Community spares are housed in old churches (Bristol, Danbury), old school buildings (Bradford, Franklin), an old fire station (Plymouth), a purposely built structure (Wilmot), a former town hall (Winhall, Vermont), and more.

They provide space for after school youth activities, internet access, preschool classes, senior centers, game rooms, art studios, study halls, food banks, film showings, community get togethers, and more.

They are run by both paid staff and volunteers, with funds coming from individual contributions and fees, foundation grants, and governmental agencies. Most serve a single town, but one (Bristol) serves nine. They range in age from a single year (Winhall, Vermont) to more than 70 (Bristol).

Since Andover’s Old Town Hall acquired new ownership late last year, the buyers, using the name Andover Community Space, have been visiting other nearby, and one not-so-nearby, community spaces to find out what’s going on and how they’re managed.

Here are a few photos, taken during guided tours when the facilities were not in use. If you’d like to help make similar opportunities available to the Andover community, send an e-mail to: AndoverCommunitySpace@nullgmail.com.