Guam - It's been more than a decade since the Inarajan Community Center was condemned following the wrath of Supertyphoon Pongsona.

Fast forward to today, villagers and visitors alike can now enjoy the newly renovated facility.

It was a morning of celebration for the village of Inarajan.

"This is the moment we have been waiting for. When our residents saw the lights last night, they were excited. Oh it's about time we have our center back," said mayor Doris Flores Lujan. Although there's fewer than 3,000 residents in her village, the mayor says there will be plenty of action at the newly renovated facility that was originally constructed and designed by the U.S. Navy in 1925.

Back then, the building served as a school with blackboards as dividers for classrooms. "This is actually the main core for village residents to network and have fun and have meetings here," she said. "According to Guam Economic Development Authority board chairman E.J. Calvo, the Inarajan Community Center restoration project is one of many landmark capital improvement projects ongoing islandwide funded through hotel occupancy tax bonds or HOT bonds,' he said.

"We've placed a high importance on these improvement projects for Guam. These projects do great things and keeping our past alive and preserving our history taking this project for example. We are restoring the Malesso bell tower, improving the Magellan monument in Umatac, rehabilitating Plaza De Espana and putting up new historic signs all around the island as well as constructing what will be the crown jewel of our capital, the Guam Museum," he said.

In addition to today's ribbon cutting ceremony, Governor Eddie Calvo proclaimed the month of November in celebration of Inarajan as part of the "My Village Project."

Throughout the month, the Inarajan Mayor's Office along with the Office of the Governor will provide outreach to villagers, including bringing government services directly to the southern homes.