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A group of volunteers has started a GoFundMe account with a passion for improving the Kenbridge community and its recreation center.

According to Kenbridge Vice-Mayor Wanda Morrison, the recreation center located at 533 E. 5th Avenue needs to be refurbished. The committee is hoping to raise $20,000 through the GoFundMe account.

As of Tuesday, Nov. 17, the committee had raised $870.

“We are looking for enough money to have a full-scale renovation,” Morrison said.  “We want to have a place for seniors, kids, and everyone in between to have a place they can use for events and activities.”

Morrison said items such as painting, heating and air system upgrades, refurbish/cleaning of floors, replacing windows updating lighting, bathrooms, and general work to put in shelving for storage needs to be done.

“The gym is an old building built in the 1950s,” Morrison said. “There has not been enough utilization of financial income to pay for the upkeep of the building over the years.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kenbridge Recreation center has been closed for most activities. Still, the center is commonly used for cheerleading, football and volleyball practices, basketball tournaments, dance classes, health drives, yard sales, financial management workshops, and several senior walk classes.

Having a place where community members can join together for events and activities is not the only reason the group is hoping to refurbish the center.

There is history.

“The Kenbridge Recreation Center, also known as Kenbridge Gym, is a part of the history of Kenbridge,” Morrison said. “This is the only stand-alone gym in the area that is not part of a school. It is a community-based place for all people in the community.”

Donation can be made via the Kenbridge Recreation Center’s GoFundMe page at

https://gf.me/u/y7mzfg.