For the second time in less than a week, city officials and members of the community celebrated a ribbon-cutting and grand opening of a new facility.

Last week, it was the Public Safety and Municipal Court building. Tuesday, the new Hunter Park Community Center opened with just as much enthusiasm and fanfare.

Approximately 100 people endured cold, rainy weather to witness the event, which was rescheduled because of earlier inclement weather.

Parks and Recreation Director Bennett Oliver and others referred to it.

“It might not be sun shiny, but it’s better than eight inches of snow,” Oliver said, as he introduced his staff, family, the mayor and city council members.

There was laughter during Oliver’s introductions of his family as his father, Clayburn Oliver’s, cell phone went off, blaring the University of Alabama fight song. After thinking it was turned off, his phone went off again as his son introduced the mayor and council.

But Oliver was noticeably proud and thanked everyone who helped bring the project to life.

City Manager Bill Osborne said it was a pleasure to finally get to the day. The land on which the center is located was obtained through a land conservation grant program, and the city had to get permission from the federal government to build on the spot, he said.

Osborne introduced executives from Breedlove Planning Company and Benning Construction, which built the project.

Councilman Roy Mims, chairman of the council’s Parks and Recreation Committee, called it “a great day” and thanked past and present council members and the parks and recreation department staff for their roles.

“A building doesn’t make a church, it’s the people that make a church,” Mims said, quoting a friend. “Just like that, this building doesn’t make a community center, the people do.”

Mayor Mickey Thompson was also proud. He said he considers both projects to be among the major accomplishments during his tenure.

“Now I know all of you were ready for this ribbon-cutting and grand opening to be held on Jan. 11. However, the snow and ice storm, which hit our community and much of the south, caused us to postpone this event,” Thompson said. “But considering how long we have awaited for the construction of this new community center, another three weeks was a short wait.”

Thompson spoke of the job Parks and Recreation Director Bennett Oliver and his staff are doing before launching into a brief history of the park and some current activities.

“In the late 1950s, across the lake behind me, some citizens decided they wanted to build a city park,” Thompson recounted. “They got together and formed ‘workdays,’ and each person was responsible for bringing tools and working for a full day.”

Thompson said the workers cut trees, cleared brush and other tasks to prepare the park. Those who couldn’t participate on their workdays could pay another person $5 to work in their place.

“After a lot of ‘workdays’ the city park was born,” he said.

Citizens in the early 1960s raised money to build a community house — a one-story structure where barbecues, garden clubs and other social functions were held, Thompson added. The facility, later renamed the Ike Owings Building, was torn down several months ago as part of the park’s renovation and reconstruction.

“Today we enter a new phase in the history of the city of Douglasville Parks and Recreation Department,” Thompson said. “Just as they did in 1960, the citizens of this great community stepped up and provided funding for this new community center through a special purpose local option sales tax — more often called a SPLOST tax.”

The $2.3 million community center is part of the park project that will total about $7.2 million upon completion.

The ribbon cutting followed the program and a plaque dedicated to the mayor and council was unveiled. It is hung in the foyer of the building.

An open house followed from 6:30 to 9 p.m.