By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 November 2024 at 2:38 pm
LYNDONVILLE – Orleans County veterans are welcome to a complimentary holiday on Dec. 17 at the White Birch Golf Course, 1515 North Lyndonville Rd.
The dinner is funded by the the Pfc. Joseph P. Dwyer Peer to Peer Program, which aims to increase social engagement and community connections for veterans.
Orleans County veterans are welcome to bring a guest to the Dec. 17 dinner. RSVPs due by Dec. 6. Call (585) 589-3219 to RSVP.
The dinner starts at 5 p.m., with a social hour from 4 to 5 p.m.
Guest speakers include Assemblyman Steve Hawley and retired Assemblyman Charlie Nesbitt, a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. Nick Mroz will be the deejay.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 November 2024 at 3:01 pm
A Code Blue has been activated beginning tonight for the first time this season. It will continue through 8 a.m. on Sunday.
Code Blue is activated on nights when temperatures or wind chill are at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for at least two consecutive hours. Once an alert is called it must remain in effect until at least 7 a.m., said Julie Carasone, a community health worker for the Oak Orchard Community Health Center.
When a Code Blue is activated, there will be a warming center available overnight for people with no place to stay inside. They can stay overnight at Christ Episcopal Church at 26 South Main St. in Albion. The overnight warming center at Christ Episcopal is open upon request. Call (585) 340-1355 if the warming center is needed overnight.
Daytime warming centers at Hoag Library in Albion, Eastern Orleans Community Center in Holley, and Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 November 2024 at 9:31 am
Lewis County tops at 73.9 percent for Trump
Donald Trump is shown in his official White House portrait in 2017.
Orleans County gave strong support for Donald Trump for U.S. President, with Trump getting 69.9 percent of the vote.
Only three other counties topped that percentage: Lewis, Wyoming and Allegany.
Trump picked up more support in New York this time. Kamala Harris had 55.4 percent to Trump’s 44.6 percent, according to the Associated Press.
Four years ago, Joe Biden had 60.9 percent of the vote, compared to 37.7 percent for Trump. Biden had 2 million more votes than Trump in 2020 – 5,244,886 to 3,251,997.
This election, Harris won New York and its 28 electoral votes by about 800,000 votes, 4,151,877 to 3,338,581 with 96 percent of polling sites reporting, according to the AP.
Here are the counties with the highest percentage votes for Trump:
Lewis – 73.9 percent for Trump (47.8 percentage points over Harris)
Wyoming – 73.8 percent for Trump (47.6 percentage points over Harris)
Allegany – 72.1 percent for Trump (44.3 points over Harris)
Orleans – 69.9 percent for Trump (40.5 percentage points over Harris)
Other nearby counties include:
Genesee – 67.1 percent for Trump, 32.9 percent for Harris
Monroe – 58.5 percent for Harris, 40.4 percent for Trump
Niagara – 57.7 percent for Trump, 42.3 percent for Harris
Erie – 53.8 percent for Harris, 44.8 percent for Trump
Livingston – 60.8 percent for Trump, 39.2 percent for Harris
On the other side of the political spectrum, New York County (Manhattan) was the most lopsided county with 80.8 percent for Harris (63.6 percentage points over Trump).
In Upstate New York, Tompkins County was the most in favor of Harris with 73.2 percent (48.4 points over Trump.)
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 November 2024 at 10:57 pm
Susan Howard elected district attorney
Photo by Tom Rivers: A Medina resident displayed this sign in support of Donald Trump for president.
ALBION – Donald Trump won a commanding victory in Orleans County with 70 percent of the vote – 12,432 out of 17,780 ballots cast.
Head to head against Kamala Harris, Trump had a 70.4 percent advantage to 29.4 percent for Harris. There were also 121 write-in votes, 145 who didn’t vote for president, and 6 that were overvotes with more than one candidate picked.
The 70.0 percent for Trump with early votes, today’s in-person votes and most of the absentees compares to 71.4 percent in 2020 when he faced Joe Biden, and 66.8 percent of the election day votes in 2016 against Hillary Clinton.
