MANCHESTER — After five years of work and $220,000 of local Community Preservation Act money, the Crowell Chapel has been restored and opened, celebrated in a series of events last weekend.
But there is no agreement yet as to basic operational details — such who will be responsible for paying for cleaning and maintaining the space.
"We have to iron out all these wrinkles," said Christopher "Woody" Kelly, who serves as the chairman of the town's Community Preservation Committee and president of the Historic Manchester Trust, which runs the chapel now.
Among the "wrinkles" needing attention: the chapel only has one way in or out, which means that for gatherings larger than 50, a firefighter would need to be on site to ensure fire safety. That person would cost $50 per hour, with a four-hour minimum, and there is no agreement over who would shoulder that cost.
Likewise, parking near the chapel is an issue. Rosedale Avenue, where the chapel is located, only has parking allowed on the opposite side of the street from the chapel at all times, with occasional bouts of parking allowed on both sides.
While some suggest those going to events at the chapel could park in the nearby school lot, that could raise issues if there are school events at the same time.
Selectmen voted Monday to create an ad-hoc committee to deal with these and other issues.
"We think it can all work, but those are the loose ends," said Town Administrator Wayne Melville.
A loose end that will likely take the longest to resolve is who will be responsible for cleaning and maintaining the building.
The expense may fall on the town, the Historic Manchester Trust, or those who have events in the chapel, though the proportions or amount have yet to be settled.
"It would be a shame if, after all this work, we let it fall into disrepair again," Kelly said.
According to Kelly, the chapel will be used for concerts and musical performances as well as funerals and weddings.
"We're certainly going to have concerts," said Kelly, comparing the chapel, in some ways, to the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport.
"We're going to use it, let people see it, give it life," Melville said.
The building was almost torn down in 1970s. The chapel, like so many historic buildings in many towns, had fallen into significant disrepair, with leaks, falling plaster and was dirty.
In 1981, the town allowed for it to be used for a broader range of purposes, but it still languished in disrepair until this latest effort.
The adoption of the Community Preservation Act by Manchester in 2005 was the first step, and the actual restoration work began in 2007.
Stephanie Bergman can be reached at 978-283-7000 x3451, or bergman@gloucestertimes.com.
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