About

A Breif History

In 2015 the historic (1914) 13,000 square foot, two and a half story Bridgewater Village School closed to consolidate. In 2017, a group of community members formed a Select Board-sanctioned committee to explore potential use for the building. The closed school was quickly recognized as an opportunity, due to the combination of village location, documented community service needs, and local interest and support for reusing the building. In 2018 The Bridgewater Area Community Foundation (BACF), a newly formed local non-profit was formed and is working to preserve, reuse, and enhance the former Bridgewater Village School Building, an important cultural and historical landmark located in the Ottauquechee Valley into the Bridgewater Community Center. The BACF plans to offer life enriching activities for the whole family and community while strengthening social ties and reduce social isolation. Anchoring the Community Center is a licensed childcare center with additional community activities and business space planned. Childcare became an obvious choice based on need and location. Bridgewater includes support for childcare as part of the Town Plan. The Town and the BACF executed a lease agreement in January 2019 allowing BACF to utilize the building and immediate grounds for the community center and child care center with a sustainable lease cost of $1/year for five years, extended in 2024 to a twenty year lease. This eliminates the burden of the expenses of the building to the taxpayers. This is a wonderful opportunity for the town as it remains a town asset but the foundation will cover the cost of the building while working to improve and program it.

MEET THE BACF BOARD of Directors

Brian Bontrager, President - Bontrager Custom Builders

Charles Shackleton, Vice President - Shackleton Thomas

Dalene Washburn, Secretary - MSW Child and Family therapist

Michael Caduto, Executive Director of Sustainable Woodstock 

Collen Doyle - Woolen Mill Comedy Club

Jeremey Bhatia

Founding Board Members of the B.A.C.F., not sitting on the board:

Henry Smith, Vice President Emeritus - Business Owner, Venture Capital Investor; Co-founder of the Mount Tom School

Kathleen Dolan, Executive Director of ArtisTree Community Arts Center

Joni Kennedy, Secretary for the BACF, Co-Director of the Spectrum Teen Center, Woodstock Union High school & Middle school Student Opportunities & Scholarships