Brides bounced by lodge fire
Rebuilding lags at wedding spot
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The wind blows tulle from a trash container outside of the Wallingford Lodge. The lodge was the scene of a fire that destroyed the kitchen of the popular wedding location. Vyto Starinskas / Rutland Herald |
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Published: May 9, 2009
WALLINGFORD — Brides and grooms planning a wedding or reception at Wallingford Lodge near Elfin Lake over the next couple of months will have to look for other venues.
Plans to rebuild a section of the structure following a March 10 fire have been stalled as local officials and insurance representatives haggle over details of the project.
The lodge, built in 1920 and owned by Fire District 1, sustained extensive smoke and soot damage from the fire, and the kitchen was destroyed.
The Prudential Committee, which governs the fire district, recently met with claims specialists from Vermont League of Cities and Towns.
Also in attendance were representatives from the Brandon-based McKernon Group, the project's contractor, and the fire district's insurance adjustors from Worldclaim located in New York.
At the outset of the informal gathering, VLCT senior claims specialist Terri McAdams announced she was waiting for estimates and plans to be submitted before any monetary decisions could be made.
"We don't have detailed information on the cost of reconstruction," McAdams said.
One of the biggest sticking points appeared to be what, if any, sprinkler system was required to meet state building safety codes.
Prudential Committee Chairman Scott Sendra said the state fire inspector indicated the project would not be approved without a sprinkler system.
"We have to make sure it's up to code for the same use we had before," Worldclaim representative Christopher Kieper said.
However, VLCT representatives declined to make any decisions without further review.
"Obviously, we're not going to have an answer for you tonight," VLCT manager of property and casualty claims Kelly Kindestin said.
"McKernon has spent over $20,000 of their own money for demo and design and you haven't released a dime," Sendra told VLCT officials. "We need to get going on this. We have people screaming at us that their wedding is in six weeks."
Frederick and Annelyse Allen said they rented the lodge for their daughter's wedding in June with invitations already sent to 250 guests. "We don't know what's going to happen and we have nowhere else to go," Annelyse Allen said.
Kindestin responded she was unsure to what extent the family would be reimbursed should they be forced to rent another venue at a substantially higher rate. "That's an interesting question, because it's their extra expense not the district's," she said.
Sendra indicated he would inform anyone planning to rent the lodge from May through mid-July to arrange to hold events at other locations.
Wallingford firefighter and Prudential Committee member Dennis Stocker reminded the group the fire department had lost a thermal imaging camera, radios and other equipment while fighting the March fire.
"We really need that camera in case an emergency sprouts up," Stocker said.
The group is expected to reconvene at the Wallingford Fire Station on May 11.
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