In response to a question from the Board of Selectmen as to whether the School Committee was interested in using the old library, we were not surprised that the School Committee said it was not. We were, however, astonished that the committee would go well beyond the inquiry, intended merely to designate the building as “surplus” and available for lease, and express support for leasing the building to the CASE Collaborative. The School Committee noted that CASE would serve “a small number of Harvard students and would therefore benefit from a slight savings to the town in transportation costs for those students.” The School Committee also indicated that CASE could pay a substantial rent. While we have no wish to challenge the mission of CASE or judge other offers that may surface, we will continue to advocate for a use of the old library that provides benefits to the whole community.
The Harvard Cultural Collaborative is a volunteer group of your neighbors who have been working tirelessly for more than a year to secure a lease so that the old library might once again open its doors, turn on its lights, and serve as a community meeting place in the heart of Harvard.
We would like to think that the Board of Selectmen will inform the School Committee that it is not for them to decide the fate of the old library. We would also like to think that the members of the Board of Selectmen understand that it is their job to heed the voices of the many residents who have attended meetings or spoken in favor of a community center, including the 785 residents who signed the petition supporting such a use. We would expect that the board would acknowledge the importance of the past two town Master Plans, which have clearly stated that residents want a “vibrant town center.”
We agree that CASE can certainly afford to pay a higher rent than could the Harvard Cultural Collaborative. But the Harvard Cultural Collaborative can offer our community an opportunity to congregate, learn from one another, enjoy a concert, absorb an art exhibition, or allow children and adults a local space to discover art, science, diversity, and the value of community. CASE can never do these things. Its leasing of the building will close the doors to virtually all our residents. What a loss.
The Board of Selectmen, and the town, have a basic decision to make. We have heard rumors that CASE has indicated an ability to pay much higher rent than the Harvard Cultural Collaborative has included in its business plan. Even if that is the case, how much more money is it worth to the town to forgo having a cultural center in our historic old library that could be used daily by all town residents? We believe that now, more than ever, it is crucial for all of us to honor those who generously donated the building to the town residents by using this building as they intended: for all of the residents of Harvard.
Jan Daley is the president of the Harvard Cultural Collaborative Board. This view has been endorsed by board members Jim Breslauer, Judith Eissenberg, Christa Maxant, Mark Mikitarian, Willie Wickman, and Mamie Wytrwal.
