Groups involved in the new Tolson Center talk to guests at the reopening celebration Thursday. Photo by Dani Messick | The Goshen News
ELKHART — The Tolson Center for Community Excellence in Elkhart has officially reopened as a free community center.
The Elkhart community hosted a reopening celebration and ribbon cutting for the new building at 1320 Benham Ave. Thursday evening.
A youth center in recent years, the city stopped funding the Tolson Center in 2018. Community members rallied and agreed that they couldn’t let the facility leave the south side that easily, and developed a nonprofit to align it with the community’s needs.
“All this money and possibility with the money started pouring in,” Chair of the Tolson Center Board of Directors Cyneatha Millsaps said, and the 15-member board was created.
The $16 million was sourced from grants, city support, the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, and individual donors. Phase two is outdoor landscaping, and Millsaps said they expect that to cost roughly $2 million.
“We have everything from birth to seniors,” Millsaps said. “It’s programming for everybody that needs a space.”
With two indoor gyms, fitness rooms, classrooms, a computer lab, arts and crafts room, cafeteria, mini library, and offices, the facility is over 30,000 square feet inside. There’s also a common area with reception space, childcare room, multi-purpose room, concessions, presentation room, gallery space, and mental health room.
There will still be tutoring programs and recreation activities for youth and families.
“That is one of our most important things — that anybody has access to everything from recreation to support with their education,” Millsaps said. “This is specific for those who may not be able to afford programming that they would otherwise get at places like the aquatic center or individual clubs and stuff around. They can do those things here at little to no cost.”
Current programs include Music Together for in-school youth and infants as well as a Tolson Youth Choir, Bright Minds Academic Support, Make & Take for all ages, Graffiti/Street Art, Music Production, Senior Fitness, Special Olympics Fitness Club, Chronic Disease Self-Management, Movie Night & Gift Wrapping, Youth Get Active and Read With Me.
More programs are expected in the near future as organizations continue to join the cause and offer their support, and volunteers are also always needed.
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