Ribbon Cutting Held For Newly Renovated Joe L. Evins Community Center

“A whole lot of work for not a lot of money.”

The words from Overton County Executive Ben Danner after a Thursday morning ribbon cutting celebrating the newly renovated Joe L. Evins Community Center.

“I’m glad that the community has this building to use because when Congressman Joe L. Evins got us this building in 1969 that’s what it was meant to do,” Danner said. “The county has kind of let the ball drop on that, but now I hope we will keep it going for the community to use.”

The county used about $200,000 in grant money to install a new roof, flooring, air conditioning, lighting and bathroom stalls.

The new renovations have also allowed the county election office to locate in the community center. That office previously housed in the county courthouse.

“You had to walk past six elected offices to go vote and I didn’t think that was the way it oughta be,” Danner said. “When you go vote it shouldn’t be where you have to go past an elected office to go vote.”

The 4H office, Tennessee Highway Patrol and Women at the Well food ministry have also located inside the newly renovated building.

Danner said he’s hoping to obtain an $80,000 grant, which will be used to install a new roof and hardwood flooring for the gym, along with LED lighting and a new sound system. That work expected to start sometime this summer.