Here are the results in Orleans County:
Federal
• U.S. President/Vice President (4-year term)
Donald Trump/JD Vance (R, C) – 12,432
Kamala Harris, Tim Walz (D, WF) – 5,227
• U.S. Senator (6-year term)
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-WF) – 5,344
Michael Sapraicone (R-C) – 11,375
Diane Sare (LaRouche) – 53
• Representative to Congress, 24th District (2-year term)
Claudia Tenney (R, C) – 12,131
David Wagenhauser (D) – 4,327
State
• Proposition One
Yes – 5,800
No – 10,718
• Supreme Court Justice, 8th District (4 positions)
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 November 2024 at 9:22 pm
ALBION – Registered voters in Orleans County requested 1,265 absentee ballots and 1,095 were returned by today, Board of Elections officials said this evening.
The potential of 170 other absentees need to be postmarked by today and received in the mail by next Tuesday when they will be counted, said Mike Mele and Janice Grabowski, the county’s election commissioners.
Of the 1,095 absentees returned so far, all but 40 should be part of the vote totals later tonight, Mele and Grabowski said. Those 40 not counted were received on Monday and today and will be counted on Nov. 12.
The commissioners said there has been a big turnout today, with lines but the wait rarely topped 15 minutes. Mele said in Monroe County there have been waits of 2 ½ hours.
“There have been some lines but we expected that,” Mele said at about 9 p.m.
The county is using new voting machines this election and Mele and Grabowski said there haven’t been any significant issues with the machines, which replaced 15-year-old optical-scan equipment.
The polls closed today in Orleans County at 9 p.m.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 November 2024 at 7:07 am
Photo by Marsha Rivers: Polls opened at Hoag Library in Albion at 6 a.m. today. There are 11 polling locations open in the county until 9 p.m.
ALBION – The big day has arrived with polls open throughout Orleans County. There are 25,538 registered voters in the county and 4,539 already cast ballots in nine days of early voting.
Polls opened at 6 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Click here to see a list of pollign sites in the county.
The big race is for U.S. president with Kamala Harris and vice presidential candidate Tim Walz are on the Democratic and Working Family lines, while Donald Trump and vice presidential candidate JD Vance are on the Republican and Conservative lines.
Other positions on the ballot include:
Federal
U.S. Senator (6-year term) – Kirsten Gillibrand (D-WF), Michael Sapraicone (R-C) and Diane Sare (LaRouche)
Representative to Congress, 24th District (2-year term) – David Wagenhauser (D) and Claudia Tenney (R, C)
State
Supreme Court Justice, 8th District (4 positions) – Henry Nowak (D, R, C, WF), Catherine Nugent-Panepinto (D, R, C, WF), Deborah Chimes (D, R, C) and Michael Norris (D, R, C)
NYS Senate, 62nd District (2-year term) – Robert Ortt (R, C)
NYS Assembly, 139th District (2-year term) – Stephen Hawley (R, C)
Orleans County
County Clerk (4-year term) – Nadine Hanlon (R)
District Attorney (4-year term) – Susan Howard (R, C)
Coroner (4-year term for 3 positions) – Rocco Sidari (R), Scott Schmidt (R) and Julie Woodworth (R)
Carlton
Town Clerk (1 year to fill vacancy) – Deborah Yockel (R)
Council Member (1 year to fill vacancy) – John L. Olles (R)
The ballot also includes the state-wide proposition number one, which adds certain protections to the State Bill of Rights, covering ethnicity, national origin,age, disability, and sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy. It also covers reproductive healthcare and autonomy.
A “YES” vote puts these protections against discrimination in the New York State Constitution.
