The New Deal-built Barre municipal auditorium has served as a safe shelter, for those displaced and impacted by the severe storms in Vermont. The Barre Auditorium was constructed in 1938-9 as a federal Public Works Administration project.
On July 10, 2023, in response to severe storms and significant flooding impacting Vermont, the American Red Cross established a regional disaster shelter at the Barre Municipal Auditorium. The shelter’s primary purpose is to provide a safe haven for residents who have been displaced by the ongoing natural calamities.
The state of Vermont has been grappling with extensive rainfall, leading to saturated ground and swollen rivers and lakes, resulting in life-threatening flooding in various areas. Roads have suffered damage and have been closed, thereby isolating multiple communities in the affected regions. Vermont Governor Phil Scott has declared a state of emergency to mobilize resources and coordinate a response to the disaster. The disaster shelter in Barre is under the management of the American Red Cross.
