City of Monroe leaders break ground on community center expansion [Video]

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – A $9.3 million dollar expansion is underway at the City of Monroe’s only community center. City officials broke ground on the project Tuesday.

“This expansion is huge,” Aaron Lavender, a community activist and member of the Arthur Lesow Community Center board, said. “It gave us a sense of hope and a sense of staying off the streets. They, you know, they really cared about us as children, and that’s the reason I’m back here giving back as much as I can.”

After more than 80 years since the building was built and five years since project planning began, the center is now getting a makeover.

“It’s really exciting to see that original paper vision from 2019 turn into construction drawings to now breaking ground and seeing what is going to be on this site a year from now,” Monroe’s Assistant City Manager Mark Cochran said.

The …