A “NO” vote leaves these protections out of the State Constitution.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Board members of OCALS met for their annual meeting Thursday night at Hoag Library, for what would become their last meeting. Citing effects of Covid, the board voted nearly unanimously to disband, effective at the end of the year. Board president Pam Schuner, standing, addresses members who are, clockwise from left front, OCALS founder Rose Ruck, Ann McElwee, Nicole Goodrich, Jackie Keller, Don Colquhoun, Carolyn Wagner, Catherine Hooker, Penny Nice, Terry Novak and Don Ruck.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 5 November 2024 at 6:30 am
ALBION – Action taken by OCALS at their annual meeting Thursday night at Hoag Library was something none of them could have seen coming five years ago, announced board president Pam Schuner.
In a nearly unanimous vote, the board voted to dissolve the organization, effective Dec. 31.
“The mission of OCALS is to provide free confidential tutoring services to residents of Orleans County who want to improve their reading, writing and English speaking skills, along with improving their digital literacy proficiency,” Schuner said. “Unfortunately, the aftermath of Covid has severely impacted OCALS’s ability to achieve this mission. Since Covid (in 2020), the number of volunteer tutors has decreased to three and, likewise, the number of clients requesting our services has declined significantly as well.”
Don and Rose Ruck, who founded OCALS in 2006, were praised for their support of literacy in Orleans County and presented with a plaque during the final board meeting.
During the past several years, the board has taken numerous steps to increase OCALS’ presence in the community and recruit tutors, clients and board members. They have participated in the Orleans County Home and Garden Show, Medina’s Canal Village Farmers’ Market, Strawberry Festival in Albion, Orleans County 4-H Fair, Medina’s National Night Out and Medina’s Lions’ Vendor Fair during the Community Yard Sale.
They also hired Kathy Punch, an educator, who did more than 30 public presentations to promote OCALS throughout the county. This resulted in one new board member, Schuner said.
“Despite all our efforts, we have not seen an increase in potential new tutors, clients or board members,” Schuner said.
Added to their woes is the fact a majority of their board members with five to 10 years of service have decided to retire at the end of the year. With no replacements on hand, the remaining few board members will not be able to continue to run OCALS, Schuner said.
OCALS was started by Rose Ruck and her husband Don when, in 2003, after closing of Literacy Orleans, she sent out a survey regarding literacy in the county. She was amazed to learn most people in the county did not realize there was no literacy program. With a career spanning 35 years in the literacy field, including in Orleans and Genesee counties, Rose knew she had to do something.
She solicited some volunteers and officially launched Orleans County Literacy Services in 2006, with initial funding coming from the Ruck’s two daughters, Terry Novak and Donna Seyler.
As their services increased and they began serving a bigger segment of the population, the name was changed to Orleans County Adult Learning Services, or OCALS.
Schuner was the first paid employee, hired in 2010, and the only one for a number of years.
Dedicated board members included Ann McElwee, who developed a program she took to schools, Iroquois Job Corps and Lyndonville Library.
Don Colquhoun promoted literacy in workplaces and became vice president and treasurer.
Mary Lee Knights, who recently moved away, and Penny Nice were board members since the early years of OCALS.
“I’m so proud of all we’ve accomplished,” Rose said. “And although it’s sad, I’m totally in favor of this decision to dissolve the organization.”
According to law, a non-profit has to follow very strict procedures to dissolve. Colquhoun has been working with attorney Lance Mark to determine the correct steps to take.
This includes disposing of all its assets, and OCALS has identified a handful of local agencies who will benefit from their donations.
All office supplies will be donated to the Ministry of Concern; digital literacy backpacks, laptops, kindles and iPads will be donated to Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Digital Literacy program; Pre-K curriculum will go to P’Raising Kids; all their books will go to the Cobblestone Society; all tents, tables and chairs will be donated to the Lions Club; tablecloths and knickknacks have been given to Medina Area Association of Churches; all other outreach materials, such as a prize wheel, balloon pumps and ballon sticks will be given to Community Action.
After payment of any debts, funds will be distributed to agencies which have supported OCALS, including United Way, $30,000; Lyndonville Area Foundation, $15,000; and the Medina Sandstone Society, $1,000.
Schuner personally thanked each and every person who touched OCALS and the local communities in some way throughout OCALS’ tenure, especially Don and Rose Ruck. She presented the Ruck’s with the “Lighting the Way Legacy Award.”
