Soaring Heights opens new community center

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Sondra Escutia
  • 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --   Members of Team Holloman gathered Thursday morning to celebrate the grand opening of a newly-built community center during a ribbon cutting ceremony here Nov. 5.

The state-of-the-art community center, located in base housing, will be open to the community Nov. 16 and features a playground, a splash park fixture, basketball court and multi-use field area for Team Holloman to enjoy.

"The ribbon cutting event celebrates the grand opening of our community center but it's more than just a celebration of opening the building," said Ryan Kleinau, Soaring Heights Communities project director. "It's a celebration of what we're doing to enhance the lives of Airmen and their families living at Holloman."

With the completion of the community center, Actus Lend Lease, the company contracted for the project, will continue to work on enhancing the quality of life for Airmen with a housing project that began in 2006.
The company planned to build 338 new homes on base and renovate 420 existing homes, a job that is well underway.

"So far to date, we've built the community center and we've finished building 225 new homes as well as 180 renovations, so we've been very busy over the past couple of years," said Mr. Kleinau.

The project director said that they hope to increase quality of life through better living conditions and with an increased sense of community that the new community center will contribute to.

Col. Jeff Harrigian, 49th Fighter Wing commander, applauded the opening of the new facility that is in direct alignment with the year-long observance of the Air Force Family.

"I see no greater way to salute and solidify our efforts as a team than dedicating this community center and making it available to our families, their children and everybody that is a part of this community," said the commander.

The community center will also serve as a central focus point for Soaring Heights Communities and the 49th Civil Engineer Squadron Housing Management Flight, who will be collocated inside the building.

"This will make it easier particularly for our young Airmen who are rolling in with their families to sort through all the details that are required to move in," Col. Harrigian added.

For more information on the new community center and the construction projects at Holloman, contact Soaring Heights Communities at 575-443-6500.