Construction of the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary’s Educational Facility Reaches Poiganant Milestone Before 12th Anniversary of Sandy Hook Shooting
This fall, the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary broke ground on its first educational facility called Catherine’s Learning Barn – a poignant nod to the sanctuary’s namesake and Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim, Catherine Violet Hubbard.
On December 10 (rain date December 12) from 9:30-noon, only days before the 12-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy, the sanctuary will host a barn raising where Country Carpenters will work with Verdi Construction to assemble and frame the 3,400 square foot pre-cut post & beam facility in one day – construction teams forming the lower framing sections (bents) of the barn while supporters drive wooden pegs in to secure the joinery. Walls will then be hoisted by crane, transforming a simple cement slab into a framed building within hours.
Tucked beside the sanctuary’s historic 1920’s bank barn, with a sweeping vista of the sanctuary’s paddocks and community gardens, Catherine’s Learning Barn will serve as an educational destination. Students will gather in the multi-functional room to learn about the animals, insects and habitats that make up the sanctuary’s expansive 34 acres. The educational facility will serve as a home base in the event of inclement weather or a spot to check in on findings and discoveries.
The space will also welcome the community to participate in a robust calendar of interactive workshops focused on animal care and protection, spotlighting affiliated rescue organizations and their adoptable animals. Opportunities to join guided hikes or learn new skills from duration-based programs such as backyard beekeeping, will ensure there are offerings to peak a variety of curiosities and ensure humans learn how to help all animals live free from harm in homes and native habitats. Catherine’s Learning Barn will be completed spring of 2025.
“We’re thrilled to help bring Catherine’s Learning Barn to life,” said Peter Paulos, the principal architect on the project. “I’m honored to be a part of such an incredible project and share a space which supports the sanctuary’s mission for both humans and animals. It’s the most meaningful project I have ever worked on.”
In addition, Catherine’s Learning Barn will feature a commercial kitchen to cater private, on-site events and host farm-to-table cooking classes.
“HAFSCO is proud to contribute to this project’s commercial kitchen affording the CVHAS team to offer farm-to-table offerings for programs and events. Each member of our family-owned business felt Catherine’s Learning Barn kitchen was the perfect way to support the incredible work provided by CVHAS to countless recipients,” said Tom Capobianco, HAFSCO Chief Executive Officer.
The educational facility is the first step towards the main building, allowing an expansion of programming and services while preparing for the bigger construction project that will be a certified Living Building including a veterinary in-take center, library and welcome center.
“Despite lacking a permanent structure, we’ve educated thousands and helped hundreds of animals find homes, all under tents and borrowed spaces,” said Jenny Hubbard, Catherine’s mother and President of the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary. “While proud of our achievements, we’re committed to expanding our impact.”
“The poignancy of this barn raising lies in its symbolism of community coming together to create a lasting structure that will serve as a beacon of hope and education,” said Hubbard. “Just as traditional barn raisings brought neighbors together in a spirit of cooperation and shared purpose, the construction of Catherine’s Learning Barn represents a collective effort to honor Catherine’s memory and further the sanctuary’s mission. This communal act of building not only provides a physical space but also embodies the resilience and unity of a community healing through compassion and care for animals and each other.”
As stewards of the environment, the sanctuary has taken great measures to ensure the construction does not disrupt or negatively impact the sanctuary property or the environment. In fact, the site of the new educational facility was once home to a very old and dilapidated farmhouse that was both an eye sore and safety hazard. Catherine’s Learning Barn not only repurposes the space but beautifies it with new life and radiance.
The project has been supported in part by Connecticut businesses and supporters including Country Carpenters, PH Architects, Verdi Construction, HAFSCO, and e2 Engineers.
“When the team from Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary (CVHAS) reached out to us with a request to partner with them on their project we were thrilled and honored by the opportunity to work with such an admirable mission,” said Roger Barrett Jr., President and Owner of Country Carpenters, Inc. “We showed them a few of our different models and they found one that worked best for them and is a perfect fit for the property. With the team of businesses that CVHAS has brought together to complete this project, from the architects and engineers at PH Architects and E2 Engineers to the construction company and kitchen builders at Verdi Construction and HAFSCO, we can’t wait to see the final product once construction is complete.”
The public is welcome to follow the construction’s evolution every Friday on the sanctuary’s social media channels or website. Specific questions or interests in supporting the build can be directed to info@cvhfoundation.org. For more information on the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, please visit cvhfoundation.org.