Governor McKee, Mayor Beauchamp Host Groundbreaking for New Community Learning Center
Published on Friday, September 05, 2025
The 14,000 square-foot facility in Cass Park will offer education, job development, and health monitoring programs when it opens in 2026
WOONSOCKET, RI — Governor Dan McKee and Woonsocket Mayor Christopher Beauchamp were joined by Senator Jack Reed, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and Congressman Gabe Amo for the groundbreaking of a 14,000-square-foot Community Learning Center in Cass Park. Local legislators and members of the City Council, including Council President Daniel Gendron, were also in attendance.
Community Learning Centers are a signature initiative of the McKee Administration, with the Governor directing approximately $82 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund to build or rehabilitate more than 20 centers across Rhode Island.
Funded with $6,990,500 in ARPA dollars, the Woonsocket center will include a computer lab, three classrooms, three multipurpose spaces, five telemedicine rooms, and 13 other spaces for programming. It will be located next to the city’s new athletic facility, also under construction.
“The Woonsocket Community Learning Center will be a game-changer for area residents, bringing people together to build skills and community connections,” said Governor McKee. “Each one of the centers will have a different look and a different menu of services, based on each community’s unique needs.”
“Today's groundbreaking is a monumental step forward for our city. The Woonsocket Community Learning Center isn't just a building; it's a testament to our commitment to the well-being and future of our residents,” said Mayor Beauchamp. “By bringing together essential services for education, job development, and health, this new facility will serve as a vital hub for our community, empowering Woonsocket families to learn, grow, and thrive for generations to come.”
“Projects like this community center are why I fight so hard to ensure that Rhode Island has sufficient resources – whether from the $1 billion State and Local Recovery Fund or through the annual appropriations process – to address pressing community needs. We need to continue making federal investments in projects like this, which will make a real difference in the lives of Woonsocket residents, providing a space for job training, community meetings, public health screenings, and more,” said Senator Jack Reed.
“Congratulations to Governor McKee and Mayor Beauchamp on breaking ground for the new Woonsocket Community Learning Center. Almost $7 million of funding from our American Rescue Plan supported this investment in learning opportunities for students when school is out and job training for adults looking to gain new skills,” said Senator Whitehouse.
Programming for the center will focus on three pillars of the Governor’s 2030 Plan: improving educational outcomes, raising incomes, and keeping Rhode Islanders healthy. Once the center is open in 2026, the City of Woonsocket will be partnering with the Woonsocket YMCA, Landmark Medical, Thundermist, and EMTs from the city’s own fire department to offer a variety of health education and monitoring programs.
On the education front, the city plans to work with the Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island Regional Adult Learning (RIRAL), and a number of other partners to offer Learn365RI out-of-school programs for youth and ESL, GED, and other life skill programs for adults.
CCRI, RIRAL, and the YMCA will also be providing job development programming, while the Woonsocket Education Center will partner with other organizations to offer monthly job fairs.
The Community Learning Center initiative is managed by the Pandemic Recovery Office at the RI Department of Administration. To learn more about Rhode Island’s Community Learning Centers and track their progress, visit pandemicrecovery.ri.gov/CLC.