… which held a “soft opening” on Aug. 10, and will have a grand opening in September. The city has opened a renovated and revived community center in the Trowbridge Square section of the Hill — with “drop-in” resources for seniors now available, and youth programming coming soon. That’s the latest with the “Trowbridge Recreation Center” at 160 Carlisle St. The building was previously home to a community center known as the Barbell Club, which closed in 2008. The Elicker administration has been working on bringing that building back to life since 2022. According to city spokesperson Lenny Speiller, a “soft opening” for the Trowbridge Recreation Center began on Aug. 10, and an official grand opening is being planned for September. Speiller said that the Elderly Services Department currently has one staff member at the site, which is now being used “as a drop-in resource center, where seniors can socialize, receive assistance and get connected to services, such as the renters’ rebate program or farmers’ market nutrition program.” The building is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. When fully up and running, the building will be home to “more expansive programming” from the Elderly Services Department — including arts and crafts, yoga, tai chi, line dancing, and other group activities, discussions, and workshops. It will also be home to a “youth drop-in center” — to be run by the Youth and Recreation Department — “where young people can come to hang out, socialize and use the facility for activities.” The youth-services programming is slated to begin on Sept. 8. Hill Alder Carmen Rodriguez thanked State Rep. Juan Candelaria, city Housing and Development Administration Deputy Administrator Arlevia Samuel, former Hill Alder Dolores Colon, and neighborhood stalwarts like Helen Martin for helping make this historic building’s revival possible. “We’re very excited,” she said, and eager for the ribbon cutting soon. This renovation is “going to bring what was a blighted building back into the community” and help seniors and young people in Trowbridge Square. It marks a “beautiful, historical building” coming back to life. “The old Barbell Club served the Hill community for nearly one hundred years, and now it will serve the Hill community once again,” Mayor Justin Elicker told the Independent in an email statement. “The Trowbridge Recreation Center and Trowbridge Square Park will be an intergenerational site where children, youth, adults and seniors can come to be with their neighbors; enjoy a variety of activities, events and programs; and get connected to resources. This is part of our larger effort to create new community centers throughout the city. We’ve now completed six community sites, with the Trowbridge Recreation Center being the most ambitious and significant project to date. Residents of the Hill have been asking for this building to be restored and reactivated for almost 20 years after it was boarded up in 2008, and it’s incredibly exciting to be able to open its doors to residents once again. I look forward to celebrating with the community at the official grand opening next month.” The post Former Barbell Club Reborn As “Trowbridge Recreation Center” appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less