Video of Ribbon Cutting-September 20, 2024/Video News Service/Mike Pettinella
By Mike Pettinella
UConnectCare Publicist
No longer “a concept,” The Recovery Station at 5256 Clinton St. Rd. in the Town of Batavia is a welcome option for people in recovery from substance use disorder to socialize in a setting free of drugs and alcohol.
Staff at the facility operated by UConnectCare (formerly Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse) on Friday night hosted a “grand reopening” with a ribbon cutting ceremony, pizzas cooked in its sparkling new commercial kitchen and the classic rock sounds of the band Groove.
About 80 people attended the event, which included remarks from Batavia Town Supervisor Greg Post, TRS Coordinator Melissa Vinyard and UConnectCare Chief Executive Officer John Bennett.
Gregg Torrey, Genesee County legislator, presented a certificate of recognition from State Sen. George M. Borrello, while calling TRS “a great addition to the community … that’s here to stay.”
While unable to attend due to a previous commitment, Bennett did address the gathering via video.
After thanking Luke Granger, director of Recovery Services at UConnectCare; Vinyard, and their staff, Bennett said he got the idea for a social club for people in recovery after a trip to New York City about 10 years ago.
“Tonight is a special night as we celebrate this grand reopening,” he said. “This building started as a concept many, many years ago. I had been to New York City, and I heard about, they called it a recovery bar.
“I researched it … and from that day on, I had hoped to create a place where people in recovery could come in and enjoy the same things that everybody else can enjoy. People go to bars to watch a sports event, or they can listen to a band or play pool or darts, and I thought we need a place that is drug free in our community that isn’t a basement of a church, which is okay, but not the same.”
Bennett shared that the agency was able to secure grants to purchase the former Bohn’s Restaurant. It took about five years to renovate the former Bohn’s Restaurant that now houses a dining area, social area and other amenities as well as office space for UConnectCare employees.
TRS opened in the spring of 2020 just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“Finally, the commercial kitchen was done (a few weeks ago) and that’s why we’re celebrating the grand reopening,” he said, before inviting the public to utilize all that the center has to offer.
Vinyard said she came to Batavia seven years ago when she “got out of rehab and decided to put the drink and drugs down.” She said she went through the entire program at UConnectCare (then GCASA) and “got better.”
“This place is a blessing,” she said. “People in recovery need somewhere nice and modern, that smells good and serves food, to socialize in an adult way and not having to worry about drugs and alcohol.”
Post thanked everyone for their “participation and the patience that you’ve had in making this opening what we all hoped it would be.”
“Almost four years ago or maybe a little longer than that, the concept was evolving, and I just want every person in this room to know that your town board, in its entirety, has nothing but the highest regard and the highest level of support,” he said. “It makes us proud to know how well you’ve done with this. It looks beautiful and so do all of you.”