Beaufort County breaks ground on Wesley Felix Community Center, funded with ARPA dollars

Beaufort County officials and community leaders on St. Helena Island marked the start of construction for the Wesley Felix Community Center at a groundbreaking ceremony this week.

County Public Information Officer Hannah Nichols said the new building will provide flexible indoor space for senior programming, after'school activities, potential health clinics and community outreach. "This is gonna be a brand new building that's gonna feature some flexible space inside," Nichols said during the on'site county report.

The project is funded entirely through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars, Audra Antonacci Ogden, assistant county administrator, told the gathering: "It was, funded through American Rescue Plan Act, ARPA funds, 100%. This facility was paid for, by ARPA funds." County leaders said they view the center as an investment in local programming and a step toward expanding services in rural parts of the county.

Eric Brown, Beaufort County Parks and Recreation director, described the center as the first parks and recreation facility planned specifically for the St. Helena area and said it will house senior programs, aftercare and tutorial offerings. "We're excited about our seniors having their own home," Brown said, adding the county hopes the facility will increase use of the existing park complex.

Project managers and the architect described the facility and schedule. Arnie McClure of Coast Architects called the building "a little over 3,000 square feet, 3,200 square feet of interior space" with meeting rooms, a small medical clinic, a kitchen and a porch area suitable for concessions or events. Robert Getze, interim capital projects director, described the design as intentionally open and flexible and said site work has begun.

Officials laid out a two'phase timing expectation: county staff said planning and design work would take roughly six to nine months before major onsite construction begins, while the CIP office and contractor estimates place the construction window at about nine to 12 months. Getze said the team currently anticipates being able to occupy the building in the September'October timeframe, subject to the usual construction delays.

Getze publicly thanked the project team, naming Mitchell Construction, Carolina Engineering and Coast Architects as participants in the design and construction effort. The county staged a ceremonial shovel photo op at the conclusion of remarks.

Councilman York Glover framed the center as "phase 1" for St. Helena and appealed for continued community advocacy and additional capital projects, including a pedestrian pathway that he said would improve access and safety. Community advocate Carrie Major told the crowd she hopes the center will foster intergenerational programming connecting youth and seniors.

The county administrator, Michael Moore, said the Agnes Major Community Center in Sheldon is the next rural project scheduled for a groundbreaking and thanked staff and council for support in moving multiple parks projects forward.

Next steps: county staff will advance design and permitting; contractors will begin construction on the footprint. Officials directed interested residents to Beaufort County'run web resources for program and schedule updates.