When asked about just how old the recent items removed from the Benedum Civic Center were and if they had served their purpose, Bridgeport Parks and Recreation Director Don Burton thought a minute and just laughed. The items being replaced, he said, were the same age as he was.

 

“Things back in that day were built to last and they were part of this original building that was open in 1956, which means they were installed likely a year prior. That’s 60 years ago, which is a familiar age,” said Burton with a laugh. “They absolutely proved to be a good investment.”

 

Now, Burton and the P&R staff are hoping to get proper use out of the new items that replaced the old ones. Last week at the Civic Center, the Parks staff removed the old sinks that had been part of the building for decades. In their place are new vanities and sinks.

 

“It’s a nice look in both the upstairs and downstairs bathrooms,” said Burton. “We’ve upgraded the plumbing as well. We replaced a total of six sinks as part of this project.”

 

While some may not have noticed the changes, those that have noticed have been complimentary. Burton said there haven’t been any complaints about the new items. In fact, he said people have been complimentary about all the changes that have been made to the building in recent years.

 

“The vanities, like so many other things that the community may have noticed, are part of an overall renovation plan of the Civic Center,” said Burton. “The next phase we plan on doing will be something that will likely be more noticeable to people, particularly those that utilize the Civic Center on a regular basis.”

 

Burton said what’s likely up next is new carpeting and flooring. He said it will take place throughout large portions of the building, including many offices and meeting rooms.

 

“There’s such heavy use of this facility that it’s important to keep it fresh and make renovations,” said Burton. “These are nice additions to the building and we think the future additions will also be well received.”

 

Editor's Note: P&R Staffer Bill Lafferty is shown putting final touches to the vanities in the upstairs section of the Benedum Civic Center.