by Bea Peterson
The biggest topic of the year in the Town and Village was the Armory. The Town Board was in a quandary as to whether to purchase the building for use as the Town Hall or not. A Save the Armory Committee threw themselves into gathering information to justify making the building the Town Hall and adding uses to the building to make it feasible. There was a bidders’ conference held. Later all the RFPs were rejected by the Board. HAYC3 offered to purchase the Armory from the State for $1. [private]In the end the Board approved HAYC3 purchasing the building, and the State approved the purchase. Now the old building is taking on a new life and a new look. The HAYC3 title has become the Hoosick Armory, Youth Center and Community Coalition. After the tree lighting in early December, youngsters visited Santa in the Armory. Zumba classes take place there twice a week. On Sunday, December 30, there will be a meditative Labyrinth Walk from noon to 3 pm and there are plans to start a floor hockey league.
Village Dissolution
Hoosick Falls is in the middle of a Dissolution Study. Public Hearings have been held, followed by a discussion with the Town Board. Options are limited. They include dissolving the Town into the Village and eliminating the police force, dissolving the Village and creating a Town-wide police force or finding ways to share more services. Village residents don’t mind dissolution, but they don’t want to lose the police force. The Town Board does not support a townwide police department. The study is far from complete. Cost saving options are still being studied. Dwindling Village factories, homes and businesses are eroding the tax base.
The Dougherty corner lot was emptied and construction prepared to start. Then it halted. Months later the hole was filled in again.
Generosity
Yet, with the economy in a slump, the community continues to be generous to a variety of causes.
Thanks to grants and countless donations, the Hoosick Area Church Association managed to pay off the 30 year mortgage on its John Street property in less than three years. The Taste of Hoosick also benefitted the HACA Food Closet. The Grand Union gave food donations and, recently, a $200 check to the Food Closet. Saint-Gobain employees presented HACA Director Dianne Hosterman with a check for $1,720.
HAYC3 held a very successful Hoosical Chair Auction, and the Cheney Library’s first annual Festival of Wreaths was a great financial success as well. Cumberland Farms upgraded its Hoosick Falls store and, for a month, donated 20 cents from every Chill Zone beverage and other items to the HFCS Varsity Club. They presented the Club with a check for $2,337. Churches and Clubs donated items to fill 350 holiday baskets with food and gifts. A Pink Fashion Show and Annual Volleyball Tournament benefitted the Karen McGovern Fund.
The Village donated $30,000 to HAYC3 to help with the Armory takeover and necessary improvements.
Events
Ice skating, geo-caching and horse and carriage rides were all part of HAYC3’s Hoosipalooza event in February. The Highlight was the bed race down Main Street.
In March temperatures were near 70 degrees for the St. Patrick’s Day parade and events.
There was the Memorial Day parade and event in Wood Park. In November the final veterans plaques were placed on the wall in time for the Veterans Day program.
In August there was a special ceremony commemorating the 235th Anniversary of the Revolutionary War battle at Bennington Battlefield in Walloomsac.
Businesses Make News
The ERC Warehouse left Hoosick. The buildings were demolished to be replaced by a Dollar General Store. A Family Dollar Store is also under construction near Baker’s Nursery.
The local Grand Union store was purchased by Tops Friendly Markets.
Patire Chevrolet-Oldsmobile Buick, Inc. closed its doors.
In May the Hoosick Falls Health Center officially changed its name to The Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Hoosick Falls. Rehabilitation services are a big portion of the services offered by the Center.
The former Oak building on lower John Street, built in 1896, was demolished.
New2You opened on High Street.
The Hoosick Falls Country Club expanded its restaurant services and will be open year around. The Village loaned the Club $18,000, at one percent interest, to help with winterization costs.
The North Hoosick Stewart’s had a $3 million lottery winner. The ticket was purchased by a North Bennington man.
Radio Station WGNA spent a morning at the Falls Diner with a visit to the HF Elementary School.
Peggy and Rob Cottrell opened Why Not Wine on Route 7 in Hoosick.
People In The News
Nicole St. Onge attended the Project Ignition Conference in Washington, DC and met U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.
Nate Moseley earned an Eagle Scout award.
Trustee Robert Downing was re-elected to the Hoosick Falls Village Board. Trustees David Borge and Jeremy Driscoll were elected to their first full terms.
Rose Hewitt celebrated her 100th Birthday.
Eleanor Fairbanks celebrated her 100th Birthday.
Hoosick Falls Community Band member Walter Dunham was recognized for being an active member of the band and its predecessors for 65 years!
In a nationwide drawing HFCS sophomore Elizabeth Contessa was selected to receive the first ever $60,000 College Tuition Giveaway from EF Educational Tours.
Joyce Brewer was honored as HACA Volunteer of the Year
Town of Hoosick Highway Superintendent Bill Shiland retired before his term of office was completed. Councilman Louis Schmigel was elected in November to fill the one year remaining in the term.
Anniversaries
The year began with the Eastwick Press celebrating its 20th anniversary.
The Town of Hoosick Rescue Squad celebrated its 55th Anniversary. The Squad responded to 687 calls last year.
Everchanging Hairstyles owner Wendy Saunders Morin celebrated the business’ 25th anniversary.
Local Girl Scouts celebrated the organization’s 100th Anniversary.
The North Hoosick Fire Department celebrated its 65th Anniversary.
The St. Stanislaw Society celebrated its 100th Anniversary.
Kay and Sonny Monroe of Sonny’s Motors in Walloomsac celebrated the business’s 50th anniversary.
Lois and Rev Mike Benoit celebrated 30 years at Cornerstone Fellowship Church.
Community Sports
Youth Baseball and Softball teams were able to start their season on time thanks to the many volunteers who spent hours restoring the fields to topnotch condition due to the damage caused by flooding from Tropical Storm Irene.
The second annual Youth Wrestling Club Tournament, held at the skating rink, was a huge success. Support from the Town, local organizations, Hoosac School and dedicated volunteers made it all possible.
School Sports – What A Year
In March the HFCS girls basketball team made it to the Sectional final four.
The HFCS Bowling Team won the Class C-D Division Bowling Championship for the fourth time in six years. In the Sectionals, they bowled the highest score of all the Section II teams but, for administrative reasons, were not allowed to compete further.
The HFCS Boys Soccer Team made it to the State final four for the first time in its history.
The HFCS Girls Soccer Team won the State title for the second year in a row and the third time in 12 years.
The HFCS Football Team Won its first ever State title.[/private]