What Firehouse are you talking about?
The former Lake Carmel Firehouse on Route 52, just north of Beach 6, just south of the intersection with Route 311. It has stood empty since 2003, when the Fire Company moved to larger quarters, opposite the Kent Town Center, one mile north on Route 52. A picture of the former Firehouse, taken from across the lake, can be seen at artsonthelake.org.

Why can’t the Town make lots of money selling the Firehouse to a developer?
The building was built in 1946 on land designated as parkland when the community was developed in 1930. Although the Fire Department leased the building, the land is held by the Town of Kent for the benefit of the Lake Carmel Park District.

Who thought up the idea of an Art Center?
Who knows from where the idea came first, but a majority of respondents to a 2004 poll of Lake Carmel residents supported it. Subsequently, many parents have expressed an interest in having a place where their children can design, paint, sing and act. Local artists have expressed an interest in having a place to exhibit their work other than in out-of-town galleries. The Director of the Putnam Arts Council has said a performance space in eastern Putnam is sorely needed and would be filled. Musicians from soloists to rock bands have looked hungrily at the empty space as a place to rehearse, interact and perform for their peers and neighbors.

Wasn’t this going to be a Senior Center?
There was some talk of that, but it does not meet the requirements for space. It is expected, though, that seniors will participate in classes, performances and gatherings.

What kind of Arts Center do you have in mind?
A flexible performance space seating 75-90 people in the upstairs 3-truck bay; a classroom for painting, sculpture and interdisciplinary activities in the upstairs 2-truck bay; an exhibit gallery in the downstairs meeting room; a rehearsal or café space in the downstairs bar; a shop for performance or gallery construction in the former ambulance shed; an outdoor sculpture garden on the grounds.

What is the history of this proposal?
The Kent Town Board voted to authorize the Lake Carmel Firehouse becoming an Art Center on 10/10/05 and the Kent Town Board, with two new members, accepted the report of its subcommittee for the “Creation of a Community Arts Center at the Lake Carmel Fire House” on 4/3/06. The Town Attorney was directed to prepare a contract and Arts on the Lake was incorporated as a non-profit to be a signatory to that contract. The contract, as drafted, permits Arts on the Lake to use the Firehouse, that all improvements to the building become the property of the Town and that the costs of maintaining the Art Center are the responsibility of Arts on the Lake.

Will this cost me anything?
If you participate in a class, there may be a modest fee to pay for the teacher. If you attend a performance, there will probably be an admission fee to cover the performers’ expenses. If you only drive by or live in Kent without attending, the benefits will be free.

Aren’t Art Centers expensive to maintain?
If they get involved in expensive real estate or high-priced salaries, yes. But by using a building which was inaugurated by volunteer labor and by accepting the many current offers of volunteer labor, the costs should be reasonable. It is true that the upstairs bays must be insulated and the roof must be repaired, but Arts on the Lake was incorporated as a non-profit so that gifts can be tax deducible. And elected officials have indicated there are available grants to restore public buildings and make the second floor handicapped-accessible. By being an amalgam of public and private, one should be able to receive grants on both sides.

If the Supervisor signs a contract with Arts on the Lake, what happens next?
Activities can begin in the ground-floor meeting room, while plans proceed for the renovation of the upstairs. A performance workshop, multiple classes and a low-ceiling art exhibit can start, while fund-raising for the larger renovation commences.

What about the area?
Artists and art centers have a long, and well-documented, history of improving real estate values. One need look no further than Soho and Lincoln Center in NYC in the 70’s and 60’s and currently in Beacon and Peekskill to see what happens when a center or gallery opens. But apart from potential property appreciation, having a place where people in the area can gather to create things, and then show what they’ve created to their friends and neighbors, can only strengthen a community, enhancing the way we live.