Sign noting future use of Rooms 211, 212 & 213 (Click on photo to enlarge)

The former Huss Elementary School in Three Rivers – located at the intersection of East Broadway and 8th streets – was in the spotlight Saturday (July 24th) during the first annual Huss Future Festival.

From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., area residents and other interested persons were invited in to look at the building, see what’s happening there, and learn about what is envisioned for development and use of the historic structure.

Huss School and its four acres were purchased last year by *culture is not optional (*cino), a non-profit organization with plans for an off-campus program and a community center.

Dave Harmon (left), former Huss School student and still a neighborhood resident, talks with Rob Vander Giessen-Reitsma during the Huss Future Festival on Saturday.

During an onsite interview with the River Country Journal Saturday morning, Rob Vander Giessen-Reitsma, co-director of *cino,” said, “This is our first invitational event to get the public in to see what it is we’re hoping to do with this building.”  With him was Dave Harmon, a neighborhood resident who went to Huss School “all the way to 8th grade” and is supportive of the efforts now underway to breathe new life into the building.  Vander Giessen-Reitsma said, “We’re already excited by the folks like Dave who we’ve met through the process – folks who have gone through this school and have some vested interest in it.  This event is just a chance to tell the community what we’re doing and maybe raise a little money through our rummage sale and our bake sale and some other things.”

Harmon said,“We thought this place would be demolished.  I’m glad somebody’s finally using it.  It’s a pretty sturdy school still from what I can see.  It’s got a little malfunctions, but nothing that can’t be taken care of.”

The 'Triple Ripple Community Gardens' were on display during Saturday's Huss Future Festival.

When asked about the impact of the Huss School project on the neighborhood, Harmon said, “I think it will do a lot for this neighborhood, knowing that this school is not going to be demolished like we all thought it would be.  We have seen stuff done outside as far as the garden and that’s a good process there.  Maybe the community will help on that, too.  And I’m getting donations for paint to help restore this already.  Everything’s coming together for them.”

Vander Giessen-Reitsma said, “We’re hoping to be able to continue to do events as we’re able with the facility in whatever state it is while working toward an eventual comprehensive renovation of the whole building.”

In an e-mail report Sunday evening, Co-Director Kirstin Vander Giessen-Reitsma, Rob’s wife, said:

“We were thrilled with how it turned out – so much encouragement and many new connections.  We ended up bringing in about $1,500 and 350 people.  I’d say we had about 30 people come down from Grand Rapids just for the event and Sanders, the band that played in the afternoon, came all the way from Chicago (our intern Johnathan’s brother is the drummer).  I think our farthest traveler was a friend from Wisconsin who came to surprise us, and we were also happy to meet some very local folks, including many immediate neighbors, for the first time.”

To hear the interview with Dave Harmon and Rob Vander Giessen-Reitsma – recorded by Bruce Snook – click here (2:46 – 2.53 MB).

For further information about the Huss School project, use the following links:

•    *culture is not optional
•    Imaging Space project
•    Triple Ripple Community Gardens (also on Facebook)