Icemen welcome new Eielson City Center

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Racheal E. Watson
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Icemen and Eielson families now have an opportunity to enjoy a new facility to relax and unwind.

The Eielson City Center, located adjacent to base theater, opened March 29, featuring a community center, library and family childcare center.

Eugene Larocca, 354th Force Support Squadron community center director, said a driving factor in developing the new city center was to create a central location within walking distance to everyday stops to steer Airmen and their families and civilians to this spot.

Being in this facility, with its square footage, lends itself to more grand events that will invite more people, said Larocca. "It's just a perfect forum to provide an experience for the entire community."

The new facility provides Airmen and their families a chance to participate in a wide array of programs and activities within the Eielson community, especially during the cold winter months.

The largest section of the center, on the main floor, houses a children's play land, golf simulator, television lounge, snack bar, pool tables, air hockey and foosball. Down the hall, a conference room and music rooms are available, in addition to the FCC office, which provides materials and training needed to become a licensed, approved family child care home.

The library, located on the lower level of the Eielson City Center, provides reading material for all ages, compact disks, movies, games, study materials and reading programs.

The center offers various programs and special events for the entire family, such as support for birthday parties. The party rooms provide half walls to divide activities, but with the capability of having an overall view of what each child is doing.

Shelly Merrell, 354th FSS family childcare coordinator, added the new center offers exercise equipment, providing convenience for parents to keep a watchful eye on their children while exercising.

"Our leadership that devised this plan was right on target and to be here now and to witness it and to see the transformation from the community center, the library and the FCC in the old facility to what we are becoming here is remarkable," said Larocca.

The facility is not just designed to support children, however. All of the Eielson City Center staff plans to coordinate activities geared toward adults as well.

"We are going to take our programming to another level by incorporating more adult-oriented programs, like hosting wine tastings or karaoke nights, to broaden our horizon on trying to get new things going," said Arnessa Jeffery, 354th FSS supervisory librarian.

For more information on the Eielson City Center, call the community center at 377-3212, library at 377-3174 or the family child care office at 377-3636.