Construction of a long-planned pavilion at Blass Field will begin the week of June 30, the Ancram Town Board announced at its April 17 meeting. The project coincides with preparations for summer camp and topped an agenda that also included updates on infrastructure, solar power, and state grant opportunities.
The 30-by-60-foot pavilion will be built by Lancaster County Backyard Builders of Pennsylvania, according to board member Bonnie Hundt. Dave Douglas of HSD Enterprises in Stanfordville will pour the concrete slab once the structure is complete.
The project will cost $129,031 — slightly above the $125,000 grant secured by State Assemblymember Didi Barrett. The board voted unanimously to cover the shortfall.
Hundt said the pavilion will not be finished before Ancram summer camp begins on July 7. “We plan to do a site visit soon with Taylor Price [the camp director],” she said. “We’ll work with the camp to redirect the kids while the building is happening.”
Meanwhile, Town Clerk Monica Cleveland reported that work on the town hall roof was completed on April 17, the same day as the meeting. “It was done in one day by Phelps Brothers Roofing (of East Schodack, New York) and looks fabulous,” she said. Supervisor James MacArthur added that rotted plywood was replaced and 30-year asphalt shingles were installed.
The project required the removal of 15-year-old solar panels, which now sit stacked behind the building. “We need to do something before summer camp starts, so the kids don’t climb on them,” Cleveland said. Board member Colleen Lutz said the panels were outdated and underperforming. “They were inefficient; new solar panels could produce all the municipal power we need—the old ones never did,” she said. The board is expected to discuss replacement options next month.
In other infrastructure news, board member Amy Gold provided updates on downtown traffic improvements. “The striping on the one-way slip has been completed,” she said, referring to the intersection of State Route 82 and County Route 7. Signage and additional striping from the New York State Department of Transportation are still pending.
Central Hudson Gas and Electric is replacing telephone poles throughout town, Gold said. One pole in particular will be moved immediately due to an incident in which a homeowner damaged underground cables while installing decking. “Central Hudson said the whole downtown could lose power,” she said. Board member David Boice added that the utility plans to replace poles along Route 7 heading toward Hall Hill Road, which may disrupt local traffic.
Boice also warned of a detour scheduled for May due to a culvert replacement near Gallatin Town Hall. “There will be a detour that will affect our traffic, too,” he said. The project is expected to continue through October.
The board is preparing for upcoming grant deadlines. Lutz said she plans to submit two applications by May 2 — one for $20,000 through the Hudson River Valley Greenway for open space protection, and another for up to $1 million from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to fund local park upgrades. “I am still searching for a grant writer,” she said.
Lutz also shared that the town’s Climate Smart Task Force is considering a summer pop-up swap shop or townwide garage sale aimed at reducing waste. The idea will be discussed at the next board meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 15.