Ribbon Cutting Marks Opening Of Catherine’s Learning Barn In Newtown

NEWTOWN, CT — The Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary will cut the ribbon Sept. 10 on Catherine’s Learning Barn, a new 3,400-square-foot educational center built with help from local volunteers and businesses.

The barn, located at 8 Commerce Road, is the sanctuary’s first completed building and will host school field trips, community workshops, retreats and family programs. A commercial kitchen will also allow the space to serve catered events.

Construction began in October 2024 and included a traditional barn raising in December, when neighbors, volunteers and local businesses came together to frame the structure.

The barn features timber framing, polished concrete floors and natural lighting. Inside, photographs of Catherine — a Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim remembered for her kindness to animals — line the walls.

“Catherine’s Learning Barn, shaped by hope and hard work, now stands ready to welcome learners of all ages into a space built for wonder, compassion, and connection- where Catherine’s photographs remind us daily of the love and light that inspired it all, and where her legacy will continue to spark kindness in generations to come, through every child who learns here and every community member who gathers in this magnificent space," said Jenny Hubbard, Catherine’s mother and president of the sanctuary.

The sanctuary plans additional projects on its 34-acre property, including a veterinary intake center, library and welcome center. For now, the new barn will serve as a hub for Newtown and area residents seeking low- or no-cost educational programs on animal welfare and environmental stewardship.

The Sept. 10 event will begin at 11 a.m. and include remarks from sanctuary leaders and local officials, followed by tours of the building. The public is invited to attend.