Soon, the proposed Beaufort County Police Activities League’s Aviation, Technology and Fitness Center will have a literal foundation to accompany a foundation of community support.

Government officials, community organizations and others attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the facility Tuesday afternoon. The center will be adjacent to Washington-Warren Airport. As a prelude to the ceremony, the City Council, during its meeting Monday, authorized the mayor to sign a ground-site lease for the center.

The center’s facilities will include, but are not limited to, a simulator room where patrons will learn flight and boating fundamentals, a multipurpose classroom, a fitness center (addressing physical fitness, nutrition and other health-related concerns) and a laboratory where patrons may construct airplane models and other items related to their studies and research. The city’s Airport Advisory Board recommended approval of the center. The proposal has been reviewed and cleared by the N.C. Division of Aviation. The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified about the project.

Alvin Powell, BC PAL president, explained the Beaufort County’s PAL program is unique because it focuses on an academic program that stresses science, technology, engineering and mathematics and includes fitness and nutrition components. PAL usually stands for Police Athletic League, in which sports is used as the tool for improving relationships between youth and the law enforcement community, he noted.

“We decided not to focus on sports. The only (sports) thing we focus on is swimming and through a program we’re going to start next year … volleyball, but that’s just as a fitness thing, not as an organized league thing,” Powell said. “Then, we’re going to use this building to focus on introducing the kids to aviation and the scientific principles on why airplanes, both powered and non-powered, fly and also marine ecology and boating,” Powell said.

Without the support of government officials, groups like the Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce, Beaufort County Schools and others, the center would still be a dream instead of becoming a reality, Powell said.

“This is exciting, and I knew Al could do this. I think somebody made the comment that when he first came up with the plan, I said, ‘Well, he’ll look under every rock he can find within 200 or 300 miles of here, and he’ll get it done,’” Mayor Mac Hodges said.

Powell said it would cost about $195,000 to build the center, which will be housed in a metal building designed to blend in with the new terminal at the airport. To date, BC PAL has raised $160,000 of that amount, with $35,000 to be raised in coming months.

Grants to build and equip the center come from several sources. The Winston-Salem Foundation is providing $75,000. The Cannon Foundation is contributing $35,000.

Grady-White Boats is kicking in $15,000. A $160,000 grant from the Burroughs-Wellcome Fund is providing $160,000, but that money is earmarked for program expenses. Beaufort County United Way is helping fund the project, Powell noted.