EPI Center (formerly East Oreland Schoolhouse) Needs Your Support
Photos
Bell Tolling for East Oreland School?
Beckoning children to the East Oreland School, the bell housed in its quaint cupola began ringing in 1909. Some of the school’s alumnae still reside in the neighborhood, and at least one, Charles “Rocky” Pistilli, remembers ringing it while a student at the school. He and an increasing number of his neighbors have organized an effort to save the bell, cupola, and the school from the wrecking ball.
The Upper Dublin Commissioners have been entertaining the idea of demolishing the structure, turning the 1.25-acre property into a neighborhood park. While the local
residents are enthused about an updated park and would prefer open space to development, 83% of the East Oreland neighbors have indicated they want the
oldest portions of the school building preserved.
When the property was turned over to the township in 1978, it became known as the EPI Center and has served a variety of community functions including a senior
center, voting station, and a variety of cultural and recreational purposes for adults and children. Other than the school, there is no community focal point in East Oreland.
The very first recommendation of the Montgomery County Planning Commission’s 1978 School Facilities Plan states “All closed public schools should be kept in the public
domain unless there are unusual and justifiable reasons for not doing so. Closed schools located in residential areas can be reused as playgrounds, or as recreation and community centers.”
The fate of the East Oreland School may be determined at the Upper Dublin Commissioners’ October 9 Meeting. Renovations are needed if the school is to be preserved, but a newestimate from a professional engineer demonstrates the work can be done for less than $1 million—and that can come from open space funds available to the Township. If you’d like the Township to save this historic school and community center, please send an email of support to orelandepicenter@gmail.com
May the school bell ring for preservation rather than toll its demise.
Roger Dorris
East Oreland
Joe Koenig
4:50 pm on Friday, September 28, 2012
I was at the meeting where the residents of Oreland pleaded their case to the Commissioners. I am sympathetic to your pleas. You guys are the step-child of the Township. On big question is where are we going to get the $1.8-3.0 million to renovate the building. This is where all of our great regulations to make everything perfect impede older buildings of significance to be preserved. What's the alternative, I'd love to support you guys.
Michelle Brennan
9:21 pm on Friday, September 28, 2012
Joe -thank you for your email of support. We provided an independent estimate to renovate the building that was under $1million produced by a neighbor who is a professional engineer. The township's neglect of the building has lead to such costly renovations. For example, a cracked storm drain (estimated as a 2,000 repair) has gone unattended causing the basement to collect water per the engineer. We are asking residents and neighbors throughout the township to voice their support for preserving this intregal part of East Oreland at the October 9, 2012 Board of Commissioners meeting at the Upper Dublin Township building. And thank you, Joe, for caring about East Oreland!