Groundbreaking Held for Bristol Senior-Community Center

L to R: Rodney Carr, Stephanie Gonzales, Wendy Buxton-Andrade, Tom Grasmick, Ron Cook, Dan Tefertiller, Linda Lonnberg and Alvin Deforest

The official groundbreaking for the Bristol Senior-Community Center in Bristol was held today, Monday, June 6^th at 101 South Labelle Avenue with various county officials and residents on hand.  Rodney Carr, Chairperson for the Town of Bristol Improvement Board, told the gathering the building is being made possible through various, generous donations from around the state as well as a national level which will be announced on the 29^th of the month.  An official ribbon-cutting will be held later this year with the completion of the 2,800 square foot ADA compliant facility.

Donated Land for Center

Carr said it was a long two years, raising the funds to back the project which includes plans for an outdoor garden as well as a digitized QR display which will provide information on the town’s history and for veterans.  “I’d like to thank the Prowers County Commissioners for their support and to Stephanie Gonzales from SECED for putting us under the Enterprise Zone designation which allows tax credits for donations to this project,” he explained, adding this will has been a fantastic journey which will benefit the Bristol Community.  Carr said there are plans the Bristol facility will be able to offer services similar to other Prowers County centers to bridge any gaps that might exist.

Carr offered thanks, too, to the Milton and Joyce Otto and the Aldene and Pat Barrow families for their donations including the land for the center, plus the donations from local residents that moved the project forward including Agency on Aging funding to assist underserved rural communities.  The construction will be done by Dan Tefertiller who said that the plumbing will be laid in by next week.

The center will feature two murals, one dedicated to veterans and the other will provide historical information about the Bristol community itself through a digital, QR display.  Foundation donors include:

By Russ Baldwin