“Your passion has touched the lives of all who had a role in OCALS,” Schuner said.
“It is with heavy heart the board of directors has determined we are unable to keep OCALS active,” Schuner added.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 November 2024 at 12:07 pm
Republicans have big lead among political parties but don’t quite have majority among registered voters
Tuesday will be election day in Orleans County and polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in all 10 towns.
Most of the polling sites are at town halls, although Albion votes at Hoag Library, Carlton uses the Rec Hall and part of Ridgeway uses the Volunteer Fire Company.
Here is a list of the polling sites:
Albion – Districts 1 through 6: Hoag Library, 134 South Main St.
Barre – Districts 1 and 2: Town Hall, 14317 West Barre Rd.
Carlton – Districts 1 through 3: Carlton Fire Co. Rec Hall, 1853 Oak Orchard Rd.
Clarendon – Districts 1 through 3: Town Hall, 16385 Church St.
Gaines – Districts 1 through 4: Town Hall, 14087 Ridge Rd.
Kendall – Districts 1 through 3: Town Hall, 1873 Kendall Rd.
Murray – Districts 1 through 6: Murray Town Hall/Highway Garage, 3840 Fancher Rd.
Ridgeway – Districts 2, 4, 5: Town Hall, 410 West Ave.
Shelby – Districts 1 through 4: Town Hall, 4062 Salt Works Rd.
Yates – Districts 1 and 2: 8 South Main St.
There are 25,538 registered voters in Orleans County. Republicans have a big lead among political parties, but don’t have majority in Orleans County. Republicans represent 48.3 percent of the total registered voters.
Here is a breakdown of the registrations by political party:
Photo by Tom Rivers: A sign directs early voters down the hallway at the Board of Elections where there were two rooms to fill out ballots.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 November 2024 at 9:47 pm
ALBION – Orleans County already has had more than 4,500 ballots cast through nine days of early voting.
The 4,539 votes cast topped the previous high of 3,753 during the 2020 presidential election. The 4,539 votes represents 18 percent of the eligible voters in the county, said Mike Mele, the Republican election inspector.
Every day was busy at the Board of Elections office in Albion for early voting, with an average of just over 500 voters a day. Each day of early voting, the polls were open eight hours, and averaged about a voter per minute over the nine days.
The nine-day totals include:
Oct. 26 – 647
Oct. 27 – 410
Oct. 28 – 563
Oct. 29 – 608
Oct. 30 – 487
Oct. 31 – 416
Nov. 1 – 486
Nov. 2 – 452
Nov. 3 – 470
Total – 4,539
Polling locations will be open in all 10 towns on Tuesday for the general election with voting from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
File photo by Tom Rivers: The dome of the Orleans County Courthouse was illumined in green on Nov. 11, 2021 to show support of military personnel transitioning to civilian life. It was part of “Operation Green Light” to recognize the service of military personnel and their shift to being a civilian.
Posted 1 November 2024 at 4:53 pm
Press Release, Orleans County Legislature
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature will once again be taking part in Operation Green Light, a campaign designed to show support for our nation’s veterans, raise awareness of the county role in providing support and resources to veterans, and advocate for legislation that will strengthen counties’ ability to support veterans.
In honor of Operation Green Light, the dome of the courthouse will be lit green from Nov. 4 through Nov. 11.
Residents and businesses are encouraged to participate in Operation Green Light by placing a green light in a window of their home or business.
“This campaign began with the New York State Association of Counties and now has been adopted by our national organization with the nation’s 3,069 counties, parishes, and boroughs all joining together to honor veterans,” said Lynne Johnson, chairman of the Orleans County Legislature. “By shining a green light, county governments and our residents will let veterans know how much they are appreciated and we are here to support them.”
Johnson said the Orleans County Veterans Service Office can help veterans with anything they need including filing important paperwork, fighting for benefits, securing medical appointments and finding counseling. The office can be reached at (585) 589-3219.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 November 2024 at 9:14 am
County grew by 12.9 percent or by $700K to help make up for declines in first half of the year
The most recent sales tax collection update from the state comptroller shows Orleans County has the largest percentage increase among the 62 counties in the state.
