Hillsborough's opportunity to heed Antrim's message
Antrim residents should be justly proud of the glittering jewel that graces downtown rather unceremoniously garbed in the guise of the Tuttle Library. At a cost of just under $1 million, the library has been transformed into a grand companion piece for a one-of-a-kind Town Hall that rightfully sets the standard for unique distinction in small town America.
The struggle to enhance a tired old library that first opened its doors a century ago was not without pitfalls. Those few hearty souls carrying the torch for library renovations likely got as tired as the building they fought for before voters finally agreed to assume the fiscal burden of the upgrading. However, as citizens will see at the August 16 centennial dedication, the results of the careful restructuring and addition have been spectacular.
There is a message for Hillsborough residents in the Antrim example. They will soon find themselves in the throes of determining the future course for both Fuller Library and a town hall. The library decision should be a slam dunk. The building could be one of the gems of the region and a focal point of community pride when it is refurbished with the help of a generous donation.
The town hall question is murkey, but there is only one solution if the town really wants to envision a future as architecturally unique as the one achieved by Antrim. The Dutton Twins is a stand alone significance among all the options being floated. Forget the blocky brick option. Discard any new dullness. Preserve Dutton's stately antiquity and enhance town pride with a robust future vista.