Ringgold Main Street Manager Rhonda Johnson wants the community to know that Patriot Hall is now open for bookings. The official dedication ceremony and accompanying open house held June 17 showcased the newly renovated venue.
Holding 200 at capacity, the building includes a stage area with dressing rooms on either side.
“We gutted the whole building and an architect planned out the inside,” Johnson said. “Everyone loves the kitchen. We have more rentals than we expected.”
Noting that Patriot Hall has a different vibe than the Depot, which is also available to rent, Johnson said Patriot Hall has already been used for anniversaries and birthday parties, and a church plans to rent the space one Sunday per month for services.
“The building was pretty run-down before and it needed a facelift,” said architect Kenny McDade, who worked with crews from the Georgia Department of Corrections to help bring his vision to life.
Johnson said the project helped the inmates learn valuable new skills.
“We have such a great appreciation for the Department of Corrections and all the contributions of people like Bobby Plemons, Homer Bryson, Kenny McDade and the prisoners that have overseen the construction,” said Ringgold Mayor Millwood. “We’ve worked on the building quite a few months. We already use it as a convention center for wedding receptions and parties. Anything done at the Depot could be done here. We have shows, plays and receptions at the Depot.”
Bryson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Corrections, said Patriot Hall shows what different layers of government can do when they work cooperatively. He said it’s a win for everyone involved.
The repairs were needed, said Plemons, Georgia Department of Corrections legislative liaison. Though only completed in the fall of 2015, the original roof was flat and had leakage issues, so workers gave the building a gable roof and rebuilt the interior.
About five to 15 people were working on the project all the time, Plemons said.
“We put them with a plumber if they want to learn plumbing. And put them with an electrician if they want to learn that,” he said. “We want everyone that gets out [of jail] to have a driver’s license and a job.”
To learn more about renting out Patriot Hall, call Ringgold City Hall at 706-935-3061 and ask for Rhonda Johnson.