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Verona opens renovated Community Building at 130 North Franklin Street
Summary
Verona held a ribbon-cutting to reopen the renovated Community Building at 130 North Franklin Street. City Administrator Jamie Ollick said the common council allocated about $70,000 for roughly four months of renovations, and Recreation Director Casey Dudley outlined new programs and an after-school offering started in January.
The city of Verona on Friday reopened the renovated Verona Community Building at 130 North Franklin Street with a ribbon-cutting attended by city officials and staff. Jamie Ollick, the city administrator for Verona, said the common council "ultimately made the decision to allocate around $70,000 towards renovations," and that much of the work was completed by city employees over a roughly four-month project.
"This building is meant to be a true hub for Verona," Ollick said, describing the space as designed for seniors, families, youth and local groups and noting the city repurposed fixtures and furniture from the former library to stretch the renovation budget.
Mayor Luke Piazza said community gathering spaces help knit neighborhoods together. "If we have spaces where people can get together and gather and meet their neighbors, we'll keep our sense of community," Piazza said.
Casey Dudley, the recreation director, outlined program plans tied to the new space, saying the department will expand adult exercise classes and youth enrichment offerings and that a new after-school program that began in January is off to a promising start. "We don't have huge numbers, but we did start," Dudley said, and added that many of the after-school programs already have waiting lists.
Ollick and Dudley emphasized the role of city staff in the renovations: public works, parks and recreation personnel handled repairs, added ADA-compliant fobs and built interior walls, and a facilities manager named Simon crafted a custom desk from repurposed oak. The event also acknowledged community donations of games, electronics and craft supplies collected via social media, and Tom's Coffee provided complimentary beverages for attendees.
The transcript notes the common council approved funding "around $70,000" for the project; the record in the ceremony did not specify who made or seconded that motion, the vote tally or the exact funding sources. Attendees were invited to tour the facility after the ribbon cutting, and the rooms will be available for rent when not used for city programs.
The ceremony concluded with a group photo and a ceremonial countdown to the ribbon cutting. The center is now open for public use and scheduled programming.
