Rubonia residents are getting their community center back.

This week, Manatee County Commissioners agreed to approve funding to renovate the building.

  • County commission approves funding to renovate Rubonia Community Center
  • Center was closed and taken over by county
  • Crews currently working on improvements for June re-opening

In 2014, the Rubonia Community Center, which is located near Palmetto and I-275, was closed and taken over by the county after officials determined it needed more than $100,000 in repairs.

“It took hard work, tenacity, and demonstrating this center was needed,” said Mary Brown, Chairperson of the Rubonia Community Association.

Brown is one of the major powerhouses behind making this happen. She and others have been fighting to get the building re-opened, saying it was very important to the area.

County crews are already working on the improvements to get it ready to re-open. The first round of renovations include three new air conditioners, a kitchen renovation, repaired exterior lights and grounds improvement.

Everything will be complete in June, paving the way for a summer program to begin there.

“This is going to be a children’s program for the children in Rubonia,” said Brown. “We hope to serve anywhere from 30 to 40 children. We will also focus on reading and math."

Brown said they don't want the program to emulate a school setting, though.

"We want it to be a summer program where the children will enjoy themselves," she said. "We will go on field trips and have arts and crafts along with physical activities.”

The Rubonia Community Association will begin the summer program on June 20. Their hope is give neighborhood children a place to hang out instead of sitting home or traveling miles away for other camps.

For now, the county will continue to run the Rubonia Community Center. The plan is to hand it back to Rubonia residents sometime next year.

Simone Peterson is a Neighborhood Specialist with Manatee County. She helped work on the project and hopes this story will inspire others.

“I see a lot of progress and hope,” she said. “I’m happy with the residents for being so tenacious. It’s a story to go out to other neighborhoods. To say, hey, if you really want something, you’ve got to keep doing it, no matter what other people are saying.”

A meeting will be held Monday, May 16, to discuss the summer program. It will take place at 6:30 p.m. on the steps of the Rubonia Community Center.