Taking a tour of the work are: (l-r) Jeff Stevens, president of Board of Directors, Soule Homestead Education Center, Ted Pratt, president and CEO, Mayflower Bank and Frank V. Albani Jr., executive director, Soule Homestead Education Center

The facilities expansion project at Soule Homestead in Middleboro received $10,000 in financial support from Mayflower Bank recently. Mayflower has supported the Soule Homestead for many years, the bank said in a news release.

The project will provide multiple restrooms, including a handicapped accessible restroom, a handicapped accessible kitchen facility, and an additional handicapped accessible classroom/function space. The project includes demolishing and remodeling sections of the former dairy barn. A 20′x 80′ one-story classroom/function area will be rebuilt on the existing West Barn foundation and a 24′ x 30′ bathroom/kitchen area will be created in a space which is now a carport.

The new space will be heavily insulated, have three composting toilets and eventually solar hot water radiant heat and will be used as a demonstration and teaching tool for green technologies.

A multi-year project, the expansion has received support from individual donors and the business community along with a $107,000 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Facilities Fund.

Source: SouthCoastToday.com, July 23, 2010