A Sneak Peek at the New Vernon Community Arts Center

Today is the day.

The Vernon Community Arts Center officially becomes a reality.

Here is a schedule of activities centered around the grand opening:

• 11 a.m. - The official ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring music by Judy Handler and Lark Levesque.

• 1 to 4 p.m. - Open house featuring the music of the King Solomon  Quartet.

• 5 to 8 p.m. - The inaugural open juried art show, featuring the music of the Yunie Mojica Quartet.

• 6:30 p.m. - awards ceremony.

The center is located at the junction of Center Road and Hartford Turnpike in Vernon Center.

The building was constructed in 1927 as the County Home School for children and it served in that capacity until 1950, when its students were integrated into the Vernon school system.

The building also housed kindergarten and adult education classes over the years.

The conversion had an estimated price tag of $1.7 million and it is being funded by two state grants.

In 2008, the town received a $300,000 grant from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, and Vernon also received $1.5 million from the Department of Economic and Community Development.

The architectural firm of Quisenberry Arcari designed the building and A. Secondino & Son Inc. was the general contractor.