ADAMS, Mass. — It started with changing out the old box lights in the community room at Columbia Valley.

 

It ended with fully refurbished room along with a refreshed kitchen and ladies room. 

 

Residents of the senior living facility gathered in the new community room on Wednesday to rededicate it to James McAndrew and welcome Housing Secretary Edward Augustus.

 

"This room hadn't been touched since the 1980s," said Adams Housing Authority Executive Director William Schrade, describing it as a place to gather that "wasn't friendly, wasn't smiling." 

 

So first came the box lights, and then in consultation with maintenance chief Matthew Puricelli. Then it was replacing the old leaky windows, and why not take off the old wallpaper and paint, and if you're doing that, might as well pull up the old carpet and put down a new one. 

 

"We thought we were done. I said kitchen really needed to be done because they has a 1970s look," said Schrade. "[Puricelli] took charge of that, too, and got creative and with the tools that were given to him.

 

"He knocked it out and then made the worst mistake and said, 'I've done all this I might as well finish and do the women's bathroom.' I said I think that's a great idea. [Secretary Augustus] is coming in three weeks, so you're gonna have to jump on this."