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What We are all About
What are we doing?
You may come to our monthly breakfasts and to our fund raisers. But you probably don’t know what we are actually doing with the old building.
The Union Mills Learning Center is in the process of restoring the main building, gym and surrounding property of the Union Mills School, which was originally built in 1946. Since 2000, we have been engaged in a four-phase building project. These phases have been adjusted as events warranted. Part of Phase 1 and Phase 2 are now scheduled in Phase 3. Our program schedule had to be changed because of construction. Due to 9/11 and changes in the National Guard’s training schedule, the one-year project became a three-year project. The National Guard could not complete their monthly project before being called away for other training.
Cost adjustments were made due to time delays, upgrades, and changes in the plans.
Phase 1: completed in 2002: Open the Doors – Installed new roofs on main building and gym; 20 handicapped-accessible restrooms; new appliances; and a computer lab with 7 computers. Cost: $191,552.Phase 2: National Guard Project (Completed) Painted the auditorium and the stage, refinished plaster and painted the balcony, replaced ceiling tile in the auditorium and stage, built handicapped ramp into the main building with hand rails, built two retaining walls, repaired sidewalks and added drains, replaced dugouts on the ball field, refinished the bleacher seats, poured concrete front steps with hand rails to the main entrance , built a gazebo and barbeque pit, took up the seats in the auditorium and the balcony, removed all the old oak flooring in the auditorium due to termites and replaced all the seats in the auditorium. The Guard used a large amount of their own equipment. Cost: $67,032.
The Center had the building treated for termites, poured the auditorium concrete floor and added conduits for sound, light and video, stained the floor, surveyed the land and paid for the rental equipment not provided by the Guard, and put new locks throughout the entire building. The Center provided all the supplies and materials needed for the project, but the Guard did the work. Cost: $60, 205.
Phase 3: The National Guard was deployed to Iraq in 2005, before they could complete the following items in phase 2: Handicapped ramp into the auditorium, Plumbing in gym and showers and gym floor tiles, New doors to the office, Roof over the bleachers, Making walking trails around the ball field and into the woods, Cutting new door to the kitchen, and Adding baseboards around the auditorium floor.
These items are now included in Phase 3.
Phase 3 also includes the final renovation of the auditorium, adding heating and air conditioning and updating wiring in the rest of the main building and gymnasium, replacing all the windows in the main building, installing an alarm system, updating the kitchen to commercial, adding a sprinkler system, renovating rooms and furnishing them according to planned use. Cost: $450,431. We are now into Phase 3.Phase 4: consists of installing lighting for the ball field, an elevator for all three floors, landscaping the grounds, grading and paving the parking area, repairing sidewalk and replacing the landing in front of the west-side entrance. Cost: $243,500 (subject to change due to updates).
Who are we?We are all volunteers. No one gets paid for the work that they do for the Center.
Why should You care?
We are doing this for YOU!
The Center will provide tutoring for our children through after school activities, recreation and cultural enrichment for our adults. We will provide life enrichment, economic opportunity, continuing education, health and welfare and entertainment. All citizens will benefit from access to the Union Mills property.
We are renovating the buildings and upgrading the grounds to continue education in music, dance, GED classes, after-school tutoring, computer classes, arts and crafts, history and recreation for all of our citizens. Our library will have a huge collection of historical documents for visitors and callers. Memorabilia will also be donated by our alumni and community. We have initiated a program to gather the oral history from our citizens. This information will be placed on a DVD for sale in the future.
We have had numerous requests from the community for the use of the auditorium for: music and dance recitals, plays, church programs, for children to display their talents with musical instruments, and local musicals and touring bands. In addition, the auditorium will be used as an on-going source of revenue to support the center. However, since we have no heat or air conditioning in the auditorium, its use is limited. Our objective is to have an auditorium fully restored for the use of the community.
As part of Phase 3, we are now working on the Final Renovation of the Auditorium.
The total estimated cost of this renovation project is $115,200.
What can You do to help?
Our membership drive is on now! Please complete the following form to become a member. We can always use more volunteers. Join us in helping to restore the old school. Also, your financial support is crucial. Any and all donations are most appreciated.
Please help us in our efforts to restore OUR Union Mills Learning Center to a fully useable community center—a place that we can call home!
