As I sat in the old library on Dec. 18, 2010, for the last of the Municipal Buildings Committee workshops, I thought again of the truth of the adage that “history repeats itself.” The old library was built on plans donated to the town by a prominent Minnesota architect who had grown up in Harvard. Now here was Ron Ostberg, who, along with Doug Coots and Maggie Green, has developed architectural plans for how the old library—and Town Hall and Hildreth House—can be adapted for reuse.
In 1887, as now, the town would be asked to provide funding—publicly and privately—to make the plans a reality. I would like to acknowledge and thank Ron, Doug, and Maggie, as well as other members of the MBC, for their incredible gift to Harvard residents. They have given so generously of their time and expertise to demonstrate how three historic buildings can be given new life and provide vitality to the town center. Now it’s up to the rest of us to repeat history.
Carlene Phillips
Oak Hill Road
