Roof repairs start process of reopening Buttonwoods Center

By JOHN HOWELL
Posted 11/1/18

By JOHN HOWELL Thanks to the generous donation of Tom Furey and Furey Roofing, the first step to the reopening the Buttonwoods Community Center was taken yesterday morning. Former Mayor Scott Avedisian closed the center in early 2017, saying the

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Roof repairs start process of reopening Buttonwoods Center

Posted

Thanks to the generous donation of Tom Furey and Furey Roofing, the first step to the reopening the Buttonwoods Community Center was taken yesterday morning.

Former Mayor Scott Avedisian closed the center in early 2017, saying the cost/benefit of repairing the roof and other renovations made no sense and the city would be better off selling the property. In addition to housing offices for the city’s department of human service, Westbay Community Action rented space and operated programs from the center. It was also used by a couple of senior groups that met regularly to play cards and socialize. Those groups were given space at the Pilgrim Senior Center.

Avedisian’s plan, however, met resistance from the City Council and in particular freshman Ward 7 Councilman Steve McAllister. McAllister vowed to his constituents he would work to reopen the center, but after meetings with Avedisian, the administration’s stance was unchanged.

It looked like the center, once the Buttonwoods Elementary School, had seen the last of its days.

That was far from the mood yesterday, as Mayor Joseph Solomon was joined by McAllister, Ward 8 council candidate Anthony Sinapi, Council President Steve Merolla, Councilwoman Donna Travis and Councilmen Ed Ladouceur and Richard Corley to watch a crane lift roofing insulation to a crew. The center roof is deceptive as all that can be seen from the ground are its pitched sides.

Ladouceur, who owns and operates a siding business, knows otherwise.

“It’s flat,” he said describing the center roof extending between the old school and its addition. Furey will be installing a rubber roof. The city is buying materials – Solomon said $5,000 has been appropriated – and Furey is doing the work at no cost.

“This is a big win,” McAllister said. He pointed out he has been working to reopen the center almost from the day he took office and he noted that on a recent visit to the Pilgrim Senior Center, the Buttonwoods’ card group were sure to ask him the status of the building.

Soon after Avedisian left and Solomon became mayor, he announced that he would work to reopen Buttonwoods through a combination of donated services and some city expenditures. It was Ladouceur who contacted Furey more than a month ago.

Ladouceur called Furey’s contribution “incredible,” adding, “this is pretty much going to take care of the leaks in this.”

“This is a big win for Steve [McAllister], who has been all over this since day one,” Ladouceur said.

McAllister called it a “big day for Buttonwoods.”

In addition to making space available for community groups, Solomon has talked of moving some of the city offices in the temporary annex on Draper Avenue to Buttonwoods as it is more centrally located and closer to City Hall.

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  • richardcorrente

    This is not a big win, but a HUGE win for Councilman Steve McAlister who bravely stood up for his constituents and said "No" to Mayor Avedisian while he was only a rookie Councilman. That took guts. That took commitment. That took an enormous amount of caring, work, and effort on his behalf. Congratulations Councilman McAlister who modestly redirects the credit to "a big day for Buttonwoods". His non-stop efforts were the direct cause of that "big day" and he deserves to take a bow.

    Councilman and Chair of the Council Finance, Ed Ladouceur said it best when he said "This is a big win for Steve who has been all over this since day one."

    Congratulations to acting Mayor Solomon and the rest of the Warwick City Council who agreed with McAlister and committed to the project as well.

    Many thanks to Tom Furey and Furey Roofing for seeing this as a deserving need and donating money and materials to solve the problem. He deserves a Key-to-the-City and business from anyone with a roofing need..

    Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

    Rick Corrente

    The Taxpayers Mayor

    Thursday, November 1, 2018 Report this