Newton Street Community Center renovations nearing completion
SALISBURY, Md. – The doors should soon be open on a new community center in Salisbury, but from the outside that seems like a long shot. Construction on the Newton Street Community Center has been going on since last spring, but officials say they’re confident that the center will open in March.
“This is going to be a hub where people can come and get skills, materials, and information to be successful,” JerMichael Mitchell, Youth Development Specialist for the City of Salisbury, said.
All of that will be available at the Newton Street Community Center. But before the doors open, there’s still a lot of work left to be done. One challenge to that work is recreating the historic building’s natural beauty.
“You have to get back to the original material, and a lot of times that material isn’t made anymore, so you have to go through things being custom built and things like that,” Mitchell explained.
But city officials say that, while from the outside it looks nearly impossible, they’re confident the work will be completed in March. But this won’t be just a place to spend time, it will be a place where people can truly better themselves.
“A lot of times we feel if people don’t have to leave their community, they’ll be more reliable to go look for a job, to go look for a class, or to go try to help themselves out and get a skill,” Mitchell said.
The center will also get a lot of help from it’s next door neighbor.
“Mr. Martin’s garden is across the street, we’re going to have a commercial kitchen, where kids will learn how not only to grow food, but prepare that food,” Mitchell said.
Martin Hutchison, the founder of the Camden Community Garden, says the partnership between the center and the garden is budding.
“We’re also hoping that our art program, which we run three days a week during the summer, in conjunction with summer lunch can move inside,” Hutchison said.
But Hutchison is most excited that the old, abandoned building, will soon become a new home; a place where community members of all ages can be safe and welcome.
“‘I’m excited, I’m just thrilled that this dream is becoming a reality, and it will be soon available for the kids of this neighborhood to use,” Hutchison said.
