WS Chronicle

Dozens of people gathered near the corner of Bridge Street and Canal Drive last Tuesday afternoon for the grand opening of the Boston-Thurmond United Outreach Center.  

The center will serve as a space for neighborhood programs, services and events. It will also serve as an office for employees and staff.  

Until 2021 the home of Northwest Child Development Center was property jointly owned by the city and the county, when Boston-Thurmond United bought the property a few years later. The once dilapidated building was transformed into a state-of-the-art community center, thanks to $1.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.  

Executive director of Boston-Thurmond United, Regina Hall, said the outreach center will be a safe haven for the entire community. She said by offering programming for people of all ages, the BTU Outreach Center represents an intergenerational commitment to the community.  

“This symbolizes what can happen when you decide to honor your history and move forward,” Hall said.  

According to their website, Boston-Thurmond United strives to create a vibrant neighborhood that honors its rich history and expands the opportunities for safe and healthy lifestyles; quality, affordable housing at all income levels; neighborhood schools that provide the highest educational outcomes, starting at birth; and access to jobs and economic well-being. 

A part of the Purpose Built Community Network of community revitalization, BTU includes two groups, the Boston-Thurmond Community network, which is the sustaining and organizing arm of the initiative, and the Boston-Thurmond Community Engagement Roundtable, which is designed to ensure residents are included in all aspects of development in the neighborhood.  

The Boston-Thurmond Outreach Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. For more information about Boston-Thurmond visit their website at www/bostonthurmondunited.org.