by Ed Moreth

The Paradise Center - formerly the Paradise Elementary School - will be receiving $185,720 in grants for two large projects they hope to get completed over the next nine months for capital improvements to the building that houses the main visitor center.

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust of Vancouver, Washington, announced last week it was awarding $62,500, half of the total cost, to the center to replace a boiler system that had been installed in Paradise Elementary School in the 1930s. Problems with the system range from failure to heat the building to broken pipes and escaping steam, putting both the historic school building and its exhibits at risk of damage or loss, according to Karen Thorson, secretary of the Paradise School Preservation Committee, the nonprofit group that manages the Paradise Center. The hope is to install new mini-split systems before winter. The grant has a 50% match requirement. The Murdock Trust has supported Pacific Northwest nonprofit organizations since 1975 through innovative and sustainable grants, enrichment programs, and other activities assisting the region's social, educational, spiritual and cultural base, she added.

The Paradise Center was also notified that the Montana Department of Commerce approved a $123,220 grant to construct an ADA elevator in the 111-year-old former school, which closed down in 2013 because of a lack of students. The Department of Commerce gave out more than $5 million to communities across the state as part of its Historic Preservation Grant Program.

"These grants will help communities share stories of the past, giving visitors and residents a true glimpse of Montana's fascinating, deep-rooted history," said Department of Commerce Director Scott Osterman in a press release concerning the 23 communities that received the grants, including three for $500,000 each.

The elevator will go from the basement, where presently there is a men's restroom, up through the school's old cloak closet on the first floor and onto the second floor, making the entire building more accessible. The elevator will be limited access for use by people with mobility concerns, according to Thorson. The elevator grant comes with a 20% matching funds stipulation - $30,805 - said Thorson. She said the preservation board is exploring sources to raise the matching funds. They hope to get the elevator installed this winter, when the center is closed to visitors. 

Thorson is the author of the heating system grant. Her husband, John, the group's treasurer, wrote the elevator grant, which he submitted in February of 2020. Karen said there were more than 90 applications and that the funds will be available in July. They haven't received word at this time when the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust funds will be available. She said the original request was for $154,025.

"The grants will have a big impact on the usage of the school by people of all ages and abilities throughout the year," said Judy Stamm, president of the Paradise Elementary School Preservation Committee. "The safety and comfort level in the building will be dramatically improved with the replacement of the boiler by a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. And we'll be able to expand our display areas once an elevator is in place and all three levels can be easily accessed, said Stamm. The elevator is not the first ADA project at the center. Restrooms in the auditorium were made handicap accessible in 2018 and a wheelchair ramp was installed at the front of the main building two years ago. 

The Paradise Elementary School Preservation Committee was formed in 2016 and turned the former school into a community center, visitors center and arts center. It is used by the community for large gatherings, by visitors to learn about the history of the area, and for the arts as a venue for performances and classes. The property is owned by Sanders County, but the county leases it to the preservation committee for $1 a year. 

The facility has been closed for more than a year because of the pandemic, but the auditorium, formerly the school gymnasium and cafeteria, was reopened for public use starting June 1. The center is hosting "The First Annual Student Reunion for the Paradise School" at the center July 3 and 4.

"The school building will most likely not be open for tours with work beginning on the removal of the boiler, and addition of the elevator," said Stamm.

The center relies on volunteers, donations and grants to keep the facility in operation. The board is comprised of about 30 volunteers who help keep the center going. The Paradise Center has received 18 grants from a dozen sources for a total of $372,470. 

The elevator and new heating system will modernize the building, but not take away its historic charm, said John Thorson. It will also mean fewer headaches for the board, which has had problems with the more than 80-year-old oil heater and never knows when it's going to fail. Two years ago, it broke down and it took more than a month to find the small electrical part, which cost over $1,000, said Karen. The new heating system will be electric and installed outside the building. 

She said the cost of removing the old system was not included in the grant, but it does not have to be removed prior to installing the new one. The grant funds for the heating system was $62,500, but the total cost of a new one is $125,000. One big difference is that it will be a system for heating and air conditioning.

"These projects will improve the public's enjoyment of the historic building while providing the features we all expect in public buildings - ease of access and comfortable heating and cooling. Also, the heating and cooling improvements will reduce energy and maintenance costs," said John. Karen said they will seek competitive estimates in the near future. "These two projects are very specialized because they are in a historic building, so qualified contractors may be limited," she said. "The Paradise Center board is ecstatic about these two grants," said Karen. "They represent two must-do projects that will enable us to do much more in terms of repurposing the center."