Merriam formally kicks off new community center construction with groundbreaking ceremony

Merriam celebrated the beginning of construction for its new $30 million community center with a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday morning.

Residents, city leaders and representatives from the contractor, McCarthy Building Companies packed into the upstairs training room of city hall as a thunderstorm, which forced a last-minute relocation of the event, rolled through town.

Mayor Ken Sissom said talks for the city to build a new community center began in 2014, prompted by major expenses from maintaining two of the city’s facilities, the existing Irene B. French Community Center and the Merriam Aquatic Center. After several studies and soliciting feedback from residents — including “an overwhelming majority” of yes votes, Merriam leaders decided to “make the wise decision” of building a new community center, Sissom said.

(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)