Aberdeen Town outlines renovation plans: $40–$50K for Page Library; auditorium work could push costs beyond $450K

Town staff on Feb. 23 laid out separate renovation plans for the Page Memorial Library and the Old Aberdine Elementary School auditorium and gym, including rough cost estimates and a proposal for short-term financing to begin work sooner.

For the Page Memorial Library, staff gave a ballpark estimate of $40,000–$50,000 to make the facility usable, covering interior repairs and some exterior work such as step repairs and new flooring. The manager said staff will clear debris and perform a more detailed assessment by mid-to-late March and, if the estimate holds, run an informal bid process for smaller contracts.

On the auditorium and gym, staff said the town previously authorized $450,000 under a project ordinance and has used roughly $276,000. Remaining needs include a full HVAC replacement for both spaces (staff estimated about $52,000) and additional roof/soffit work (about $45,000). Staff estimated roughly $330,000 in further work will be needed on top of current allocations. To proceed faster, Mr. Watson and other staff proposed short-term financing — roughly a four- to five-year payoff plan — to allow the town to begin critical work now and retire the debt as other funds arrive.

Staff emphasized a phased approach that uses local vendors and in-house work where feasible. Officials noted the auditorium’s size makes it a valuable community asset: commissioners said the town’s auditorium seats are substantially larger than many nearby venues and could support future cultural events if renovations move forward.

Next steps: staff will present more detail at the March strategic planning meeting and prepare informal bids for smaller scopes of work for the library; the board may consider financing options and a revised project budget for the auditorium in coming weeks.