Orleans grew 12.9 percent during the third quarter, or by $703,000 from $5.66 million to $6.39 million. Orleans is up while other nearby counties experienced a decrease in sales tax during the third quarter: Genesee, down 3.4%; Livingston, down 5.8%; Monroe, negative 3.0%; and Allegany, a drop of 10.2%.
Statewide, sales tax was up 1.4% during the third quarter, with New York City seeing 1.1% growth and the rest of the state up 2.5%.
The 12.9 percent growth in Orleans County is followed by the counties of Rockland (9.3 percent), Hamilton (7.4 percent) and Schenectady (6.9 percent).
The big increase in Orleans County helps make up for declines in the first two quarters of the year. Orleans in the second quarter was down 4.2 percent or about $250,000, from $5.93 million to $5.68 million. In the first quarter the county was down $300,000, from $5.69 million to $5.39 million.
The county now shows a modest growth of about $150,000 in sales tax collections for the first three quarters of the year.
The county has experienced big increases in sales in recent years, which has taken some pressure off property taxes. Orleans County’s sales tax collection went up more than $600,000 in 2023 from $22.46 million in 2022 to $23.10 million in 2022.
Sales tax is up more than $5 million in the county since 2019.
Here are the recent totals for sales tax in the county:
Renderings by Red Green Design: The three-story building would have the look of a barn, with the silo having an elevator and stairs to access the three floors. GO Art! said the facility would boost arts programs, agricultural education and entrepreneurial initiaitives.
Posted 1 November 2024 at 8:13 am
Press Release, Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO Art!)
KNOWLESVILLE – GO Art! is thrilled to announce an exciting new project set to transform the Genesee-Orleans region: GO BARN!
Located at the Orleans County Fairgrounds on Route 31, between Medina and Albion, GO BARN! will be a dynamic cultural community hub designed to bring arts, agricultural education, and entrepreneurial opportunities together under one roof.
GO BARN! will serve as a vibrant space for a wide range of arts and educational programs, with workshops spanning fine arts, culinary arts, horticulture, fiber arts, and more. Developed in partnership with Orleans Cornell Cooperative Extension, the facility will offer specialized programs in sustainable agriculture and fiber arts, alongside dedicated areas for performances, gallery exhibitions, community gardens, and artisan workshops. GO BARN! will be a cornerstone for local artisans, performers, and small business owners, creating opportunities for connection, learning, and economic growth in the region.
Community Backing Needed to Secure Funding
GO Art! has identified significant funding sources for GO BARN!’s construction; however, major funders want to see strong community support before committing to full project funding. To demonstrate the region’s commitment, GO Art! is launching a community campaign to raise $150,000 by Dec. 31. This initial funding will advance key programming and design stages, laying the groundwork for grant applications that will unlock the larger financial resources needed to bring GO BARN! to life.
“GO BARN! is about more than just a building—it’s about creating a shared space where our community can thrive,” said Gregory Hallock, Executive Director of GO Art!. “Every donation, no matter the size, is a show of support for our vision of a place where people of all ages can connect, create, and grow together.”
How You Can Help
Community members across Genesee and Orleans counties are invited to join this transformative effort by:
Making a Donation: Every gift, large or small, will help reach the $150,000 goal and demonstrate community backing to our funders. Donations can be made at www.goart.org.
Spreading the Word: Share the news about GO BARN! with friends, family, and neighbors.
Volunteering and Getting Involved: GO Art! is also seeking representatives from Orleans County to join its board and committees.
About GO Art!
