Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp along with other county leaders today cut the ribbon for The Harrison Center, the county’s first senior and community center, and shared plans to revamp on-site youth recreation facilities. Announced in Mayor Wamp’s inaugural State of the County address last year, residents can now utilize this community asset, serving the youngest and oldest citizens.
“As we look to the future of Hamilton County, providing spaces and opportunities for our youth to interact with senior citizens and veterans is one of the goals of our parks department,” said Mayor Wamp.
“The restoration of the historic Harrison Elementary School, built with federal funds in the FDR era, signals our commitment to strengthening the sense of community in Harrison and honoring its unique history.”
The facility currently has an auditorium, rec center with an indoor batting cage, office space, meeting rooms, classrooms and space dedicated for the Forgotten Child Fund – a nonprofit run by local first responders who collect and distribute Christmas gifts to tens of thousands of children in need.
Hamilton County has applied for a $1.4 million grant from the State of Tennessee to further enhance the facility to support workforce development, healthy living and access to broadband and other technology. The plans include updating the kitchen and cafeteria to create a culinary lab, adding classroom space for after-school programming, creating an exercise and fitness room, installing a state-of-the-art computer lab and upgrading the auditorium with AV equipment.
Also announced Wednesday is the county’s intent to use the Harrison recreational facilities as a pilot for modernizing county-owned ballfields, using a combination of budgeted funds and hotel-motel tax revenue. These upgrades will serve as the precedent for what county officials hope youth recreational facilities throughout the county will look like in the coming years.
“This has been a collaborative effort on many levels, and I’m excited for the community to experience something we have worked so hard to bring to life,” said Director of Parks & Recreation Matt Folz. “Activating this facility and its grounds for both children and seniors speaks to the heart of our department’s desire to serve all citizens, ages eight to 80, of Hamilton County.”
The Harrison Center will be open Friday and Saturday, with plans to be fully accessible next month. If your organization would like to reserve space, reach out to RecCenter@HamiltonTN.gov.