Ayer Town Hall Roof
Construction of Ayer’s beautiful Town Hall began in 1873 and was completed in 1876. This historic structure, listed on the National Register, was awarded the 2003 Massachusetts Historical Commission Preservation Award for rehabilitation and restoration work that included complete interior renovations, restoration, and preservation of the historic interiors, as well as restoration of the polychromed brick, tile and stone exterior.
All of that work was great but couldn’t be let to go to waste. In 2004, the Town Hall roof was found to be leaking and in bad need of replacement. Reports of paint peeling or barrels filling with water in the 2nd floor kitchen area were common. With its high cost for replacement and repair, the initial Capital Debt Exclusion Article for roof replacement failed to pass in the April 2005 ballot question. Design changes were made to reduce projected costs, and a different avenue for funding was pursued – and here is where Ayer’s participation as a CPA community came into play. The use of $75,000 in CPC funds was approved by Town Meeting voters – and this in turn served to reduce the appropriation burden on Ayer taxpayers. The end result was that Town Hall’s historic slate roof was successfully restored, and CPC’s funds for historic preservation were able to contribute significantly to the project.