Fayetteville City Council members and City of Fayetteville leadership hosted a Topping Out Ceremony at the site of future Senior Center East earlier today, April 13.

This event served to celebrate the final structural support beam being put into place completing the building’s frame. Attendees were invited to sign this final beam to leave their permanent mark on the infrastructure of this facility. 

“Our partnership with the City of Fayetteville has spanned a few years now, and I can tell you as somebody who budgets projects for you folks, works on the estimating for the project for you folks and works through the changes for you, that there are few municipalities we work for that the staff puts so much heart and soul into really caring about what exists or what’s going to be in this building behind us. It means a lot to us to work with folks like that” remarked John Cooper from Cooper Tacia General Contractors during the event.

City of Fayetteville Mayor Pro Tem Johnny Dawkins attended the event on behalf of Mayor Mitch Colvin and read the remarks the mayor had intended to deliver. “In this moment, I cannot help but look at this site. And think about what lies ahead for this facility and the seniors in this community. It excites me, it makes me proud to see our city moving forward each day,” read Dawkins. 

The $9.2 million facility will feature a warm water pool, fitness and exercise room, two racquetball courts, a multi-purpose room, library, indoor and outdoor lounge areas, locker rooms,

billiards room, card room and a kitchen. Mayor Colvin’s message reminded community members of the value this facility will provide: “...it’s more than just dollars. It represents a major investment in our present and our future seniors here in Fayetteville.”

Senior Center East is funded by the voter approved 2016 Parks and Recreation Bond Referendum. Designs were finalized in 2021 and the groundbreaking ceremony was in July 2022. This planned construction is a part of the final phase of projects detailed from the Parks and Recreation Bonds.