Community Resource Center Opens This Week in Lawrence County
PULASKI, Pa. — The River Valley Community Resource Center, a new regional resource and event center serving Lawrence County and surrounding communities, will host a three-day grand opening celebration July 29 through July 31. The 30,000-square-foot resource and event center, once the former Pulaski Elementary School, is located at 320 Shenango St.
The celebration will feature the official unveiling of a panoramic mural depicting several area landmarks of Pulaski Township by local artist Kimberly Koller-Jones, executive director of the Hoyt Center for the Arts.
“We wanted to incorporate the history of the area with several historic landmarks into the design of the building,” said Joseph Goodge, who along with his wife Zenia, purchased the former school in March 2019. “When we mentioned the idea to Kimberly, she jumped at the chance to lend her talents to the project.”
Koller-Jones said the painting took between 80 and 100 hours to complete and was a labor of love for the art director.
“I welcomed the opportunity and challenge of the mural project,” she said. “It was a blank canvas, which can often be intimidating, but I think history is important and having the opportunity to capture the contributions of the town to the early growth of Lawrence County is also important.”
The new resource center includes the building and 12 adjoining acres. The property boasts modifiable space that can be used for private party functions, office leases, special events, trade shows, conferences, or a training center. Also, an indoor gymnasium, outdoor ballpark, and pavilion are available for rentals.
The indoor gymnasium has a full-sized basketball court and can be used for classes such as yoga, meditation, or any activity requiring large spaces.
As local business owners and Pulaski Township residents, the Goodge’s realized the community benefits of repurposing the former school, which closed in 2017 because of decreased enrollment.
“My wife and I saw the opportunity to acquire the school with a vision to repurpose the space to turn it into something that the community and regional can continue to utilize,” Goodge said. “As a former student of the school and where my son and daughter also attended, it’s a place where thousands of students and many teachers walked through the halls – we want to continue that legacy in our community.”
Additional benefits include the location. The center is centrally located less than a half mile from I-376 with easy access to I-79 and I-80, close to Ohio and both Pittsburgh and Cleveland airports.
The opening events are open to the public and include:
Thursday, July 29:
• 1 p.m. – Official ribbon cutting
• Mural Wall Reveal
• 1-6 p.m. – Open house and tours with light refreshments will be served
Friday, July 30:
• Noon-5 p.m. – Family events, open house
• 5-7 p.m. – Free live outdoor concert at the River Valley Pavilion featuring the German Eintracht Society. Bring lawn chairs.
Saturday, July 31:
• Noon-5 p.m. – Family events, open house.
• 5-7 p.m. – Free live outdoor concert at the River Valley Pavilion featuring The Red Coat Band. Bring lawn chairs.
More information can be found at RiverValleyComplex.com or by calling 724 652 6183.
Pictured at top: The River Valley Community Resource Center is located at 320 Shenango St., Pulaski, Pa.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
