CUBA CITY—A fundraising effort for repairs to the Cuba City community building, also known as the Boy Scout building, is underway.
Boy Scout leaders Tim Bell, Jim Gerhards and Kevin Ward have identified desired repairs to the city-owned building, located on South Jefferson Street between the Cuba City Greenhouse and Cuba City Apartments. That list has been broken down into four phases with a total project estimate of $19,648. Major portions of the project include new windows, siding, roof, bathroom, electrical and water heater and converting to natural gas heat from an oil furnace.
“We’d like to fix it up so we can use it year-round and have everything under one roof,” Ward said. “Right now we have some stuff stored at someone’s barn and the derby track is stored by the Hazel Green Fire Department just to keep it dry to prevent warping.”
“We have a canoe stored somewhere; there’s a tepee stored in another location,” Bell said. “We’d like it all in one place.”
The Boy Scouts have been using the building since it was built by the Lions Club, which eventually sold it to the city. The building features two meeting spaces and areas for storage. It also has a small bathroom area and kitchen sink.
“I think this is working fine for us right now,” Gerhards said.
The scout groups from Cuba City, Hazel Green, Benton, Dickeyville and Kieler have all merged into one troop, forming a group of 78 members. The building is used several times each week for Cub Scout and Boy Scout meetings and activities.
Currently the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts use the community building seasonally. There is no heat or running water at the building, driving them to use the American Legion Hall during cold weather.
“It’s a nice facility, but we have to haul our stuff back and forth for every meeting,” Gerhards said.
Scouts use the community building three to four times a week during the warmer months.
“If we get rid of this building, then we won’t have anyplace to put our stuff,” Bell said. “We’ve got all of our camping equipment and the Cub Scouts have all of their own equipment, too. If you don’t have a regular meeting place where you can pull your stuff out, you’d have to haul all of our training and various equipment to the meeting place.”
Gerhards said the Boy Scouts leaders have been looking into updating the building for several years.
“We’re not doing it for the current Boy Scouts, we’re doing this for the Cub Scouts who will be future Boy Scouts,” Bell said.
The project’s four phases include:
n Phase 1: replacement of windows, doors, insulation, drywall, trim, electric wiring, lighting and a furnace for approximately $8,695.
n Phase 2: bathroom/kitchen replacement including concrete toilet, sink, faucet, water heater and lighting for approximately $2,466.n Phase 3: replacement of roof, outdoor insulation, siding and a bathroom heater for approximately $7,570.
n Phase 4: an option of adding an air conditioning system for approximately $916.
Gerhards said the majority of the labor would be donated as many of the parents involved with Boy Scouts have volunteered to do the work.
“We did find a generous donor who will give us some solar panels so we can generate our own electricity,” Gerhards said.
The city’s public works director George Morrissey said he and the city’s park and recreation committee have seen the plan, but details have not yet been worked out. A building inspector will need to evaluate the building before moving forward with any updates. The scouts may need to re-evaluate some of the phases to best protect the city’s building, if the city chooses to proceed with the repair of the building.
Morrissey said he would rather look at other options that utilize buildings in better repair in Cuba City, such as the V.F.W. or American Legion halls. Those are not city-owned buildings.
The three-year project is dependent upon fundraising and material costs.
Fundraising will kick off with a pizza night at Steve’s Pizza in Platteville and Lawrence’s Pub and Grill in Benton on May 18. Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts will provide wait staff and delivery services for Steve’s Pizza and delivery for Lawrence’s Pub and Grill with dine-in and carryout also benefitting the group’s goals.
On Father’s Day weekend, the scouts will hold a breakfast fundraiser in Cuba City. Then, on Sept. 4, a breakfast fundraiser will take place in Benton. And, on Sept. 17, a chicken and pork dinner will be held at The Wigwam in Hazel Green.
Fundraising containers will also be placed at several local businesses to seek donations. After the funds needed for the project are raised, the Boy Scouts would continue to hold a few fundraisers each year to assist with maintenance of the building.