GO Art!’s mission is to inspire a creative, inclusive community through the power of arts, culture, and traditions. GO Art! is dedicated to fostering an inclusive, culturally rich community across Genesee and Orleans counties. Through diverse programming, support for local artists, and an ongoing commitment to community engagement, GO Art! brings the transformative power of the arts to all.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 October 2024 at 11:07 am
4 libraries seek $1 per resident or about $40K; county currently provides $10K
Photo by Tom Rivers: Emily Cebula, center, is director of the Yates Community Free Library in Lyndonville. She is joined by Amanda Anderson, left, the director of the Community Free Library in Holley, and Betty Sue Miller, director of Hoag Library in Albion. They spoke at last week’s Orleans County Legislature meeting.
ALBION – The public library directors in Orleans County are asking the County Legislature to boost the funding for the libraries from the current level of about $10,000 to $1 per person or $40,343. (The county’s population was 40,343 in the 2020 Census.)
The county was giving $29,914 to be shared among the four libraries as recently as 2002, but that dropped to $7,480 in 2003. Since then, the amount was raised to $12,587 in 2007, $13,617 in 2010, and then was cut to $10,087 in 2011. It hasn’t changed since then.
“We love our jobs,” Emily Cebula, director of the Yates Community Library in Lyndonville. “We are trusted, anchor institutions in our communities.”
She was among the presenters during last week’s Legislature meeting. Amanda Anderson, the new director at the Community Free Library in Holley, said libraries offer services to people of all ages. And they also “offer a sense of place.”
Anderson, a military spouse, said her family moved 15 times in 20 years. Libraries are a stable presence in the local communities, she said.
Betty Sue Miller, director of the Hoag Library, said the local libraries run on tight budgets, while continuing to look for ways to boost services to people throughout the community, and without seeking fees for books and other materials.
Tom Bindeman, director of the three-county Nioga Library System, also spoke and said the inter-loan program among the member libraries makes the total collection in Niagara, Orleans and Genesee counties available to all library users, allowing the libraries to offer more without spending to maintain a vast collection on their own.
There are 319,000 residents in the three counties, and Bindeman said the circulation in the Nioga system totals about 1.75 million items a year.
The Orleans County legislators are working to finalize the 2025 budget. Jack Welch, the county chief administrative officer, will file the tentative budget by Nov. 15. Then there will be a public hearing before the Legislature adopts the budget in late November or early December.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 October 2024 at 8:43 pm
2,715 have cast ballots so far, more than 10 percent of registered voters
Photo by Tom Rivers: A sign notes early voting is open at the Orleans County office Building. The sign is next to the driveway leading to the County Office Building on Route 31. There is only one early voting polling location in the county. On Nov. 5, polling places will be open in all 10 towns.
ALBION – The early voting surge has continued through the first five days, with four more days to vote before the general election on Nov. 5.
So far, 2,715 ballots have been cast since Saturday, an average of 543 a day. That is more than 10 percent of the registered voters in the county, which totals about 25,000.
The daily average is up from the presidential election four years ago when an average of 417 voted each of the nine days of early voting – 3,753 then for the grand total.
The county is on pace to pass that mark, which was the record high for early voting. The daily totals so far include:
Oct. 26 (Saturday) – 647
Oct. 27 (Sunday ) – 410
Oct. 28 (Monday) – 563
Oct. 29 (Tuesday) – 608
Oct. 30 (Wednesday) – 487
The remaining early voting schedule includes:
Thursday, October 31 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday, November 1 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, November 2 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, November 3 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The early voting polling location is at the Board of Elections Office at 14016 State Route 31 in Albion. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, polling places will be open at all 10 towns in the county.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Gregory Hallock, executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council, speaks on Tuesday evening about a plan for a new cultural facility at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds. The building is planned for the west end of the Fairgrounds near Taylor Hill Road.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 October 2024 at 2:12 pm
‘GoBarn’ could be 30,000 square feet offering many art, community programs
KNOWLESVILLE – The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO Art!) presented a plan for a new arts and cultural center – the GoBarn – at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
Gregory Hallock, GO Art!’s executive director, said the facility, which could max out at 30,000 square feet, would tie in with the mission of Cornell Cooperative Extension and the fairgrounds, while expanding arts and cultural program in the county.
