Fort
Piqua Plaza Grand Opening Celebration
Photo Gallery
October 19,
2008 |
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Close to 3,000 people
attended the Grand Opening Ceremony and building tours for the
newly renovated Fort Piqua Plaza in downtown Piqua. This
project was years in the making and all those attending seemed
to be happy with the results.
On hand for the grand opening ceremony was United States Senator
George Voinovich. Senator Voinovich call Sunday's
dedication ceremony of the Fort Piqua Hotel "a historic
occasion," Ohio Sen. George V. Voinovich praised both city
officials and the community for seeing the restoration project
to completion. Senator Voinovich stated, "This is an
example of the good that can happen when people come
together."
In addition to the state and federal funds and grants obtained
for this project, the Piqua community also helped in raising a
large portion of the funding. The Hotel/Library Legacy
Alliance group, raised $3.8 million locally. Alliance
chairman Ruth Koon thanked the committee members as well as
local residents and businesses who had reached into their
pockets for the restoration project..
Winans Fine Chocolates and Coffees will open within the next two
months in the Fort Piqua Plaza and will be joined in January by
Toone P. Wiggins restaurant.
Many dignitaries were on hand for the opening ceremony. Dignitaries
included Mayor Tom Hudson and city commissioners Judy Terry,
Bill Vogt, John Martin and Lucy Fess; city manager Fred Enderle,
former public works director Tom Zechman, city historian and
Piqua Public Library Director Jim Oda. Dan French, CEO of French
Oil Machinery Mill Co. introduced Senator Voinovich. Also
present for the ceremony were Father Robert Baldwin of St. James
Episcopal Church, who offered the invocation and John McGill
from Ohio Department of Development, representing Gov. Ted
Strickland.
City Manager Fred Enderle praised all the city leaders, past and
present, who worked on the restoration. Mayor Tom Hudson
called Sunday "a marvelous day for the citizens of Piqua.
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| To see a larger photo, click on
one of the photos below: |
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| Grand
Ballroom Being Prepared for Cookies and Punch |
The
Chandelier in the Grand Ballroom |
Visitors
in "Period" Clothing |
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| Visitors
Checking the "Turret" Room on the 4th Floor |
Visitors
Touring the 2nd Floor |
Stained
Glass Window on the Landing on the Grand Stairway |
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| Visitors
in the Local History Area |
Visitors
on the 2nd Floor Outside the "Veterans" Meeting Room |
Visitors
in the Sitting Area on the 2nd Floor |
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| Visitors
Entering the Fort Piqua Plaza |
Punch
and Cookies Served in the Grand Ballroom |
Tours
Were Offered Through the Day |
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| Live
Music was Presented Throughout the Day in the Grand ballroom and
in the 1st Floor Lobby |
Visitors
in the Executive Boardroom Watching a Photo Montage of the
Renovation Project (Due to Lighting the Montage Does Appear in
This Photo) |
Visitors
in the Grand Ballroom |
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| Lining
Up Outside the Building for the Next Tour |
City
Historian Jim Oda Giving a Building Tour to VIPs |
Mayor
Tom Hudson Addresses the Crowd On Hand for the
Grand Opening Ceremony |
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| Part
of the Crowd On Hand for the Ceremony |
Tom
Zechman Speaking - Library Director Jim Oda in Background |
City
Manager Fred Enderle |
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| Crowd
Listens to the Speaker on the Balcony of the Fort Piqua Plaza |
Hotel
Library Legacy Alliance Chairperson Ruth Koon Thanked All Those
Involved in the Project |
More
of the Crowd on Hand |
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| Library
Director Jim Oda |
John
McGill of the Ohio Development Department |
Dan
French of the Hotel Library Legacy Alliance Introduced U.S.
Senator George Voinovich |
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| U.S.
Senator George Voinovich |
Piqua
Civic Band Provided the Music for the Grand Opening Ceremony |
Mayor
Tom Hudson (Left), Cecelia Martin (Center) and Commissioner John
Martin (Right) Inside the Building |
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| Tom
Zechman, Senator Voinovich and Jim Oda Share a Moment in the
Hallway on the 2nd Floor |
Senator
Voinovich Greets Piqua City School Representatives |
Senator
Voinovich Presents a Certificate of Recognition for Obtaining a
Rating of "Excellent"
(From Left to Right: Principal Rick Fry, School Board Member
Andy Hite, School Superintendent Rick Hanes, Senator Voinovich,
Teacher of the Year Nancy Denise, and Piqua High School Senior
Class President Hillary Fry) |
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| Superintendent
Rick Hanes and Senator Voinovich |
Senator
Voinovich and Library Director Jim Oda |
Senator
Voinovich and Mayor Tom Hudson |
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| Senator
Voinovich and County Commissioner Jack Evans |
Thank
You to Senator Voinovich for Attending the Grand Opening
Festivities |
Senator
Voinovich and Superintendent Rick Hanes' Family |
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Senator
Voinovich and Piqua High School Senior Class President Hillary
Fry |
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