The Ottawa County Veteran Services Department will soon begin renovations at the former probate court offices to create a user-friendly space within the Fillmore Complex.
The new headquarters will include offices for counseling, a lounge, a technology center, a conference room and a kitchenette. Construction is slated to begin in early August.
“I want this to be a place where, if (veterans) want to come in and grab a cup of coffee and sit on the couch and just have conversations, we would love that,” said Veterans Services Director Jason Schenkel. “It’s good for their physical health, it’s good for their mental health. It gives them purpose, especially when you’re talking about the senior community.”
The department currently shares space with the Ottawa County Department of Public Health in Holland Township. The Ottawa County Board granted funding in November 2024 to renovate the old space at the Fillmore Complex in West Olive to better suit the needs of local veterans.
The renovation estimate is about $225,000, but Schenkel expects to come in under budget.
“We’ve really bled into (OCDPH) and it’s just not very conductive for what we do,” Schenkel said. “The new space is quite larger.”
The location is also more convenient, Schenkel said, giving veterans about a 20-minute commute from all directions.
“We want it to be a spot where they’re comfortable and confident they can come and get resources and camaraderie.”
— Cassidey Kavathas is the politics and court reporter at The Holland Sentinel. Contact her at ckavathas@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @cassideykava.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: ‘Camaraderie’: Ottawa County Veterans Services to begin work on new offices in August
Reporting by Cassidey Kavathas, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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