Community Center Groundbreaking 'An Exhilarating Moment'

BRIGHTON (CBS) – It's a testament to the commitment of a community.

Six years after the Presentation School in Brighton was shut down by the Archdiocese of Boston, there will be a ground breaking Thursday afternoon for a hard fought community center at the same location.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports

Since 2005, parents and community members have fought to retain the building in Oak Square.

They eventually bought it from the church for $1 million and they're spending $3.8 million to renovate it and have it ready to open in September.

"This has been a grassroots effort for six years, so for us, it's an exhilarating moment because we've overcome so many obstacles in getting to this day," Presentation School Foundation board member Kevin Carragee told WBZ NewsRadio 1030.

"We've raised almost $3 million through foundation grants, including a lead gift by the New Balance Foundation. We've received support from the city of Boston, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts."

"But, I'd also underscore that the local community has contributed more than $300,000 to this effort. This is a working class, middle class neighborhood. Just this summer, $40,000 was raised from the local community in the severe recession, so I think it speaks to the commitment of the neighbors and our friends to this cause."

WBZ-TV's Sera Congi reports

"You have to give the community a lot of credit. There have been a lot of ups and downs, but they stayed with it. They raised the money and today we're going to have the groundbreaking," Mayor Tom Menino told WBZ.

"(Everyone) will have opportunities to nurture their talents and be a better part of the community."

Carragee said it will be a multi-service community center for children and families.

Watch footage of the groundbreaking:

"It will include an affordable day care and pre-school, community health programs, adult education programs including ESOL for our rapidly expanding immigrant population and also after-school programs for children."

It will also be "green" and energy efficient.

"It will serve as a community anchor for future generations of children and families in Allston and Brighton," Carragee said.