Residents of the Hanceville Housing Authority joined city and county dignitaries Friday for the formal opening of the authority’s new $321,000 community center.

The 3,200 square feet center, located adjacent to the housing authority office on Kiki Drive in Hanceville, will offer residents throughout the community a place to come and socialize, drink coffee, play a game of Rook, quilt or maybe even hold a family reunion or baby shower, according to Authority Director Kiki McNabb.

“We’re so excited to finally open the center. We’ve waited for this day ever since the project was begun last September,” McNabb said. “I think it is going to be wonderful for the housing authority and community, because we plan on making the center available for all sorts of events.”

Hanceville Mayor Katie Whitley was given the honor of cutting the ribbon on the new facility, which was built with state and federal grant funds totaling $321,920.

“This is such a nice facility. It is really going to benefit the residents by giving them a place where they can come and congregate and socialize with one another,” Whitley said. “A number of our housing authority residents are elderly and this is a place they can call their own. They can come here and get involved in various activities and I understand the authority also plans to make the facility available for public and family functions as well. I think that’s a great idea and I think the community will take advantage of it.”

Whitley also recognized the contributions and service of Housing Authority Board members Barbara Duckett, Woodrow Brooks, Deborah Twilley, William Connell and Ethelene Cook.

Brooks, who serves as chairman of the Housing Authority Board, said he is very pleased with how the facility turned out.

“It’s a beautiful building and we certainly have plenty of space inside and the tenants like that,” Brooks said. “We’ve been needing a facility the residents could come and use and we can also rent it out for various events. That way, the whole community can benefit from the center.”

Evelyn Hammons, who has lived in the housing authority in Hanceville for the past eight years, joined some of her neighbors for cake and punch during Friday’s open house in the new community center.

“It’s a beautiful facility,” Hammons said. “This is my first time inside. I usually go to the Hanceville Senior Center, but I may start coming here too. It’s certainly more convenient. I’ll have to think about that.”

Etta Malcom, another housing authority resident, said she didn’t have to think about it. She plans to be at the facility “every day it’s open.”

“I just live one street over and I don’t have much else to do, so I plan on coming here every day,” Malcom said.

Pearl McGahee, a six-year resident, said she was amazed at how big the facility is inside.

“It’s so beautiful. I definitely think it will be used a lot,” McGahee said.