Village obtains $51,000 grant to help save Eastwood Barn

by John Benson

Recreation Director Ruth Jocek recently announced that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources awarded Richfield Village a $51,168 NatureWorks Grant to help repair the clay tile-sided Eastwood Barn.

The clay tiles are in good shape, but an engineering assessment a few years ago identified numerous other issues, including a sagging center support beam.

The Eastwood Barn, as seen from W. Streetsboro Road, will eventually look a lot better, thanks in part to a $51,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Photo by C. Wells

“The barn is part of the 28-acre Eastwood Preserve, where we have an almost century-home in the Eastwood house,” Jocek said. “The barn’s roof needs major repairs and the tresses or support beams need to be fixed. All of the doors will need to be adjusted or replaced, and the windows need to be fixed.”

Initially Jocek said the plan was to put a metal roof on the Eastwood Barn, but because it’s nearly 100 years old the decision was made to go with shingles to keep it historically accurate.

“The whole barn is built with clay tile,” Jocek said. “That’s pretty unique. We have another similar barn that must have been constructed at the same time located on the Pedigo property, which is part of our trail system.

“That barn is in disrepair, but we’re hoping if we need to use any of those forms for the Eastwood Barn we can take them from there.”

The Eastwood Barn served Harry Eastwood’s dairy farm and dates to 1934.

Renovations to the Eastwood Barn will be roughly $70,000. Jocek said she has raised nearly $22,000 in donations for the project.

Since taking over Eastwood Preserve in 2006, the village has continued to make improvements to the historical space, including the addition of a community garden, a system of trails throughout the wooded area and a designation as a Monarch way station.

The idea is for the Eastwood Barn’s exterior to be aesthetically pleasing and historically accurate and the interior to be functional.

“We’ll be able to put our tractors, trailers and vehicles in it,” Jocek said. “And we can store our gardening equipment because it’s on the community garden property, with its completed phase III allowing approximately 30 gardeners. I’m hoping construction is complete by the spring.”

 

Featured image photo caption: Richfield Village Recreation Director Ruth Jocek stands in front of the east side of Eastwood Barn, which needs major repairs to the roof, support beams, windows and doors. Photo by C. Wells