Ground breaking takes place Friday for a new National Guard Readiness Center near McMinnville.
Construction Facilities Management Officer Colonial Andrew Milligan said the new 33,000 square foot facility will replace the old armory.
“The current McMinnville armory was constructed in the 50’s,” Milligan said. “It’s only 11,000 square feet. It had become very cost prohibitive for us to maintain the facility. The spaces were too small for what our soldiers are required to have, so it really has become too old.”
Milligan said the new center will provide adequate room for training and better emergency response times. It includes a new drill hall and supply rooms for gear. Milligan said the facility will also have administrative and classroom spaces, adequate parking and a vehicle maintenance building.
“A main armory with a drill hall that the community is used to being in much like the drill hall that is at the old McMinnville Armory,” Milligan said. “There will be a maintenance building out back. There will be a lot of parking available in front of the facility.”
The center will be located along Manchester Highway Between McMinnville and Morrison. The ground breaking begins at 10:00 a.m. Friday.
“We will have adequate seating on the grounds. Weather looks good for this Friday,” Milligan said. “We expect to have a number of our local legislators as well as some of our congressional delegation. Adjutant General Major General Jeff Holmes will be hosting the event, and we invite the public.”
Milligan said the military department anticipates the project to be completed by April 2023. The project was funded by the federal government in 2018.
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