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           Tennessee State Supreme Court Justice Gary Wade

   Local and state dignitaries gathered at the Community Center Monday to mark the 30^th anniversary of the building of the facility with a ceremony dubbed "Measuring 30 years of Success by Honoring the Past."

    Among those in attendance was Sevierville Mayor Bryan Atchley, Vice Mayor Devin Koester and the former mayor who made the dream of the community center a reality, Gary Wade who now serves on the Tennessee State Supreme Court as an associate justice. Wade will assume the role of Chief Justice in September.

     Wade was a driving force in obtaining the funding to build the Community Center that now stands on the street that bears his name. The community center opened in July of 1982 at a cost of $2.2 million. The Board of Aldermen voted 3-2 in favor of building the facility. Wade was faced with the task of raising $500,000 within 90 days. If he could raise the funds, the city would cover the remaining amount with a bond issue. Wade and supports raised $750,000 from 78 local donors with the remaining funding being pledged by the city.

  Wade and city officials perused a display case showcasing photos taken of the groundbreaking ceremony 30 years ago and the completion of the project. Among the photos was portrait of the queen of country music Dolly Parton who attended the grand opening. Parton did not attend Monday’s celebration.

    A television in the lobby ran a collage of photo showing the changes in the community center since it was built. Following some opening remarks by Mayor Atchley, Wade took the podium and discussed the efforts to build the center and the vision shared by project developers who envisioned a hub for community activity.   

   The 43,000 square foot facility originally was equipped with one gym, two racquetball courts, an exercise room, three meeting rooms, a 10 lane bowling alley, a balcony, administrative offices, and a snack bar. 

    Since then there have been some changes. Among those changes was the Blalock Natatorium that has been rehabbed, a gymnastics room that has been converted to a spinning room, meetings rooms have been converted to children’s program space and the locker room shave been gutted and rehabbed.

   Some things haven’t changed. The Community Center still provides activities for the entire family at an affordable cost. From bowling to children’s activities to aerobics, swimming pools and physical fitness, the Community Center has something for everyone.

   The Community Center is located at 200 Gary Wade Boulevard. For more information call 865-453-5441.