Manatee County Government
Myakka, Manatee leaders attend groundbreaking on Myakka Community Center
MANATEE COUNTY, FL (Sept. 10, 2010) – A group of 40 Myakka City residents, business professionals and community leaders braved soggy conditions yesterday to witness the groundbreaking for the long-awaited Myakka Community Center.
A group of community center representatives, project architects and engineers and Manatee County Government representatives kicked off the project at 6:30 p.m., plunging shovels into the muddy ground at 10092 Wauchula Road, Myakka. Zirkelbach Construction and Manatee County Government hosted the event.
Community Center executive director Pepper Sellars and former executive director Ginki Miller were among the gathering, calling the groundbreaking a proud day for Myakka.
“I can’t believe it,” Miller said. “I’m absolutely thrilled this day has arrived. Thank you so much.”
Manatee Board of County Commissioners last year approved $550,000 to design and build the center which will be used as a community gathering place for a children’s summer camp, senior citizen events and more. Manatee County Commissioners Donna Hayes and Carol Whitmore were also at the event.
“It’s going to be a wonderful center for this community,” said Chairman Hayes, whose District 5 includes Myakka City. “I’ve been working with people with this on since the 1990s, before I was a commissioner. Both (community center) directors have put their heart and soul into the completion of the project.”
“Thanks to Pepper, Ginki and all the others who stayed on the Commission to make sure this happened,” added Whitmore. “It was wonderful to hear so many people talking about the history of this site and about the future community center.”
The new community center will be built next door to the historic 1914 school house, which Manatee County and Myakka residents have been working to save and restore since the early 1990s.
To learn more about Manatee County Government, visit our recently improved website, www.mymanatee.org