FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Jan. 19, 2018) -- It's OK, admit it. There has been more than a few Fort Drum community members, in recent weeks, who have stopped by the Army Community Service building on Conway Road only to realize that the facility has moved to its new location on Restore Hope Avenue.
Catherine Ferran, ACS chief, said that was to be expected. While they tried to get the word out about the relocation in mid-December, they are still receiving phone calls from people asking why ACS is closed.
"People go to that building thinking that it is still open," she said. "It's a totally empty parking lot now, if that's any indication, and we put on the information about the move on the door. Still, it seems every day Soldiers show up there and then they think it is closed."
Ferran assures the community that ACS is open for business, with the same hours, same phone numbers and same great services, now at Bldg. 1780, Restore Hope Ave. The easiest route to take for motorists passing by the old location is to continue down Conway Road, cross the Ontario Street intersection and turn left at Restore Hope Avenue. The new ACS building is between 6th and 7th streets.
"I'm really pleased with how this building is marked on the outside," Ferran said. "The signage is good and shows that we are here and we're open."
Ferran said that she is also happy with the amount of classroom spaces that is available in the new facility.
"We've got a lot of training space and we are using every inch of it, because a lot of what we do at ACS is training and classroom activities," she said.
Parking is available across the street from the building, but patrons with disabilities or with small children can use the designated spaces directly in front of the building.
"We do have a lot of moms who come here with little ones, and parking on the other side of the road can be a little too much for some of them, so putting this parking in the front is very helpful," Ferran said.
Tracy Hitchcock, Information Referral Program manager, said that the move to the South Post location went smoothly and it was made easier since the transition was scheduled while most Soldiers and their Families were on holiday leave.
"Everybody really came together and did what we had to do," Hitchcock said. "There was a lot to move and a lot of organizing involved, but I was really impressed with how everyone worked as a team on this."
Ferran also reminds community members that two ACS programs -- Employment Readiness and Survivor Outreach Services -- are located at the Soldier and Family Assistance Center at Bldg. 11042 on Mount Belvedere Boulevard.
If there is any confusion about the relocation, it hasn't caused any appointments to require rescheduling and people haven't stopped attending regularly scheduled activities.
"As far as we've seen, this really hasn't been disruptive to anyone attending ACS classes," Hitchcock said. "I'm not aware of any decrease in participation in things like the Sewing Club or English as a Second Language class. It just takes time for people to get used to us being here now."
Hitchcock said that if anyone has questions, call ACS at (315) 772-ACS1 (2271) or visit https://www.facebook.com/FtDrumACS/.
Related Links:
10th Mountain Division (LI) and Fort Drum
Social Sharing