The City of Knoxville held a wall-breaking ceremony Wednesday to kick off the renovation and expansion of the Lonsdale Recreation Center, located at 2700 Stonewall Street, Knoxville. Mayor Madeline Rogero ceremonially broke the wall with a sledgehammer.

"Expanding and enhancing this recreation center will give the Lonsdale community a wonderful space to meet, gather and exercise," Mayor Rogero said. "This effort demonstrates our commitment to a stronger Lonsdale."

With an initiative to update, renovate, and expand community centers built in the late 1950s to early '60s, Knoxville Parks and Recreation chose Lonsdale as the first of seven centers to receive an upgrade.

"We're excited about the opportunity to enlarge and improve this recreation center to better serve its users," said Joe Walsh, Director of Knoxville Parks and Recreation. "This will be a great addition for the Lonsdale community."

The $522,000 project will expand the center nearly 2,500-square-feet, with most of the space going toward a multi-purpose room that will host events such as exercise classes, community meetings, and birthday parties. Other upgrades include new ADA accessible restrooms, a new office, an expanded computer lab, as well as upgraded windows, HVAC system, and flooring.

The Knoxville Community Development Corporation contributed $150,000 toward the project, with the City covering the remainder of the renovation costs.

The Lonsdale community had a new neighborhood association in attendance today since its former three associations, Lonsdale United for Change, Lonsdale Grassroots, and Heart of Lonsdale, combined to form one entity under the name of Lonsdale United for Change.

"It's encouraging to see these three groups come together for the same mission," Mayor Rogero said. "I know Lonsdale will benefit from this collaboration, and we will continue to work with them to keep the positive momentum."

Lonsdale Recreation Center is situated on the same block as Lonsdale Elementary and the four-acre Lonsdale Park. In 2007, the City made a major renovation to the entire park. At that time, a section of Bragg Street was removed in order to join the school and park properties so that students could walk safely on the greenway to the recreation center.

The City has contracted Thomas Caldwell, Architect, to oversee the current renovation project and K&F Construction to serve as the contractor. The center is slated to reopen in summer 2012.