Former chapel at Stanton Park in Madison Township converted into outdoor pavilion
Aug. 11—A project intended to create a new use for an old building at a park in Madison Township has been completed.
Township Administrator Tim Brown announced on Aug. 8 that contractors have finished the renovations needed to transform the old chapel at Stanton Park into an outdoor pavilion for picnics and other gatherings.
"At this point in time, we'll want to tweak the landscaping (around the pavilion) as the season progresses, but the chapel renovation is done," he said, during a workshop that preceded township trustees' regular meeting.
The former chapel was part of a Catholic Youth Organization camp that once operated on the land that is now Stanton Park. Madison Township purchased the property, located at 5585 Chapel Road, with a federal grant about 24 years ago.
In 2019, township trustees hired an engineering firm to evaluate the chapel and conduct a feasibility study on future uses for the building.
When trustees reviewed the completed study, they realized that modernizing the chapel and bringing it into compliance with all building codes would have been too expensive for the township.
So instead, trustees decided to take down the exterior walls of the building and turn it into an outdoor pavilion for park visitors.
In December, trustees accepted a bid from The Demo Guys Inc., a Pepper Pike-based contractor, to perform the Stanton Park chapel improvement project.
The Demo Guys began working on the endeavor in early 2023. On May 23, trustees agreed to enter into a contract with Einheit Electric Construction Co. of Brooklyn Heights for another aspect of the chapel transformation.
Einheit outfitted the pavilion with new wiring, electrical outlets and lighting.
Total cost of renovating the chapel into an outdoor pavilion was $90,347. The Demo Guys Inc. was paid $59,700; Einheit Electric's bill totaled $9,967; and CT Consultants of Mentor received $20,680 for design and construction services.
However, the township was able to cover the entire cost of the project with two grants. Trustees earmarked $80,380 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds for building and designing the pavilion; and the township was reimbursed the $9,967 paid to Einheit through a NOPEC Energized Community Grant.
Other features of the pavilion include new trim work and gutters and downspouts, a concrete ramp that provides access to people with disabilities, and masonry work that was done on some failing columns.
Trustee Kenneth Gauntner Jr. said he thinks the new pavilion looks "really good."
"It also makes (the building) very maintenance free, for the most part," he said.
