Monongalia County Courthouse to be rededicated on May 2

MORGANTOWN — The Monongalia County Commission is planning an official rededication of the newly renovated Monongalia County Courthouse square for 11 a.m. on May 2.
The ceremony will follow the commission’s regular Wednesday meeting.
Commission President Tom Bloom said the gathering is expected to take about a half-hour or so and include comments from Mills Group founder Michael Mills, the square’s designer, as well as a raising of the new Monongalia County flag by its designer, Andrew Riley.
Bloom said he’s proud of what the newly designed square says about the county.
“I am ecstatic. I really think that it came out the way we wanted it. We were able to keep the historical aspects while adding some modern to it,” Bloom said. “Everything, the plaques, the veteran’s area, is all accessible now, plus we have some space for shows and performances.”
More important than any of that, Bloom said, the square is now accessible for those with mobility issues and fully compatible with the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines.
Bloom explained that between the $2.1 million square renovation and ongoing work at the courthouse, the county’s justice center and the sheriff’s building, the county has invested heavily in downtown Morgantown.
Following the dedication ceremony, refreshments will be served in the commission’s chambers.
The plaza was closed to pedestrians last May as March Westin implemented the design plan agreed upon by the Monongalia County Commission and The Mills Group.