GILL — The Historical Commission has high hopes for the future of the Riverside Municipal Building — namely, opening its museum to the public and using the remaining space for meetings and events.
The three-room building, located at 54 French King Highway, is the former Riverside School, built in 1926. Two of the rooms were occupied by the former Four Winds School, which closed in 2024.
Today, the Historical and Riverside Water commissions occupy the right-hand side. The middle room is expected to house larger exhibit items and historical displays, according to Historical Commission Chair Kit Carpenter.
Carpenter said the Historical Commission is in a “lovely position” to look at options for opening the museum to the public and planning events for the other open rooms, having met with the Selectboard this month to get the ball rolling.
The Historical Commission acts as stewards of the building, which contains old photographs, documents, letters, artifacts and materials significant to the town’s history. Historical Commission member Bob Perry explained during a recent Selectboard meeting that to open to space up to the public, a building inspection is needed to make sure that asbestos abatement isn’t required.
“If the public is safe to come in, then we can continue to build the displays we want to share with them and invite them to use the building as well,” Carpenter said.
Perry said pipes in the boiler room had an asbestos abatement completed in 1989, according to a document that Town Administrator Ray Purington was able to find certifying the removal.
“Of the three concerns that we had, that one is a ‘cross it off the list,'” Perry said.
Still, since there isn’t a record available describing what was used for materials at the time of the Riverside Municipal Building’s construction, Perry said it is a good idea to have an inspector make sure that asbestos isn’t a problem. He noted that the lath-and-plaster construction style “is questionable, as far as I’m concerned.”
The building is also due for a new roof after a hole developed following a heavy rainstorm in October 2025. The town is hoping to begin the process of replacing the roof this year. Perry advised that he wants the roof’s shingles checked to be sure there is no asbestos, so it doesn’t compromise the roof replacement project.
To help pay for some of the costs for an asbestos study for the roof, Selectboard member John Ward suggested that the town use a portion of the $20,000 that was allocated for a new roof feasibility study and to explore the addition of solar panels. The funding was approved by Annual Town Meeting voters in May 2022.
An additional box to check is making sure the building is compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design. Some work on the stairs is needed, and the Historical Commission wants to see if more ramps are necessary.
Moving forward, the plan is to reach out to an asbestos inspector and to speak with the Franklin Regional Council of Governments’ building inspector to get a better idea of what needs to be cleaned up before opening the Riverside Municipal Building to the public.
“I think it’s a step in the right direction,” Selectboard Chair Charles Garbiel said.