Rubonia Gets Long-Delayed Lifeline for Community Center

BRADENTON – At Tuesday's BOCC meeting, commissioners voted to give Rubonia funds that would not only reopen its community center in time for their youth summer programs but repair the neglected fields and solve some construction issues as well. Rubonia is nearing 100 years since being established in 1920, and residents hope that the historical village will begin to receive more attention, something they feel has been lacking.

Rubonia's history with the county reads like a soap opera, full of different players that many residents feel have not produced results for their town. But for the last two years township citizens have been on a mission to take their town back. Tuesday's action may be the first sign of their efforts working.

A May 4, 2016 request from the Rubonia Community Association for funds to reopen the community center for the town's youth summer programs was answered with a $22,304 commitment from the BOCC. Additional good news was that another $75,000 would be committed to restore the basketball court and baseball field back to supreme condition, and fix the center's roof, as well as update its kitchen in order to return the building to top-shelf condition.

Its community center is located on the property where the Rubonia Elementary/Middle School once sat. Everyone you meet in the small Florida community was born and raised there; many went to school right there in the building, and unlike so many in other towns, most chose to stay and make the town their home.

Rubonians have a history nearing 100 years of contributing more to the county than the county has given back; all residents have ever requested was a fair shake. Tuesday's news, with apprehension, was seen as a "God send," said Mary Brown, President of the Rubonia Community Association.

Morris Goff, a career social worker who grew up in Rubonia, expressed his appreciation to the commission on Tuesday, as did Azell Johnson, a retired HUD (Housing and Urban Development) employee. Both have campaigned tirelessly for the necessities all neighborhoods need.

As recent as four months ago, commissioners had scratched their role with the community center by contract with the New Path Academy and the Panda Foundation, designating $58,565 go to New Path for the needed renovations.

On January 19, 2016, the New Path Academy notified the county that the Panda Foundation was no longer a partner. On April 12, 2016, New Path notified the county that it too was withdrawing from the agreement. Commissioners were faced with another failing attempt at sweeping Rubonia's reality away from the dais. In response, the administration and county commission decided to go to Washington D.C. for HUD funds and maybe a future for Rubonia.

New Path's decision sparked the May 4 letter from the Rubonia Community Association to the commission for the needed funds. At Tuesday's BOCC meeting, the funds were committed, and staff advised work had begun to the fields and building. All should be done by mid June, they said, in time for the community's summer program.

But it is still not clear whether the center's property and building will rest in the hands of Rubonians.


Funds that total $97,304 were approved by the commission with a unanimous vote.