Community center will be plus for parish

St. Charles Parish is getting ready to make headway in expanding its public facilities in the months ahead.

A major breakthrough in providing one of them will be the groundbreaking on a new community center on Dec. 16. The $10.5 million structure will be built at 274 Judge Edward Dufrene Parkway in Luling.

It will offer a variety of opportunities for the staging of events with up to 1,688 capacity indoor seating space which was never available in the parish before. This will accommodate public meetings, graduations, athletic events, concerts, job fairs and other activities in a comfortable setting which will be inviting to local residents.

Also included will be office space for three parish departments - - Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, Parks and Recreation Departments and Community Services. And there will be a commercial kitchen to accommodate events held in the building.

As an additional plus, it will withstand winds of 130 mph which puts it into the category of an available emergency shelter with its own power generator. Construction of such a building has been contemplated before but has never come to pass.

On Dec. 16, however, Gov. Bobby Jindal will help break the ground on a structure that should play a positive effect on our future.