by various Davisburg/Springfield based organizations and individuals. The public is welcome and refreshments will be served.
“Everybody is welcome so bring your neighbor,” Wozniak said.
“This could be a great unique gathering place. There is nothing like it in Davisburg.”