Northfield youth center closes for asbestos testing, building changes

Elysha D. Nelson
Norwich Guidon Staff Reporter

The Northfield Youth Center has been closed temporarily due to renovations that need to be made to the building, according to Youth Center directors.

"Our hope is that once the National Guard Armory [is open] for civilian use again that they will allow us to house the youth center on the top floor," said Dot Maver, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Northfield Youth Center. "We have been told that our request to use the Armory will be considered and probably granted once the military alert is no longer in operation."

For now, all youth center activities are being held either at the Northfield High School or outside the youth center building.

"We have been having a barbecue out back, because we can't have the kids in the building," said Terrie Ashford, Director of the Youth Center.

The building has been closed because the state Fire Marshal and the Asbestos Testing Consultants (ATC) have recently done inspections on the building, and renovations must be made before children can resume normal activities inside the youth center.

"ATC states that there is asbestos in the basement around the heating pipes, under one of the bathroom sinks, and in the original roof flashing," said Maver. "They did not find asbestos in the air, walls, ceilings, or floors."

As long as the asbestos is not touched, the building is not a danger to those inside, but the basement is off limits for regular use.

"The Fire Marshal states that in order to continue having children utilize the building we must add three fire doors, more smoke alarms, a fire escape, and a complete wall at the top of the second story stairwell," said Maver.

The problem is, if these improvements are made, the asbestos would be disturbed, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in renovations.

"We try not to ask the town for money," said Maver. "We really try to do our own fundraising, and the community supports that."

"The railroad owns the building, and there is a clause that they have the right to take it at any time. So we don't want to invest all that money in a building we don't even own," said Ashford.

The youth center is home to many activities for children in the community, including the Kid's Cafe, which is run by Dyanne Demas, Director of the Kid's Cafe and the Summer Program.

Usually, the Kid's Cafe is held in the youth center and serves breakfast, lunch, and a snack to children in the community who might otherwise not get those meals.

"Our number one goal is that the kids get fed," said Demas. "The few nights that we've been outside, here, we've had a cookout, and we served that to the kids."

"The kids were pretty upset about [the youth center closing], because there is no place for them to go on the weekends," said Ashford. "Their biggest thing about leaving is the artwork. All of it has been done by an adult advisor and the kids."

Ashford has spoken with Ara Banks at Norwich University about taking pictures of the murals in the youth center and making them into posters to put up wherever the youth center is moved.

If the youth center cannot use the National Guard Armory, there are a few other options.

"A lot of the churches have offered to donate their basements. Our issue with that is that the kids feel a little weird about it; they would have to be very careful; it wouldn't be a place they could rough and tumble," said Ashford.

According to Demas, the kids may be allowed back into the center as early as next weekend, but will only be allowed to use the first floor of the building.

"The youth center is actually built on the foundation stones of youth centers for decades in the town of Northfield and the good work of a lot of people. We are very grateful for the ongoing support of the community and our ability therefore to have many youth-directed programs," said Maver.

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