Derek Slap

West Hartford Legislators Join Gov. Lamont To Announce Purchase Of Former St. Brigid School

Site to be converted into the new Elmwood Community/Cultural Center

WEST HARTFORD – State Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford) today joined Governor Ned Lamont and other state and local officials to announced that the town has finalized the purchase of the former St. Brigid School on Mayflower Street and will use state bonding to convert the former school into a new Elmwood Community and Cultural Center.

West Hartford has budgeted $6 million for the project over the next two years in its Capital Improvement Program; the state will reimburse West Hartford taxpayers at least $2.5 million of the project cost. Last July, after Sen. Slap and other West Hartford legislators advocated for the project, the state Bond Commission approved $2.5 million to help West Hartford acquire the property and conduct a feasibility study and various preconstruction services.

“I’m so pleased that the entire West Hartford legislative delegation worked together and with Mayor Cantor and town leaders to make this happen,” Sen. Slap said today. “This project will improve West Hartford’s ability to deliver top-notch services for seniors, youth and civic groups while also allowing for strategic development and grand list growth at the former Elmwood Senior Center.”

“West Hartford continues to grow and thrive, and the Elmwood Community Center is an important component of ensuring that the town’s residents have a place for community engagement and civic participation,” Gov. Lamont said. “I am glad that the state is able to partner with the town on the acquisition and development of a new location for the community center so that it can continue meeting the needs of the people of West Hartford well into the future.”

West Hartford will convert the 8-acre site into the new Elmwood Community and Cultural Center, serving teens, seniors, and a diverse community. The current Elmwood Community Center, located at 1106 New Britain Avenue, was built in 1920 and no longer meets the town’s programming and space needs. The new location at 100 Mayflower Street will enable West Hartford to expand the services it offers and allow room for future growth. Municipal leaders also hope to eventually house the Faxon Branch Library in the new facility.

Joining Sen. Slap and Gov. Lamont today were state Representatives Kate Farrar, Tammy Exum and Jillian Gilchrest, West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor, and others.

“The current Elmwood Community Center is a cherished space in our community, but the building’s age and upkeep does not meet today’s diverse needs,” Rep. Farrar said. “The town’s recent purchase of the former St. Brigid School site will pave a path forward to establish a new community center that will improve West Hartford services in a state-of-the-art facility. I am proud to see this once-in-a-generation opportunity is closer to becoming a reality for our Elmwood neighborhood.”

“We sincerely appreciate the financial support from the state for this extraordinary opportunity for the town to vision and build a new space to serve our diverse and vibrant community. We want to either repurpose or build a space that serves our youth, seniors, families and celebrates our whole community not just for today but for the generations to come.  We are committed to making this new Community Center a model of cost-effective, sustainable, and green building design,” Mayor Cantor said.