After closing in mid-March, the McCreary Community Building will open to public use Oct. 1, and the Perry Public Library is expected to reoccupy its main building in November.
The $1.7 million remodeling of the MCB brings a number of improvements and upgrades, including converting the auditorium to a cardio workout room, resurfacing the gymnasium floor, adding a family restroom and child watch room, remodeling the locker rooms, kitchen, restrooms and other changes.
A ribbon cutting for the refreshed MCB will be held Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 4-6 p.m., with tours of the renewed facility available to the public.
The MCB was built with a $650,000 bequest from the estate of Rex and Irma McCreary of Perry and a $1.4 million bond issue, approved by Perry voters in 1981. The facility opened in 1983.
Work began in late July on the $300,000 renovation project at Perry Public Library, with library services temporarily located in the Carnegie Library Museum during the course of construction.
Workers from Earlham-based Blue Ribbon Builders have spent two months building a public entrance on the east side of the facility as well as installing a new circulation desk, updating the existing bathrooms and adding a new family bathroom and laying new carpet and tile throughout.
After occupying the Carnegie building for 90 years, the Perry Public Library relocated to its current location at 1101 Willis Ave. in 1994. The 12,000-square-foot facility was built with a Wiese Foundation donation of $875,000 and a matching amount in private donations, including a $150,000 donation from Perry native Roberta Green Ahmanson.
