A crowd of local and state officials, Donley County residents, and a sea of blue FFA jackets were on hand when Clarendon College held the grand opening of its new Livestock & Equine Center (LEC) last Tuesday.
The event was timed to coincide with the FFA area leadership conference held at CC last week, and speakers at the open house used that connection to encourage FFA members to consider Clarendon when they go to college.
“This building is farsighted,” CC Regent Jack Moreman said. “The Livestock & Equine Center was built for students just like you.”
The $1 million facility and its adjacent stalls and storage building is the home of CC’s equine science and livestock and meats judging programs as well as the college’s intermural rodeo team.
The 73,600-square-foot building on the west edge of the campus features a covered arena that is closed on the west and north sides and open to the south and east. It has skylights for daytime activities and electric lights for nighttime use.
Herring National Bank president Jerry Woodard encouraged the members to be leaders in their communities and praised the completion of the LEC as being an accomplishment of local leaders.
“This facility a year ago was a dream,” Woodard said, “and today it is a reality due to leadership.”
Woodard, who also serves on the Clarendon Economic Development Board, also pointed to the economic impact of the LEC and said the new facility is an example of the way Clarendon continues to build to stay progressive.
“Seeing this college thrive is to see our community thrive,” he said.
CC President Myles Shelton also addressed Tuesday’s event and thanked the donors who provided the funds for the new center.
The LEC was intended to be an enclosed structure with a classroom, office, restrooms, and concession area, but those elements were deleted when the bids exceeded the initial estimates for the center. College officials say those items can be added later when funds are available.
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