A ribbon cutting ceremony was held in Forsyth County Tuesday as county officials and others celebrated completion of a $2.6 millioin project that turned the decades-old Matt Schoolhouse into a Community Center.
FORSYTH CO. GOVERNMENT NEWS RELEASE:
“Following renovations, the historic building provides:
- Parks & Recreation with a programming center for the Therapeutic Recreation division
- Offices for the Department of Recycling & Solid Waste staff
- A voting precinct for future elections
- Community meeting/event space
“For many in Forsyth County, the Matt Schoolhouse Community Building is more than just a building,” said District 4 Commissioner Mendy Moore at the ceremony. “Children came here to learn, to grow and to build the foundation for their futures. Now it will once again serve as a place where the community gathers, just in a different way.”
Built in the 1940s, Matt Schoolhouse once served 75 local students. Forsyth County purchased the 8,100-square-foot building in 2021 and made safety improvements including asbestos and mold abatement. In 2025, the County began renovating the building to its current state.
Other renovations made to the facility include:
- Updated community spaces available for voting, community meetings and parties
- New roof
- New modern bathrooms
- New kitchen
- New office space
“Today the Matt Schoolhouse Community Building is no longer an old schoolhouse; it’s now a place where individuals of all abilities will build friendships, confidence, skills and memories,” said Parks & Recreation Director Kirk Franz at the ceremony. “In many ways, it feels like it’s very fitting for a building that originally was a place for learning and growing. As Parks & Recreation professionals, that’s really what we strive to do – to create spaces that bring people together and improve the quality of life.”
The ceremony featured remarks from District 4 Commissioner Mendy Moore, Forsyth County Manager David McKee, Parks & Recreation Director Kirk Franz, Director of Interiors at Jericho Design Group, LLC Whitney Shaw and Forsyth County resident Barbara Hamby, who attended school at the facility in her youth.