The City of Huntsville hosted a ribbon-cutting on Thursday at the Sandra Moon Community Complex in South Huntsville.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle opened the event by welcoming those gathered.

“Today, after years of great anticipation, years of great anticipation,” Mayor Battle said to knowing laughs from the audience, “we are opening the new arts wing in what is the old Grissom High School, now known as the Sandra Moon Complex. Today is monumental because five local musical organizations, for the first time, will have a place to call home.”

The five organizations that will be housed in the new complex include the Huntsville Community Chorus Association, Huntsville Master Chorale, Huntsville Youth Orchestra, Huntsville Concert Band and the Brass Band of Huntsville.

The new arts wing has 12,500 square feet of space designed for office, rehearsal, and administrative purposes.

District 3 Council Member Jennie Robinson followed Mayor Battle.

“Let me just start by saying that my friend, mentor, and predecessor Councilman Sandra Moon would be very proud of what we’re doing today,” said Robinson.

Council Member Robinson explained that she recently had the opportunity to listen to the Brass Band of Huntsville Youth Academy rehearse in the new space.

“As I listened to them, I thought ‘the walls have missed music.’ And we’re bringing it back today. So while this is a ribbon-cutting, it’s also a homecoming,” said Robinson.

Arts Huntsville Executive Director Allison Dillon-Jauken followed Council Member Robinson.

Dillon-Jauken thanked Mayor Battle, Council Member Robinson, Parks and Recreation Director James Gossett, the architectural team, and the Arts Huntsville team for making this decades-long dream a reality.

Parks and Recreation Director James Gossett explained to those gathered that additional ribbon-cuttings will be held at the Sandra Moon Community Complex in the future, as successive phases of the renovation project are completed.

After the ceremonial ribbon was cut, a choir from Lee High School celebrated the event by performing a moving piece.

Attendees were then invited to tour the new arts complex.

The enthusiasm was palpable as representatives from the five musical organizations showed off the newly renovated wing.

Sally Priester, Administrative Director of the Huntsville Community Chorus Association (HCCA), explained to the Huntsville Business Journal what this space means to the organization.

“Having our library and administrative offices in the same space where we rehearse is a dream come true,” said Sally Priester, “Now we all continue the ‘business’ of bringing great music to North Alabama.”