Matthews - Community Preservation Committee Meeting March 16.pdf3/17/22, 1:51 PM City of Northampton Mail - Community Preservation Committee Meeting March 16
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ik=fec0f72d97&view=pt&search=all&permthid=thread-f%3A1727481133468848027%7Cmsg-f%3A17274811334688…1/1
Sarah LaValley <slavalley@northamptonma.gov>
Community Preservation Committee Meeting March 16
1 message
Gail Matthews <gem55072@yahoo.com>Wed, Mar 16, 2022 at 2:12 PM
To: "slavalley@northamptonma.gov" <slavalley@northamptonma.gov>
Dear Sarah,
I will not be able to attend the zoom meeting tonight so I wanted to write a letter of support for the proposal to restore,
renovate and re-open the Shepherd Barn. This proposal is very thorough. A lot of time and research went into developing
a plan to move forward. The barn has been closed for a number of years and re-opening this space would provide
endless possibilities.
The Northampton Historical Society is a leader in the community in preserving the history of Northampton and beyond.
The Shepherd Barn is one of four buildings on this site. Renovating this barn is an incredible opportunity to not only
preserve the history of the barn but to also expand programs offered at this location. Once the project is completed, the
barn will not only serve as exhibit space but will also be open for workshops and community events.
Laurie Sanders and Elizabeth Sharpe have done a phenomenal job in developing and offering programs through the
Historical Society. I have attended many programs and there has definitely been an increase in attendance. Many times
programs are filled to capacity. The Historical Society can certainly use more space. Renovating the Shepherd Barn will
provide the opportunity for more programming. The community will definitely benefit from this project.
If I can offer any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Gail Matthews