NORTON — The gazebo at the town common, which collapsed during a powerful wind and rainstorm on Dec. 23, will be rebuilt.
Town Manager Michael Yunits said Friday the gazebo will be reconstructed sometime in the spring.
“We will definitely rebuild it,” Yunits said.
The gazebo has for years been the focal point of the town common at routes 123 and 140.
Last year, a Taunton couple renewed their wedding vows there after 35 years of marriage and Santa Claus has been known to visit it for photos with children.
The gazebo collapsed during the powerful storm that swept through the region the day before Christmas Eve. The storm brought winds of more than 50 mph that felled trees and power lines and knocked out electricity to almost 3,000 Attleboro area homes at one point.
Yunits said he has contacted the town’s insurance company and an adjuster is expected to do an assessment in the coming week to see what funds the town may receive from the damage.
He said he could not give an estimate on the cost.
The gazebo was built about 25 years ago through a community effort.
Yunits said some local contractors have already expressed an interest in donating their time to help reconstruct it. The structure will also require some electrical repair.
In a show of community effort, volunteers responded almost immediately to clear up the debris from the collapsed structure, Yunits said.
Former select board member Robert Kimball, who also served on the committee formed to revitalize the common, said in an email that there were funds left over in the committee’s account that could be used to rebuild the gazebo.
He said people have told him they would donate money, labor and material for the job, and he would also volunteer.
Kimball said the only work on the common the revitalization committee did not complete was the gazebo.
“We had discussed new electrical work and putting in a ceiling but never got to it. I guess Mother Nature wanted us to rebuild the gazebo better than it was before,” he said.
David Linton may be reached at 508-236-0338.