Barrington officials held a grand re-opening ceremony for the renovated Bay Spring Community Center on Monday, Aug. 17. 

The project dates back to 2023, when the town council signed off on the “Rhode Island Community Learning Center Compact.” That agreement carried with it a large grant. Initially, the grant was for $691,000, but that figure has increased to more than $1 million. 

There are requirements associated with the grant money — some of the renovated community center is equipped for tele-health appointments, while other space is available for residents to conduct online job interviews. There is also a requirement for the community center to be open to the general public during normal business hours. The town recently hired a program director, Janine Vlassakis, who was on-hand for the grand opening. Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee spoke to the crowd gathered at the event. Also in attendance were local legislators, town officials, and plenty of residents.