The Broken Bow Chamber of Commerce was busy Thursday afternoon, welcoming a new bank and celebrating the city’s first public restrooms.
Ribbon cutting #1 took place in the Arrow mini-mall, to celebrate the arrival of Hershey Bank to the area. Owner of the bank(along with her husband Vern) Kelly Ehlers, said Ryan Vonderohe is the new Vice President.
“Ryan previously worked for our bank right out of college, and then he moved to the Broken Bow area with his family and was employed with a bank here, and then he came back to us wanting to see if we could have room for him again. He and my husband Vern talked about opening this branch up here in Broken Bow because we wanted to expand and see if we could help out the people in this area as well.”
The bank is open for business.
Then members of the Chamber and community gathered in a newly-renovated space just east of the town square. The entrance to the space contains Broken Bow’s first ever public restrooms. City Administrator Dave Schmidt talked about the importance of not having to go elsewhere when nature calls.
“I think it means a lot as far as their ability to maximize their enjoyment from our city’s square park. Parents with little kids, ‘mommy I got to go to the bathroom’, the only option was to pack up and leave, and now they don’t have to. I’m hoping that’s what this will provide is the ability to use and enjoy the park better.”
The bathrooms open Friday for the public’s convenience.
Beyond the restrooms is a beautiful area that a business can now lease, thanks to the fine renovation touches of Larry Harbour and his son. The two began upgrading the former accountant’s office last March, and just this week put the finishing touches on the elegant room.
