Amos & Julia Ward Theatre in Jay renovations still underway

JAY | The Jay Entertainment & Music Society (JEMS) is continuing to solicit donations to finish renovating the Amos & Julia Ward Theatre on Parkside Drive. JEMS closed the theater to the public on Oct. 1 after several leaks were found in the lobby flooring. Since then, the not-for-profit organization has been collecting donations and has hired Vincent Family Construction to reconstruct the floor. The old flooring was removed. Cracks in the concrete base needed to be filled and sealed, and new wooden joists and a sub-floor needed to be installed; this work was recently completed. Once insulated with spray foam, the flooring will be finished with tile. Besides the flooring, other renovations include reinstalling the granite countertops, which were thankfully salvageable, and installing electric heaters in the bathrooms to prevent the pipes from freezing. But in the midst of starting these repairs earlier this winter, JEMS hit an unexpected roadblock. "After removing the old floor and cleaning/sealing the concrete slab, the weather went through warming/cooling periods, which caused snow/ice melt around the building. Water leaked inside onto the concrete floor near the check-in counter. We have also found rot-through on the sill between the lobby and the exterior, near the southern wall," the JEMS Board of Directors posted on their Facebook page earlier this month. "These discoveries will mean substantial additional repairs." Originally, the JEMS Board of Directors anticipated repair costs between $20,000 and $30,000. But due to unforeseen circumstances, even more funds are now needed. "We knew it was a bigger project than we had anticipated at the get-go," said Dawn Tonneau, treasurer of the JEMS Board of Directors. "But despite these additional repairs, they need to get done, and we're hopeful that the community will continue to help us." The JEMS Board of Directors is currently determining the total project cost, but as of this writing, about $17,000 has been raised. "We're just very thankful for what the community has done for us so far," said Stephanie Battisti, president of the JEMS Board of Directors, in a previous interview. "They've been right here to help us keep the lights on." Opened in 2008 through a generous donation from the Ward family and a community fundraising campaign, the Amos & Julia Ward Theatre is the venue for a variety of classes, productions, concerts, meetings, workshops, and more held year-round. The theater is also available to the community for birthday parties, showers, and other private events. The JEMS Board of Directors hopes to reopen the Amos & Julia Ward Theatre by May. In the meantime, JEMS plans to continue hosting events at remote locations. For instance, JEMS is currently hosting JEMS Jams at the Wells Memorial Library in Upper Jay on Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. Also, JEMS will be hosting a Contradance fundraiser on April 8 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Jay Community Center in Au Sable Forks. Music will be provided by Adirondack 2-Step with Jeremy Clifford. "Thankfully enough, we have a great board of about 10 people that pretty much facilitates the events and everything else going on," said Battisti about the board, which also consists of Connie Miller, Dennis Bakos, Deirdre Garland, Rance Bloom, Mike Battisti, Barbara Steen, Larysa Murray, Michael Rafferty, and Steve Turbek. "It's all volunteer; no one is paid, so everyone is trying to work their hardest to make this the best community venue possible." Donations can be made either online at jemsgroup.org or by check. Checks can be made out to "JEMS" and mailed to "JEMS, PO Box 150, Jay, N.Y. 12941. For more information or updates, visit jemsgroup.org.

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Amos & Julia Ward Theatre in Jay renovations still underway

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