COHOES, N.Y. (NEWS10) -The old community center in Cohoes will reopen by the end of 2025. Renamed to the Gil Ethier Albany County Athletic & Community Center for the Deputy Majority Leader of the Legislature, the building was closed for almost a decade.
From physical activites to studying with tutors, those are just some of the plans Albany County has for the center. It’s set to be a safe place to keep kids off the streets and engaged. Some more possibilities include bringing in the trades for job training.
“Not only will a kid come in here and have a chance to be a kid but opportunities will be there knocking on their door with the different programs and facilities,” said County Executive Dan McCoy.
In the early ’60s, Ethier raised money to build the original community center. At the time, half the money came from residents while the other half came from the federal government. He said the resource has been missed by many.“ Cohoes is a very unique city and it’s a people-oriented. They work together as a group and we’re very family-orientated. It’s been a bedroom community for years. They’re very successful along those lines.”
More programs and partnerships are being planned to make this an affordable county resource for everyone. There’s not a set date to open yet, but it will be in the next 60 days. The building has been renovated and will continue to stay active from a pool of almost $3 million.
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