New Name for Reid Center?

Reid Center volunteer, Mildred Nance-Carson.

By T.J. Moore

For more than a decade, whispers of improvement and restoration have swirled around the W.C. Reid Center. 

Plans to give the Center a much needed face-lift have been on the agenda for Asheville city officials, but the planning and the fundraising didn’t officially begin until 2005, when the center launched the “Raise The Roof at the Reid” campaign.

After enduring numerous obstacles from planning objectives to securing proper funding, the first phase of the new center will open next month—with a Grand Opening celebration planned for the fall. This phase features a theater, multi-purpose classroom spaces, and an office that will house the cultural arts programming component.

The Center’s second phase, scheduled for completion in two years, will feature a state-of-the-art gymnasium, and plans for the final phase feature a green house. The excitement on the corner of Livingston and Depot is undeniable. “We are really excited about the opportunities that a new building affords us.” says Reid Center volunteer Mildred Nance-Carson.
 

With a new building and a new outlook, a new name is being floated for the center, with official word coming early as next month. While many contributors have made the dream and promise of a new center a reality, Nance-Carson believes that the naming of the new building should be reserved for a man whose contribution to Asheville’s African-American community preceded the Reid Center, someone who gave so much to the Asheville community that he often sacrificed his own needs: Dr. Wesley Grant.

“He was our Martin Luther King,” she recalls. “The Livingston/Depot community overcame many obstacles during the years, and has always survived storms because of his leadership.”

Known as “the little preacher with the big smile and warm heart,” Dr. Grant was an active force in the community during the era of urban renewal. He worked tirelessly to achieve the election of Ruben Daley as the first African American City Councilman and the hiring of William Fleming as the first African American policeman in the city. Grant also regularly traveled to Haiti to purchase bikes for missionaries.

During the period of racial unrest in the 1970s, Dr. Grant stepped up to be the voice of reason in the Asheville community; his leadership earned him respect in the halls of the city’s government as well as the community that he served.

In addition to helping quell racial tensions, Grant was instrumental in ensuring that young people had a safe environment to play in, and he stressed the need for formal education. His mild manner, gentle heart, and smile also graced televisions and radios throughout the south.
But Grant’s greatest contribution to the African American community was his instilling a sense of the value of property ownership. Throughout his life he stressed the importance of ownership, a value that Nance-Carson wants to keep alive as the Reid Center changes and new opportunities arise.

“I love seeing growth, and I enjoy it. But at the same time, I believe we should stress ownership and we want that to start in our community,” she said.

To aid in her efforts, Nance-Carson spearheaded a campaign to request that the Reid Center should be renamed the Wesley Grant Community Center. Between May 1 and May 15 callers may request that Dr. Grant’s name be considered for the redesigned and renovated community center. To contribute votes to name the new building the Wesley Grant Community Center, call (828) 259-5826.

For more information about the Reid Center, log onto www.ashevillenc.gov/parks.