Facing only limited opposition, the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association won voter endorsement at Wednesday night’s special town meeting for community preservation funds to renovate the historic Captain Nathan Harding House in West Chatham, the group’s future headquarters.
The $185,136 request, approved on a voice vote of the 450 people attending the session, will cover the cost of renovating the exterior sides of the 105-year-old house which are visible from Main Street. The Hook Fishermen’s Association signed a purchase and sales agreement for the property Tuesday with owners Gail and David Oppenheim, and expect to move in early next summer.
“This represents a public-private partnership that serves the entire community,” said Susan Nickerson, executive director of the CCCHFA. The new headquarters at 1566 Main St. will help revitalize West Chatham and give the association more visibility in its efforts to protect and preserve commercial fishing, she said.