Dozens of city officials, neighborhood volunteers, and Hill residents gathered on Tuesday afternoon at 160 Carlisle Street for the ribbon‑cutting ceremony of the newly restored Trowbridge Recreation Center. The event marked the transformation of the former Barbell Club into an intergenerational drop‑in hub for seniors, teens and families.
Mayor and Alders Lead Celebration
Mayor Justin Elicker opened the ceremony, recalling the building’s long history as a school and later as the home of Hill Cooperative Youth Services, known locally as the Barbell Club. “For decades and decades and decades this building was open to the community,” Elicker said, noting that the structure, first opened in 1925, had been shuttered in 2008 and fell into serious disrepair. “To say this was a fixer‑upper is an understatement. It was a mess,” he added, before praising the effort that brought the center back to life.
Joining the mayor on the podium were Hill Alderman Carmen Rodriguez, City Engineer Giovanni Zinn, Youth and Recreation Department Director Gwendolyn Busch Williams, Elderly Services Department Director Tomi Veale, Elm City Communities President Shenae Draughn, and Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker‑Myers.
Funding and Scope of the Project
The renovation was announced in 2022 as part of a broader city initiative to revitalize eight vacant or underused publicly owned buildings. The total cost of the Trowbridge project was $3.8 million, with $1.5 million contributed by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development and $2.3 million funded by the city.
The 7,900‑square‑foot facility now includes a half‑court gym, a multipurpose room, dedicated spaces for art, music and movement classes, a food pantry, offices and restrooms. City Engineer Zinn provided a brief tour of the interior, highlighting the modernized classrooms and community spaces.
Programming for All Ages
According to Williams, the Youth and Recreation Department will run programs after 4 p.m. on weekdays, while the Elderly Services Department will operate until that time. The senior center, which held a soft opening in August, already offers weekly Tai Chi classes on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. and line‑dancing on Thursdays, with plans to add yoga and arts‑and‑crafts sessions.
Williams emphasized the center’s role as a safe, welcoming space for teens. “We want a place where young people are here and they are heard,” she said, noting that the drop‑in center provides a venue for teenagers to hang out, talk to trusted adults, and simply be themselves.
Community Leaders Praise the Effort
Alderman Rodriguez thanked her predecessor, former Ward 6 Alderman Dolores Colon, and the late community advocate Helen Martin for championing the project over many years. “Two amazing women will be taking care of the seniors and the youth,” Rodriguez said, referring to Veale and Williams, and added, “No one will be turned away.”
Walker‑Myers, who spent much of her youth at the Barbell Club, urged neighbors to keep advocating for their neighborhoods. “Keep fighting for your communities,” she said. “This is the fruit of everybody’s labor.”
Looking Ahead
The Trowbridge Recreation Center will be open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., providing a valuable resource for Hill residents and reinforcing the city’s commitment to revitalizing historic assets for the benefit of families, seniors, and youth alike.
Original reporting: New Haven Independent — read the source article.
