Wicomico Civic Center Celebrates $10M Renovation

Salisbury, MD - The Wicomico Civic Center held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, Aug. 3, to mark the completion of its more than $10 million renovation. The Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce co-hosted the event.

The long-awaited project brought several upgrades to the venue. It includes an expanded box office and lobby, new safety barriers along the north and west sides of the building, improved wayfinding, better ADA access, and a bigger food court.

Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano spoke about what the renovation means for the community. "These renovations ensure that this facility will continue serving the residents and visitors for many years to come," she said. "They enhance the experience for everyone who walks through these doors, strengthen our ability to attract new events, support our local economy and provide an outstanding venue for recreation, entertainment and community gatherings."

Wicomico Recreation, Parks & Tourism Director Steve Miller shared some of the venue's history during his remarks. He reminded the crowd of a difficult day nearly 50 years ago. "June 22, 1977... that is the day that this building here burned to the ground," Miller said.

Miller talked about how the community responded after the fire. "In the days that followed, the community rallied together, and their resolve was, 'This is OUR building, this is our place, this place matters to us,' and they were determined to build it bigger and better than it ever was before," he said. Just over two years later, in the spring of 1980, the community had done exactly that.

This renovation project is the biggest investment at the Civic Center since it was rebuilt after the fire. Miller connected the recent work back to that same spirit from decades ago. "In doing this project, we are reaffirming what they said nearly half a century ago: This is OUR building, this is our place, this place matters to us, and we've made it bigger and better than it's ever been before," he said.

The renovation was made possible through a combination of funding sources. A $5.5 million federal grant came from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration, and Wicomico County contributed more than $4.3 million. The state of Maryland added $495,000 to round out the funding.

(Photos Courtesy of Wicomico County)