On the campus of the Kenan Center in Lockport, it’s out with the old and in with the new. The new Kenan Civic Center, for the moment, is sitting next the facility it will replace. The older building is slated for demolition.
In the meantime, officers for the privately run nonprofit organization say the Lockport community deserves to have nice things, which is what excites them about the updated Civic Center.
“We truly believe that this could be the blueprint of what a true community center can be because it offers so much,” said Lea Sokieraski, chief operating officer for the Kenan Center. “It's not just a sports center. It's not just an event center. It's everything.”
When BTPM News was invited to see the new building days before a scheduled grand opening celebration, the first thing one would notice upon entering the main lobby is the wider space inside, beginning with larger turf and sport court athletic surfaces on the ground level.
“We've got three basketball courts, four volleyball courts, six pickleball courts, turf, but also that can be turned into an event center on the weekends,” Soberiaski said. “But then all the spaces up front, we've got our full-day preschool, half-day Montessori, two community rooms for different people groups to use, an art studio, a computer lab with gaming consoles, a performing arts studio, and a true fitness center.”
As crews were continuing to work on remaining projects, Soberiaski and Kenan Center chief executive officer Bill Patti pointed to some of the details that might go unnoticed by some visitors. For example, Patti pointed to electrical outlets fixed on cables high above the basketball courts, cables which may be lowered to serve equipment on occasions such as shows. It's one example of how the center can be realigned to host specific events.
The sport court surface is large enough to set up a 40-foot by 40-foot stage and seat 3,000 people.
“We're hosting Lockport (High School’s) graduation next year. Multiple other schools have inquired about graduation. We'll have concerts. We'll have conferences,” Patti said.
The building may also be used to house large numbers of people in times of emergency, he added.
The $16.5 million project began last fall. The funds were raised mostly through private donations. The older civic center is due to come down at the end of September and be replaced by greenspace which was lost to build the new center.
Other older facilities on the grounds, however, still have a future. They include the art gallery and the 153-seat Taylor Theater.
“We tell our community that there's always something for everyone here at Kenan. It's not everything for one person,” Patti said.
Saturday’s grand opening ceremony runs from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. There will be a series of speakers to open festivities followed by the ribbon cutting, after which the public will get to enter and see the new facilities.
There will be live music, vendors, and family-friendly fun outdoors as well.
“It’s a true event that also showcases all the community partners that we love to work with. Just a momentous and awesome day for Lockport that truly opens the next 50 years here for the Kenan Center,” Sobieraski said.
