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Sneak peek: renovated Community Center opening soon

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Shelby Kay-Fantozzi
  • 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  After months of renovation, the community center is slated for a grand re-opening as the Community Commons Jun 4 here.

The renovations were planned in a direct response to the needs and interests of Air Commandos, according to Paul Hopkins, 27th Special Operations Force Support Squadron community center manager.

"Everyone involved in planning has really listened to what the user wants," said Hopkins. "We're always asking what kind of activities Airmen and families want to see here. When I brief at the First Term Airmen's Course, I spend most of my time drawing information from Airmen about their interests."

A gaming room, movie room, all-purpose room and a recording studio will make up the second floor of the Commons, with a revamped club annex on the first floor.

"In addition to reopening the bar area and the patio, we'll have darts, pool and a space for Outdoor Recreation to feature upcoming tours," said Terese Harris, 27th SOFSS deputy.

Harris is most excited for the remodeled café on the first floor, featuring a new atmosphere and new menu items including a coffee bar and waffle station along with standard snack bar fare.

Uniting the café, bar, meeting spaces, gaming area and tickets and tours counter under one roof and bringing full food and drink service to pool patrons on the patio will make the Community Commons the cornerstone of Cannon's quality of life, Harris said.

“Putting so many services under one umbrella is great for our patrons and for the Air Force,” Harris said. “For Airmen and families, the Commons host a wide variety of entertainment and relaxation options all in one place. On the administrative end, getting all of these possibilities into one building helps us be more efficient with money.”

Hopkins pointed to the Commons’ all-purpose room as an example of the building’s multi-purpose concept.

“This room is basically a wide-open blank canvas,” he said. “We could have any kind of instructional class, meeting, craft group or even exercise class in here. Having a flexible space means we can keep up with Airmen’s interests, and that’s how we build good programming for the base.”

“This is my passion,” said Hopkins. “I love the Cannon community, and I love my work here and everything that goes along with it. Getting to work this project between the Community Center, marketing office, and 27th Civil Engineer Squadron has been a treat.”

Each room of the building’s second floor bears evidence of Hopkins’ attention to detail, from the cushy recliners in the theater room to the professional-grade instruments and equipment in the recording studio.

Hopkins stated that his priority was fostering an environment that met the needs of Air Commandos in the face of their demanding mission.

“We know what the operations tempo is like for our Airmen,” said Hopkins. “They get out there and work so hard; we want them to be able to come here and just relax.”

The Commons is scheduled to open the pool with an all-day celebration on May 22, and the indoor space is slated to host a grand opening of the restaurant, bar and community facilities June 4.

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