Inside and out, Kirkwood getting makeover

Details: Lance Martin; News; 31 October 2023; 5068

On Friday employees from Lowe’s Home Improvement and the company’s distribution center contributed $7,500 and 216 hours of work as they joined with the city for outside improvements to the Kirkwood Adams Community Center.

The outside work goes alongside recent inside improvements to a building that since its opening in 1975 has been the site of countless social gatherings in the city.

Roanoke Rapids Parks and Recreation Maintenance Superintendent Ryan Newsome said there were around 30 people working — a group made up of around 20 from Lowe’s and 10 from the city.

Lowe’s donated all the material and provided much of the labor to redo the foundation landscaping around the center. “It had been a long time since there was any outside upgrade to this building so we put together a big list of a lot of things that needed to be done.”

That work included pressure washing, limb work on trees and planting trees. “When it opened up the area it made the building stand out on its own so we wanted to plant some landscaping close to the foundation to dress up the building,” Newsome said.

Newsome said the city appreciated all the help it received from Lowe’s. “It was something we were able to do in a half a day where it would have taken us a week to do.”

Parks and recreation Director John Simeon said Kirkwood was built in 1975. “The landscaping, the grounds, and interior needed renovating.”

Gallery photos include some taken by the parks and rec department, including some showing the bathrooms prior to the renovations

View the embedded image gallery online at:
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Last year the city, through the state budget and the work of Representative Michael Wray, received funding for a major portion of the building improvements which in total came to around $300,000. “It was much needed to upgrade the building and the grounds.”

Work was first done on the building, Simeon said, and then the city moved to the outside.

He said the growth of the trees and shrubs had blocked the view of the building. “The architecture of this building is phenomenal. It was hiding the architectural aesthetics. The community support from Lowe’s today was phenomenal. For Lowe’s to take the initiative to support their community and especially Kirkwood Adams that the community uses for a multitude of engagements here shows their dedication to being a great partner with the city.”

Inside improvements

Detailing the inside work, Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Kelly Daughtry said on the bathrooms the city spent about $100,000 between the men’s and women’s facilities, including installing more modern tiles, new backsplashes behind new seamless sinks. There are new mirrors and lights in the restrooms under the guidance of a committee that included Daughtry, City Councilwoman Sandra Bryant, Halifax Tourism President and CEO Lori Medlin, and City Clerk Traci Storey. “We painted. We put new toilets and new partitions in and put new artwork in each of the restrooms.”

Before the inside renovations, the bathrooms remained a snapshot as they were in 1975. “They were very dated. The sinks in the men’s bathrooms were individual with all the plumbing exposed,” she said. “They did do some upgrades in 2003 but that would have been the only time that there have been major renovations in here.”

The comments since the bathroom renovations have been positive, she said. “People have told me the bathrooms look so much better, they look cleaner and they’re brighter. We’ve got new LED bulbs that are brighter than they used to be. We replaced all the old yellowed fixtures.”

But before the bathroom renovations and new carpeting, the city spent $125,000 putting a new roof on, Daughtry said. “It was important to do that first before you put new things inside because the roof was leaking.”

A new fire alarm was installed. “These are things that people don’t see but the city had to invest in the facility.”

The stage was also painted.

Still work to do

There is still work that needs to be done to the grounds, Simeon said — work that includes pressure washing all of the concrete and stone areas. “We have 100 hours in already and we probably have another 50 hours to go just in the pressure washing. There are still some trees that are dying and need to be taken out and a little bit of touch up here and there.”

The overall plan, he said, is to include some art pieces in the plaza area and around the corners of the exterior.

Daughtry said the department is also working with Main Street to do some things. “The city as a whole has come together to try to do this — the fire department, the police department, people from administration. Everybody’s tried to take a part to help — not just parks and rec. Public works came out and helped us as well.”

Daughtry said the city also received a donation from WestRock to put toward whatever the department needed to put in the project.

One HVAC unit has been replaced and another is pending, Newsome said.

Heavily used facility

Simeon said the goal was to get the facility ready for the Christmas season, one of the busiest times for the center.

But even now, Daughtry said, every Saturday from now until around February is rented.

In fact, Simeon said, the last figures the city looked at show about 50,000 people use the facility annually who are part of some 150 yearly events.

In December alone, the center is used about 20 out of 30 days, Daughtry said. “Every Saturday is typically rented. Probably 75 percent of the Friday nights and maybe 20 to 30 percent of the Sundays (are rented). Sporadically we have things during the week. We have other events but Friday nights are typically rented a lot. The city has really tried to put forth some effort to improve the facility on the inside and now we’re trying to work some on the outside.”

Daughtry said the total work has helped restore the building to a state that is arguably better than in 1975. “The purpose of the building in 1975 — they had a good concept. There were not many areas for people to rent and have parties and receptions. Over time the building was very dated. We’re just trying to do some things to improve it so that people will continue to have a nice place to come and rent in the community — family reunions, class reunions.”

Simeon said, “I’m extremely pleased with the effort starting with the parks and recreation department and the entire city. This has been an entire team project with all departments taking part in some form or fashion with the landscaping and plaza work. I applaud the efforts of Representative Wray for his ability to secure funding for some of these projects and to WestRock and especially Lowe’s who have assisted us in this project.”

TAGS: halifaxcountynews, roanokerapidsnews, roanokerapidsparksandrecreationdepartment, kirkwoodadamscommunitycenter, loweshomeimprovement, lowesdistribution

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