Johnston’s newest recreation facility prepares to open

There are panther paws everywhere inside and outside Johnston’s newest mega-marvel that’s located at 1741 Atwood Ave.

Those different size panther paws, Mayor Joseph Polisena will offer in rapid-fire fashion, “is due to the wonderful work done by two the most talented town employees you’ll find anywhere in Rhode Island.”

Those panther paws – like each and every part of the unique 26,000-square-foot facility – have received rave reviews and Johnston’s new Indoor Recreation Center hasn’t even opened yet.

Those panther paws, which are the trademark – or footprint – of Johnston’s school sports teams, were created in many shapes and sizes by Arnie Vecchione, the town’s Director of Public Works and Deb Pavone, a DPW clerk.

As Polisena pointed out the other day, “Those panther paws have been created especially for this facility with tiles and a paint brush.”

Vecchione, who is recognized for his skills in tile works, created some of the panther paws – as well as a basketball, soccer and volley ball – out of special order porcelain tile that he laid one piece at a time to create a special display in the Center’s entryway and wound up using 1,000 pieces of tile for all the flooring.

“Arnie is the only guy I know who can cut square tiles into round balls,” Polisena mused. “Just look at this; it’s special just like the different tiles he installed in the men’s and women’s rooms.”

Likewise, Polisena marveled at the characters or sports figures that Pavone created inside the Center’s lobby by way of her painting prowess.

“I’ve never, ever seen anything like this,” Polisena went on. “Look at that baseball glove, the stitches and ball seem as though they’re popping out at you.”

Pavone, in fact, created a special character that offers visitors a visual of the sports that can be played inside the Johnston Indoor Recreation Center, that will be used for basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis, lacrosse and more and features three regulation size basketball courts that can be sectioned off by two huge curtain dividers.

The multi-use facility will also have batting cages and nine sections of roll-away bleachers that can seat 60 or so people.

“When people walk in here Saturday they’re going to be shocked…stunned…surprised,” Polisena said Monday while touring the “Jewel of Johnston” with Police Chief Richard S. Tamburini, School Facilities Manager Dave Cournoyer and Vecchione. “Is this unbelievable or what?”

The mayor, who was oozing with extra excitement ringing in his voice, then boasted, “And none of this project cost the taxpayers of Johnston any money whatsoever!”

The Indoor Recreation Center, which has a price tag approximately $3.1 million, was built from the $8 million lawsuit settlement the town received after winning its case against Rhode Island Resource Recovery and the former Broadrock Energy.

So Saturday, Polisena will welcome Rhode Island’s Washington delegation, Gov. Gina Raimondo and other local and state dignitaries who are expected to take in the official opening of the Johnston Indoor Recreation Center sometime around 10 o’clock.

“Saturday will be a special day in the history of our great town,” Polisena said. “The people who have seen this facility are saying there’s no other place like this in Rhode Island.”

And, in anticipation of an overflow crowd and a way to alleviate a parking problem, Polisena announced the town would provide free shuttle bus service that will begin leaving the Johnston High School parking lot at 9:30 Saturday morning.

“This place really fools you,” Tamburini noted during Monday’s preview and walk around the Center that will have heat in the winter and air-conditioning in the summer and has security cameras everywhere. “It doesn’t look this big from the outside.”

The Johnston Indoor Recreation Center, which is the third such facility the town has received by way of donations of everything from labor and materials, is yet another example of Panther Pride of the highest degree because of what various contractors have done to make the ambiguous building project a reality.

“That [soccer facility] was done with volunteers and donation materials,” he said about the adjacent and lighted soccer fields. “We recently completed the football stadium and state-of-the-art track. Now Saturday, we’ll add this facility to our growing list of assets that help make Johnston a great community to live in and bring up family.”