Springfield Township officials have yet to find a suitable buyer or lessee for the old township hall in downtown Davisburg.
Some citizens believe they have a good use for the historic building.
Oral and written pleas are attempting to convince township officials to allow citizens to use the old hall for music presentations, theater workshops, art classes and other meetings to promote community and culture.
‘This used to be an opera house,? according to Mary Wermuth. ‘Let it sing again.?
Wermuth wrote a letter to township officials proposing that residents of Springfield and Rose townships be allowed free use of the building, vacated when township offices moved to the new Davisburg Road complex in early 2002.
‘Activities such as these would help revitalize the very historic and lovely downtown Davisburg,? she wrote, noting the potential attraction of new business to the Broadway corridor.
Independent of Wermuth’s letter, resident Diane Wozniak has attempted to generate support for the idea, and said she has contacts from about 30 groups such as Scouting organizations and service clubs.
‘We would like to see the hall remain in the hands of the people,? Wozniak said. ‘We have more than enough talent to make this happen.?
Although she is a parks commissioner, Wozniak said facilities such as the Hart Community Center are not easily accessible because of rental fees. She said the township budget can afford to maintain the old township hall for free or low-cost use by community groups.
‘I think my taxes should support that. We’ve been buying plenty of swamp land lately,? she said, referring to recent acquisition of additional land for the Shiawassee Basin Preserve.
While not rejecting the idea outright, Supervisor Collin Walls said trustees have not been convinced of the need for another local meeting place, given the availability of the Hart Center and local schools. Officials? preference at this point is to either sell or lease the building.
‘We need to determine what the need is and why that need can’t be met with existing facilities,? Walls said. ‘Not a single person on the township board seemed to be aware of any need in the community for this facility.?
Walls also said no one has presented details concerning how the building would be maintained and scheduled, and he said there are financial considerations such as utilities, maintenance and insurance.
‘There is a difference between a real need and a situation in which a group might use it on occasion if it were available,? he said. ‘It would need to be self-supporting. This is not a bad idea if there is a true need in the community.?
Wermuth and Wozniak each said there is a need for ‘collaboration? between government and service groups, and Wozniak said the recently resurrected Springfield Business Association will schedule a November meeting with representatives of area service groups.
‘How it’s going to happen, I don’t exactly know,? Wozniak said.