ASHLAND – As part of the center’s weekend of 10th anniversary festivities, leaders of the Ashland Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center on Saturday unveiled new renderings of the center’s planned expansion.
The Kroc Center team announced in February it had been awarded a $7.2 million gift from The Salvation Army Eastern Territorial Headquarters in New York to construction approximately 20,000 square foot addition.
The addition will feature an indoor water park, a fitness facility, locker rooms, a community hub with expanded concessions, multipurpose rooms and lounge space, as well as additional parking.
The Kroc Center hopes to break ground for the expansion this September and to open the addition around September 2020.
New renderings released Saturday include a site plan, a floor plan and a rendering of the most anticipated new attraction, the water park.
Large, printed copies of the renderings were wrapped up like presents and then unveiled before the crowd at Saturday’s Back to the Future Birthday Bash. The family-oriented event included live entertainment, a gaming truck, inflatables, face painting and balloon animals as well as popcorn and cupcakes. JoAnn and Larry Shade, the first leaders of the Ashland Kroc Center, returned to participate in the celebration.
In addition to revealing the latest facility design plans, Capt. Annalise Francis and other Kroc Center leaders used Saturday’s ceremony as an opportunity to present awards to two individuals who have served the Kroc Center and the community for years.
Suzanne Hickman, northeast Ohio division leader for the Salvation Army, presented a Servant Leadership Award to Neil Ebert for his selfless, hard work for the benefit of others.
After retiring as Ashland High School band director, Ebert became the music program coordinator at the Kroc Center in 2009. He directs, participates in and arranges music for Kroc Center’s bands.
“Over the last 10 years under Neil’s leadership, these programs have blossomed into special opportunities and an important sense of community for the musicians involved, as well as having a vital outreach in the Ashland community and weekly visits to care homes and a variety of community and Kroc events,” Hickman said.
Evan Hickman, who leads the northeast Ohio division with his wife, presented The Others Award to Matt Miller for exemplifying an extraordinary spirit of service to others.
In addition to his current role as mayor of Ashland, Miller has served as a member of city council, a county commissioner and a member of numerous boards in the Ashland community. He also volunteers with various local organizations.
“Matt has played an indispensable role throughout the original envisioning, fund raising, building and establishing of the Kroc center in Ashland,” Evan Hickman said. “He also gave exemplary service in business and development as part of the Kroc Center staff.”
Miller also continues to serve the Kroc Center in a volunteer capacity, including his recent role in helping secure funding for the center’s expansion.