Hallock said the new three-story building with a greenhouse, animal barns and a tavern/beer garden would be in the millions of dollars.
Rendering from Red Green Design: The three-story building would have the look of a barn, with the silo having an elevator and stairs to access the three floors.
GO Art! has spent about $40,000 so far for preliminary designs for the project. He said another $150,000 is needed by Dec. 31 to hire an engineering and design firm for more detailed drawings that are required to seek grants and other funding. Those more precise drawings will also include a detailed breakdown of the costs of the project.
“Our goal is to facilitate tourism and cultural growth,” Hallock told about 50 people during an announcement at the Trolley Building of the Fairgrounds. “The goal is to bring in thousands of people a month.”
Hallock has been scouting sites in the county for the project and struck up a conversation with Robert Batt, the CCE executive director, during the fair in late July. The two see many synergies with GO Art! and CCE by having the new facility at the fairgrounds.
Linda Knipe, GO Art! board president, said the community has an opportunity to add a major asset to the community.
The fiber and wool from llamas, alpacas and sheep could be used by artisans during a fiber festival, for example.
A greenhouse could be used to grow herbs and flowers in programs run by the CCE, in another example.
The building would have flexible or adaptable space that could be used for many things. Hallock and Go Art! envision two art galleries, artist studios and a residence where artists could bunk instead of driving home in the wee hours of the night. Hallock would like to the building to be used for many art forms – culinary, folk, horticultural, literary, visual, muli-media and more.
Linda Knipe, GO Art! board president, acknowledged this a major initiative for the community. She noted how her son, Alex Feig, was able to work with a small group of volunteers and get a $500,000 skate park built in Medina.
“These are very big plans for a rural community,” Knipe said. “We can do this. This is about having vibrant communities where the kids want to stay. We are looking to make this a more vibrant community than it already is.”
A survey completed by about 150 people also shows interest in a pottery studio & kilns, educational studios, film recording studio, culinary kitchen, dining/farm-to-table, tavern/beer garden, offices/conferences and an outdoor music venue.
GO Art! has a liquor license at its facility in Batavia, and Hallock said being able to serve alcohol has boosted attendance and sales of art at the Batavia gallery. The alcohol has to be consumed on site and Hallock said there have been no issues with over-drinking.
Robert Batt, CCE director, sees a lot of possibilities with the GoBarn in boosting artists and agriculture. “The potential is ripe and awesome,” he said.
The new complex was planned to be close to the main education education, just east of it. But Hallock said the state isn’t allowing that due to the close presence of a wetland. GO Art! has shifted the facility to the west end of the fairgrounds, near the corner of Route 31 and Taylor Hill Road.
Hallock said the site would likely be built in stages. He said a July 2025 start is possible with the project’s target completion in July 2028.
He listed the following potential new programs:
Fiber arts and crafts; culinary arts; horticultural and agriculture programs; art and design classes; animals and fiber arts; health, wellness and social programs; technology and innovation programs; performing arts and music classes; film and digital media classes; woodworking classes and workshops; crafts and do-it-yourself classes; sustainability and eco-classes; business and entrepreneurship classes; collaborative and community projects; educational and community events; bar and beverage service; event space rentals.
The facility would be accessible and inclusive to all community members, Hallock said. The GoBarn would have hands-on programs in arts, agriculture and sustainability that would provide workforce readiness. Hallock said GO Art! wants to partner with local schools and organizations in “fostering a lifelong learning environment.”
The facility is expected to draw thousands of people monthly, which Hallock said would provide a boost to local businesses, such as lodging, restaurants and shops. He envisions a Fiber Arts Festival as a big event at the site.
The GoBarn would provide a platform for artisans and rural entrepreneurs to grow their businesses sustainably, expanding economic opportunities in the region, he said.
For more information contact Hallock, GO Art! director, at ghallock@goart.org or (585) 343-9313. He welcomes donations and volunteers to serve on a committee to move the project forward. Click here to see more renderings of the GoBarn.
About 50 people attended the announcement at the Trolley Building with the plans for a new cultural center for the community.
