Where did it All Start?

It started with a dream to encourage protection of open space and to retain the community character of Johnsburg.  A door to this dream opened when the former Alexander’s garage/Bacon garage became available in 1999 and was purchased by Elise and Woody Widlund.  The dream of open space for this particular piece of real estate changed when the historic WPA Ski Bowl building burned down in the fall of 1999.  This was a great loss to Johnsburg and the residents.

Representatives of the many organizations that had used the Ski Bowl building met to explore the needs for each organization in a new building.  Elise attended this meeting. . . and the dream took an about-face. Elise discussed the needs with her husband Woody, and together they approached Bill Thomas, Town Supervisor and the Town Board about donating their building to the town.  An open public meeting was held, and the idea was presented; support was very high. Thus the Tannery Pond Community Center was born. The name has its roots from the stream behind it, which once was called the Tannery Pond.

The initial plan to use the existing building dissolved once engineers reviewed the structure.  As a result, it was decided that a new structure should be built on the site. Aided by an advisory committee of local residents, the Widlunds, and the architectural firm of Joy, McCoola and Zilch began the task of turning the dream into reality.

The plan focused on multiple use community meeting areas, architecture in-keeping with the town character, low maintenance materials, and an energy efficient design. The meeting spaces include 3 multiple use meeting rooms, an auditorium space, art gallery space, and an open lobby area. The 11,200 square foot building features two floors and is accessible by both stairs and an elevator.  A gallery, also with views of the North Creek stream, is the home of the lovely O’Keeffe stage curtain that originally graced the stage of the O’Keeffe Opera House, above today’s Brooks Pharmacy in North Creek. The gallery also offers local and regional artists space to display their art.

The auditorium space is two stories high with tiered telescoping seating for 131 people (as well as an additional 24 folding seats) for stage and musical presentations by local, school and regional performances. With the seats “retracted”, the space is opened up for dancing, gymnastics, exhibits by visual arts groups, library book sales, the historical society, or small trade shows. The three smaller meeting rooms offer opportunities for a variety of activities or meetings as well as space for performance participants to make dressing changes.  The two lower meeting rooms have restrooms with showers in close proximity. The upper meeting room has an adjacent catering type kitchen.

On June 29, 2002, the Widlunds presented the building to the Town of Johnsburg.  Since this time the Town and the Tannery Pond Community Center Association have worked together to resolve the many operational issues facing a new entity in the community.  For example, there is a Gallery Committee, for reviewing and booking artists works into the Gallery space on a monthly basis and a Youth Committee to coordinate activities and programs for the community youth.  In recognition of the contribution Elise and Woody have made, the Gallery was renamed the Widlund Gallery in 2004.