Henry H. Brigham Community Center reopens Wednesday following renovations

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – An important community center in south Augusta is reopened.

A grand opening celebration of the Henry H. Brigham Community Center was held Wednesday afternoon on Golden Camp Road.

Many city leaders and community members turned out for the celebration of not only this new state-of-the-art facility, but for the many resources it will provide the community, today and beyond.

“And people all over know Henry Brigham Center, they may not know anything else, but they know Brigham Center,” former commissioner Bill Lockett said.

It’s a project that took city leaders, like commissioner Bobby Williams, great effort to make happen.

“I walked into the front office one day, and it looked like a cave, and I’m like this is not something that’s conducive to what is good for the neighborhood. So, we started with showing pictures at the commission meeting and talking with the commissioners – I take my hat off to them. Eventually, people saw that it was something that was really needed,” Commissioner Bobby Williams said.

The center will offer several programs for all ages, like mentoring programs, senior citizen activities, fitness classes, and community events.

“This is a big day for the city of Augusta, for recreation and parks. The community has been waiting for this a long time. This is the first new facility that we’ve built since Robert Howard Community Center about 20 years ago,” Deputy Director Augusta Alphonza Williams said.

The center features a gymnasium with a second-level indoor walking track, a fitness and dance room, a computer lab, space for e-sports and gaming, meeting rooms, a steam room, a sauna, and a kitchen.

“It’s gonna do lots for the community. It’s open now, it’s new, and we can come there and line dance like we used to do, and we can do everything,” Brenda Hughes said.

It’s something community leaders are hopeful will spike positivity in the community.

“One of the things I love about Augusta is that the people love their communities. They love our facilities. They come here and they congregate, and they have meetings here, they exercise here, they swim here, children come here and play sports here… that’s important,” Acting Director of Parks and Rec. Augusta Charles Jackson said.

People will be able to enjoy the activities and resources the center provides Monday through Saturday during select hours.

Henry H. Brigham Community Center hours: Monday-Thursday: 7AM-8PM. Friday: 7AM-6PM, Saturday: 12PM-4PM.

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