COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Around 200 invited guests witnessed the culmination of a dream 2-1/2 years in the making, as the Dr. Robert W. Browne Aquatic Center and Recreation Center were both formally dedicated in ceremonies held inside the Rec Center at Heritage Park.
Coldwater Mayor Tom Kramer told the assembled audience that although Dr. Browne’s combined monetary gifts to the construction of both recreation facilities and the Henry L. Brown Municipal Center helped to elevate Coldwater’s image as “successful and solvent,” image doesn’t necessarily equal substance. He added, however, that with a base of quality people in a community, good intentions, and the willingness to work hard, the new facilities can provide an edge in improving a community’s economic health.
Other speakers included Coldwater Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Tina Kerr, Coldwater Chamber of Commerce President Curt McRae, representatives from the construction and architectural firms that oversaw the project, and Dr. Browne himself, who summed up his impressions with a single word spoken by a 5th Grade student upon touring the facilities: “Awesome.”
