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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Christine Peters
655-0261
cpeters@roycroftcampuscorp.com
The East Aurora Bee – Local News
December 25, 2008 page 4
Bee Editorial
Rebuilding the Roycroft Power House
For more than one hundred years Roycroft Campus has stood as a pillar of the East Aurora community. Well, all but the Roycroft power house, a building that once stood tall, and severed the campus in the most useful way- by providing power.
Though technology has evolved and the campus no longer relies on the power house to supply it with energy, there remains a need to preserve the building and dedicate it to other uses.
Since the rebirth of the campus over the past 25 years, many Roycroft loyalists have worked hard to restore the buildings and grounds, transforming them into the proud Arts & Crafts center that once existed.
The Roycroft Campus Corporation, whose goal is to rebuild and restore the campus, turned its attention to the power house this decade and has spent the past five years securing grants, fundraising and educating the public on the importance of re-establishing the power house.
The RCC’s mission statement says it seeks to preserve and promote the ideals, traditions, architectural legacy and business skills of Elbert Hubbard and the Roycrofters through the acquisition and restoration of the Roycroft Campus buildings and grounds in a manner consistent with their National Historic Landmark status. The RCC will manage a financially sustainable, not-for-profit organization to foster educational programs, encourage and support artisans, develop a compelling tourism plan, and provide economic benefits to the community.
Though they don’t aim to make the power house a working place in the truest sense, they want to make it useful for office and classroom space as well as a center for artists.
After all, that was Hubbard’s intention when he established the campus at the turn of the 20th century.
We really want to congratulate those at the RCC who have worked tirelessly writing grants and proposals, securing funds any way possible and trying to bring the campus as far back to its roots as possible.
Christine Peters, Executive Director of the RCC, has done much of that work.
“We want the campus to be a destination for visitors from around the world,” said Peters. “We want East Aurorans to celebrate this treasure which is located in their own back yard. Returning the campus to its originality, celebrating artist and workers, focusing on education and so much more, that’s what we hope to accomplish with all of our projects.”
The RCC recently received permission from a host of boards and committees to move foreword with the power house project.
Here’s to continuing the Roycroft legacy. We hope the RCC is successful.
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